Remembrance Sunday is a chance for us to acknowledge the sacrifice made by too many. All are aware of the casualties of conflict both Military and Civilian, but too we should not forget the bereaved, Widows, Widowers, Children, Parents, Fiancés or Fiancées, Nephews and Nieces, Uncles and Aunts, Cousins, Friends and Neighbours.

Even current septuagenarians weren’t old enough to have been sent to WW2. but siblings fought the good fight. It is too easy for me to think that ‘my lot’ lived to tell the tale, but they didn’t, for my father’s elder daughter lost her first husband in the Arnhem Campaign, thus their then baby son scarcely knew him. Each War Memorial records like sacrifice.

If our Nation sends its Services into Battle, or as oft euphemistically describe on a ‘Peace Keeping Mission’, then we have a collective obligation to provide aftercare. That has nothing to do with the righteousness of the cause, nor with the obdurate naiveté of those elected to Parliament.

Undoubtedly buying a poppy provides some financial help, but doing so doesn’t abrogate Government’s responsibility for the supply of proper equipment, and for after care. Financing both takes precedence over fiddled Expense Accounts, Banker’s bonuses, payment of excessive Welfare Claims, and the plight of illegal immigrants be they from Afghanistan or elsewhere. Maybe some of the former might be recruited to their country’s Police Force. ********************************

Writing in the Guardian, (a Newspaper) Mr. Howells – who had ministerial responsibility for Afghanistan until 2008 – said:

"It would be better to bring home the great majority of our fighting men and women and concentrate, instead, on using the money saved to secure our own borders gather intelligence on terrorist activities inside Britain."

Photograph above is from the Army Web Site, RAMC. The Bottom Photograph is of the founder, and first Head of the CANADIAN ARMY NURSING SERVICE, which Army is currently fighting alongside our Services in Afghanistan.