UK: Deserted streets greet soldiers' parade on their return from Afghanistan

The Daily Mail (U.K.) ^ | October 6, 2007 | MICHAEL SEAMARK and ARTHUR MARTIN

[Stoat]

A homecoming fit for heroes? Deserted streets greet soldiers' parade on their return from Afghanistan

by MICHAEL SEAMARK and ARTHUR MARTIN - More by this author » Last updated at 00:45am on 6th October 2007

  After six months risking their lives against the Taliban in Afghanistan, they might have expected a token show of appreciation from a grateful public.

 

But as they paraded through Abingdon in Oxfordshire, these brave soldiers had the streets almost to themselves.

Four hundred men from the 4th Logistic Support Regiment - dressed in desert fatigues - were virtually ignored on their march to St Helen's Church for a thanksgiving service.

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Church parade - minus the congregation. As the men from the 4th Logistic Support Regiment march through Abingdon, the pavements are almost deserted

Admittedly there had been little local publicity for the parade. But the scene starkly underlines the warning issued by the head of the Army last month that troops' willingness to serve in conflict zones is being sapped by apathy at home.

General Sir Richard Dannatt said soldiers returning from dangerous tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan were dismayed to find the public could be "dismissive or indifferent" to their experiences.

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Back from the desert: The men in their fatigues head for their thanksgiving service

More than 1,000 troops from the 3rd and 4th Logistic Support Regiments, stationed at Dalton Barracks near Abingdon, have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

One member of the 3rd - who are still in Iraq - was killed in Basra last month.

Sgt Mark Stansfield, 32, from Bicester, died in hospital after an accident while carrying out security checks at an ammunition supply point.

Nigel Warner, town clerk of Abingdon, watched the parade and said there were a "fair few people out - it's always difficult to be accurate with figures. I think there was a reasonable turnout in the High Street. The Mayor Lorraine Oates said some words to the troops".

He said the council had given both 3rd and 4th Regiments, which moved to the barracks ten years ago, the Freedom of Abingdon last July when there were "lots and lots of people out".

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United they stand on the streets of Abingdon in Oxfordshire

Mr Warner added that the authority is planning a joint celebration in the New Year when both regiments are at the barracks.

"The 3rd are not back from Iraq until November so we are planning to have a public event for both of them whereby the town gives thanks to the soldiers directly.

"It will be a large public event followed by some sort of civic reception. Today was something the Army organised and it was a fairly low-key event."

Nevertheless, the pitiful turnout provoked angry criticism of the nation's reluctance to show support for soldiers fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, where 170 troops have already died.

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A lone spectator applauds the soldiers as they parade through the streets

Tory defence spokesman Gerald Howarth said: "There is an apathy and it's dangerous. These guys do as they are asked by the government of the day and this is a critical part of being a soldier.

"If people seem completely uninterested - which they are - then they will have no real comprehension of what the Armed Forces do. They watch what's happening in Afghanistan and Iraq on the television and then go about their lives, detached from what is happening to our soldiers. These guys deserve our support."

Tory MP Patrick Mercer, a former infantry commander, said: "Sadly, if you have a parade every time a unit comes home we are going to have more parades than spectators. Nonetheless, this is terribly disappointing for an outstanding unit."

This week in the Daily Mail Colonel Jorge Mendonca, the decorated war hero who left the Army in disgust following his politically-motivated court martial, warned that Britain was in peril if we no longer respect our fighting men and women.

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What a contrast: Cheers, Union flags and tears of joy greeted the arrival of the Crew of HMS Ark Royal in 2003

 

A British Army commander killed by a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan yesterday was the most senior UK serviceman to die in the country so far.

The major, who was serving with the 1st Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles, brings the death toll since British forces began fighting in Afghanistan six years ago to 82.

He died when a booby-trap bomb blasted his armoured vehicle as his troops were returning to their main base in Kandahar, following days of fierce fighting against the Taliban in neighbouring Helmand Province.

The Vector armoured truck was one of a fleet purchased specially by the MoD last year to provide extra protection for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, but its armour proved too weak to protect the soldiers inside.

The attack occurred in the desert around 20 miles west of the sprawling main Nato base in Kandahar Province.

• The Army is so short of soldiers that it has hired Group 4 Securicor to help train British troops heading for frontline operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The £7million contract will see the private company's staff being paid to demonstrate key military skills such as quelling riots, storming enemy compounds and carrying out vehicle checks - as well as dressing up to play the parts of enemy fighters or local civilians in training exercises.

Currently such demonstrations and play-acting are carried out by serving British soldiers who are drawn from other units to help their colleagues prepare for hazardous operations abroad.

But with the Army struggling to cope with the demands of simultaneous operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence admitted yesterday that the ground-breaking deal was intended to "free up resources".

Although the Army uses small numbers of civilians in specialist training such as language classes, this is the first time it has used private companies to provide more general training in front-line operationalskills.

Group Four Securicor stressed that it would use only former soldiers, mostly recentlyretired Gurkhas, to fulfil the training contract.

But the latest move was seen as a further sign of the severe overstretch facing the UK armed forces, who have faced drastic manpower cuts in recent years despite the heavy demands of fighting overseas.

The British Army is at its smallest in modern times, with only 99,350 trained soldiers according to latest MoD figures - and almost 2,500 posts left vacant owing to recruitment and retention problems.

[popdonnelly]

I’m appalled.

[pbear8]

Or both.

[Stoat]

Sorry about that last comment. I was so angry.......

