T’was the night before Christmas
T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE,
MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.
I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY,
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO,
IN THIS HOME, DID LIVE.
I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.
NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES,
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT,
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR,
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED,
A BRITISH SOLDIER.
WAS THIS THE HERO,
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES,
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS,
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE,
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM,
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
I COULDN'T HELP WONDER,
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE,
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT,
A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES,
AND STARTED TO CRY.
THE SOLDIER AWAKENED,
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."
THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL,
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED,
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.
I DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE,
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR,
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."
ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."
Event Volunteers Wanted
After Today's meeting with Monmouth Council, we can now ask for the following.
Event Marshalls (over 2 days) Must be over 18 and physically fit.
Local Bands, Acts and Displays.
Vendors of Trade stands.
Vendors for Food pitches.
Please get in touch at info@welshwarrior.co.uk
Injured toll doubles in a year
Nearly 1,000 Service personnel have been wounded in action in Afghanistan, the latest casualty figures have disclosed. The latest figures that cover upto the 15th October. The figures show that up to October 15, 386 Service personnel had been wounded in action, taking the toll of injured since 2001 to 940. All but ten have occurred since 2006.
According to the Ministry of Defence figures, more than four members of the Armed Forces are being wounded for every death. In 2006, 85 were wounded and 234 the following year. In 2008, 235 were injured. The numbers who have been “very seriously” or “seriously” wounded have also increased sharply.
In 2006, the first year of combat with the Taleban in Helmand, 31 Service personnel received injuries in these two categories. In 2007 the total rose to 63 and in 2008 it was 65. This year the number has doubled to 121.
The MoD said that the figures reflected the “torrid summer” faced by troops in Helmand, with the Taleban laying improvised explosive devices.
All the seriously wounded are flown to the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine at Selly Oak in Birmingham. Defence sources said that there were contingency plans for taking seriously wounded servicemen to other hospitals in the area, but at present the Selly Oak hospital could cope with the influx of injured.
Those who have lost limbs or suffered permanent brain damage are cared for at the MoD’s rehabilitation centre at Headley Court, near Dorking, Surrey.
We shall continue to raise public awareness on these often hiden figures.
The Abandonded Soldier
The Abandoned Soldier
A youthful face
With innocent cares,
Wide eyed child
With infant stares.
The child grew up
Played soldier games,
With sticks for guns
Pretending to maim.
Young boy left school
Sought to be a man,
To render peace
In Afghanistan.
But all too soon
The decision made,
Some years of his life
With the Army he’d trade.
Once training done
And off he flew,
To fight a war
In pastures new.
Soon a mortar attack,
Killed, outright four,
But ‘lucky’ for him
He was blown to the floor.
Though injuries sustained
Were incidental,
Not so physical
More like mental.
The cuts and bruises
Would heal away,
But the mental scars
With him they’d stay.
The career he’d wanted
As a child,
Became a curse
It drove him wild.
With visions of battle
That never would end,
He’d witnessed the death
Of his closest friend.
So he had to leave
The new family he trusted
With a broken head,
Psychologically busted.
He hoped they’d help
To resettle him.
Instead discarded,
Thrown in a bin.
Abandoned and left
To his own devices,
Thoughts of suicide
And similar vices.
So look what has happened
There is no one bolder
Than the man we call,
‘The Abandoned Soldier’.
Who fought for his Country
Over hundreds of years,
Did not die,
but is left,
With a wounded man’s tears.
© Mark Christmas
Poem above sent to us by Mark Christmas.
Hallam University Phil Laing
Below is the transcript of an email sent to Hallam University Sheffield following the press story regarding one of there students namely Phil Laing and his total disrespect for the service persons who have surrendered their lives so we can live in the way we do today. As you are probably aware Phil Laing was caught on camera urinating on a war memorial, this has caused a national outcry at this vile behavior by a so called educated person. We contacted the university with the following email.
As Trustee of the Richard Hunt Foundation and daughter of a WW2 Veteran, I am emailing you to show my utter disgust in your student Phil Laing's behaviour.
I also suggest that you make an example of this pond life and expel him from his course, along with his friends who also find his sickening actions humorous.
The University today responded with the following email.
Dear Ms. Rogers,
Thank you for your comments.
Whilst the University is not responsible for the actions of individual students, we do not condone this student's behaviour in any way.
The University has a rigorous disciplinary procedure in place. In cases where there are also criminal proceedings, we follow national guidelines and do not hold disciplinary hearings until the criminal case has been concluded. However, we have started the disciplinary process for this student.
I would like to take this opportunity to assure you that the actions of this one student do not represent Hallam's 30,000 strong student community. We work closely with the Students' Union, City Council, police and other community organisations all year, in order to promote good community relations and safe drinking.
Lorna Branton
Head of External Communications
Lets hope that this is not just lip service and they do use every power they have to banish Phil Laing from his studies at Hallam University.