Mines Hero's Medal

[John A Silkstone]

Found this post on the Medic site that I belong to.

Silky

When I got to work on Sunday morning I was searching around for some more crosswords to do. I found a copy of Saturday's Sun (15.12.06). Hidden away on page 30, was an article with the headline "Mines Hero's Medal". L/Cpl Paul Hartley RAMC ran into a mine field to save and treat 6 soldiers. He was there for six and a half hours. Mines were exploding around him, yet this brave modest lad said to himself, "I am not going to die it's my son Ewan's first birthday tomorrow."

The George Medal is a recognition of his bravery and dedication, but in my mind I feel he should be awarded the V.C. Surely in a world where millionaire footballers kissing and hugging each other and drug taking pop stars and other parasites in show biz (who only pretend to be real people in their dramatic roles) are awarded Knighthoods and are given the title "hero" by the popular press. This young man and others showing gallantry and compassion should head the list of honours.
When knighthoods and medals first came into our culture, they were the accolades and awards for bravery, chivalry, service to monarch and defenders of our Christian faith. I am really upset that they have now been relegated to vote grabbing tactics for whatever management team is running the nation (I refuse to call it government).I have now finished my Xmas rant and will close wishing L/Cpl Hartley and his young family peace and prosperity, and may he continue in the corps as an example of all it stands for. To the rest of you old armchair warriors be proud of this HERO, and a merry Christmas to you all.

Jake.

[Hollis]

Thanks for the post. Not so different here in the States, I really wonder why the media promotes some of our lowest (certain athletes and pop stars) to Icon status and yet Men and Women similar to L/Cpl Paul Hartley RAMC, are classified as the lowest of our society.

[ArcticWolf]

Thank you for the post, Silky. We should all be so lucky to have someone like L/Cpl Paul Hartley RAMC coming to our help or rescue should we ever need it. sal;

In order to change people's attitudes and opinions, people like ourselves have to speak up and continue standing by these "old-fashioned" values. Eventually others will take notice and perhaps it'll make them think about what actions or who is worthy of recognition.

I find many of my generation and even their parents don't even understand words such as honour, gallantry, bravery and dedication. They'll be able to give an iffy explanation of what those words stand for, but have no real understanding of the deeper meaning of these words. They certainly wouldn't know who could be described as being gallant, brave, dedicated or honourable. If there is one thing I can thank my mother for, it is that she drummed into me what those words really mean.

[Bombardier]

So why dont we create a Government petition like the one posted for Detective Constable Stephen oakes?
I cant do it now, got to go out for the day but will do it tommorow.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/DC-Stephen-Oake/


Aanymore info that may be relevant would be great Silky (Y)

[John A Silkstone]

Hello one and all,

Before we start looking silly and going for a Government petition I would like to explain that the post was from a friend of mine named Jake. What he had not considered was that the George Medal is the highest award that Paul could receive. Higher awards are only given out in times of war, and though our lads are are in a war type zone it is not war. They are there to help keep the peace very much like Northern Ireland was.

However, what I would like to see now that the MOD and the Government have been found by the courts to be neglecting our troops by not issuing body armour in time to save live, and I now revert back to my posting of issuing the liquid Kevlar body armour to out troops in action which I posted on the 11 July this year and how many troops have been injured in the last six months?

The Government state that they are still waiting for test results. Who better to test this equipment but the troops? If a soldier is shot in the arm or leg and the armour works, all well and good. If it doesn’t, then they are no worse off, as they would have been wounded as they don’t have protection now.

I believe that it all comes down to cash. The body armour that was not issued and cost lives is £150 for a flack Jacket. Was Sergeant Stevens Roberts life not worth £150? It cost more that that to treat wounded soldiers so where is the save????

To read about what the coroner said about the government’s none action, go to:

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article2086707.ece

Silky

[ArcticWolf]

I was more thinking in the lines of our everyday lives, standing up for what we believe in. The world can only really be changed one person at a time... and it's always best to start at home.

To give one historical example, non-military related in this case, Poland was swept into Protestantism at the same time as the rest of Europe. But then why is Poland largely Catholic now you're asking...? Well, the MEN became Protestants and the WOMEN, who didn't have any say at the time, were not converted, and, obviously, stayed at home taking care of the CHILDREN, raising them as Catholics, making the next generation rejecting Protestantism... See what I mean?

A military example would be Hitler, who was very much aware of the above, which is why he encouraged children and teenagers to take part in Hitler-Jugend. Can you imagine how a mother or father feels when their own flesh and blood tell such authorities about them criticising these authorities?? Scary, but clever.

It's important to educate the general public, but in order to make long-lasting changes in a society children have always been, and always will be, the key to these changes.