I have written some of my best emails while I've been angry.

 

Abingdon Town Council - Resident Information & Useful Links

Abingdon Town Council is the parish office of the Town Clerk and Mayor of Abingdon

Town Council Offices                                01235 522642                 www.abingdongov.uk

Abingdon Information Centre                      01235 522711                www.abingdongov.uk
                                                                                                   info@abingdon.gov.uk 
Mayor's Personal Assistant                      01235 522642

Abingdon Town Council - Resident Information & Useful Links

Abingdon Town Council is the parish office of the Town Clerk and Mayor of Abingdon

Town Council Offices                                01235 522642                 www.abingdongov.uk

Abingdon Information Centre                      01235 522711                www.abingdongov.uk
                                                                                                   info@abingdon.gov.uk 
Mayor's Personal Assistant                      01235 522642

[Robert A Cook PE]

“Natural” advertising does not happen accidentally, but deliberate antipathy also requires notice.....

[DesScorp]

How much does that suck for Britain when Americans appreciate their efforts more than their own people?

More than ever, I’m convinced that one day, England will be no more, and that a huge chunk of the valiant Britons will move to Australia and the US.

[mamelukesabre]

I’ve been involved with the bikers that form a line at funerals of fallen soldiers. I am a biker. I am not a former soldier.

I want to know if americans can show up at british homecoming ceremonies for british soldiers. i also want to know if our “esteemed” presedente can give a stipend to do so. i want to be amongst the americans that show up at british parades. I think it should be done. lets do it.

[mamelukesabre]

see my post 26

[monkeycard]

I am simply flabbergasted.

[nkycincinnatikid]

Ohhh for the good old days when hundreds of thousands would have stood and cheered for Jameson’s raiders and the army which created the murder facilities in Dutch Africa. Actions eventually have consequences.

[rottndog]

This is terrible. I can’t imagine being one of those soldiers marching through those empty streets.

Pathetic.

[2111USMC]

".... will march through the town's streets tomorrow for a Thanksgiving service at St Helen's Church."

Well this article gave a whopping 1 day notice. A normal work day to boot. It's no wonder there was a small turnout.

[Ciexyz]

Kudos to our British allies in the War on Terror.

[Stoat]

It's no wonder there was a small turnout.

Agreed.  Utterly incompetent planning, perhaps augmented by a willful neglect..

Shame upon the Mayor and her Council.

[Stoat]

This is terrible. I can’t imagine being one of those soldiers marching through those empty streets.

Agreed.  My hope is that this breathtaking insult to the troops, their families and to all of Great Britain will engender a reaction so severe and scathing that it will serve as a reminder to Mayors and Councils all across the UK that whatever their hysterical, anti-war, anti-Military and anti-Western brain dysfunctions may be, they had better darned well look after the soldiers and make sure that they are treated with the greatest possible respect.  Because if they don't, their lives will be made an absolute living hell for a very long time.....

[I_like_good_things_too]

Thanks for posting this Stoat; it is disgusting, but I place blame on the leaders of this town. I find that even in leftie Seattle, a vast majority of the people support the men & women in the military. I just can’t imagine it was a purposeful snub on the troops. Maybe I just can’t wrap my mind around it. I’ll make my thoughts known to the town leaders!

[pissant]

Thank you! I love seeing this stuff.

[Stoat]

I want to know if americans can show up at british homecoming ceremonies for british soldiers.

I don't see why not....I'm sure that American participation in an observance of a ceremony honoring their troops would be just as welcome as if some of our British Friends were to pay respects to our troops while they are over on this side of the pond....I'm sure that they would be delighted.

 i also want to know if our “esteemed” presedente can give a stipend to do so. i want to be amongst the americans that show up at british parades. I think it should be done. lets do it.

I would think that it would not be such a good thing if it became known that Americans were being paid by their Government to show up at British war ceremonies, but I'm sure that a personally-funded show of support would be sincerely appreciated by all.

[Stoat]

How much does that suck for Britain when Americans appreciate their efforts more than their own people?

In all fairness, I would urge reconsideration...the article states that there was little publicity for this event, so I would suggest that the Mayor and her Council should be faulted in this instance, and not the general public.

If the people didn't know about it, they can't very well be made to be at fault if they didn't come to the event.

[Stoat]

Thanks for posting this Stoat;

You're quite welcome and I'm delighted that you're participating in the thread  :-)

 it is disgusting, but I place blame on the leaders of this town.

Agreed.

I find that even in leftie Seattle, a vast majority of the people support the men & women in the military. I just can’t imagine it was a purposeful snub on the troops.

I don't fault the public in this case because there was very poor publicity for the event.  That being said, there's a chance that an anti-Military bias played a part in the Mayor's or the Council's lousy planning.  You may recall that not long ago there was a big flap down in Olympia because that city wouldn't allow a Navy ship to dock there, and there are constant squabbles over the Blue Angels flying over Seattle.

Government officials 'should' show open and unrestrained love and gratitude for the troops, particularly in a time of war.  To not do so suggests a lack of interest in supporting them, at the very least.

Maybe I just can’t wrap my mind around it. I’ll make my thoughts known to the town leaders!

Thank you....they need to be 'slapped upside the head'   :-)

[Rikstir]

“More than ever, I’m convinced that one day, England will be no more, and that a huge chunk of the valiant Britons will move to Australia and the US.”

If, as you say, England will be no more, then why would all the British people leave the UK? Get geography right mate.