It is with sadness but no longer uncommon to report the deaths of young men from the theatre of military operations.
It is hard to read when it’s from you’re own Regiment.
A Regiment in the British Army is an unusual thing, many, even those from other parts of the armed forces do not understand exactly what one is.
A Regiment is family…. A body of toughened fighting men, most commonly from the same geographical area.
Because of the size, it’s like going to work with the same entire village for years.
Indoctrinated with hundreds of years of the precise details of your regiments history, battles gains and losses. Once you achieve the standard to wear the Cap Badge, there is no looking back, you are in the family. And you know the name of all those who achieved so much in the hundreds of years before you.
It is a family and it is for life.
Through the years governments reorganize regiments, battalions, they amalgamate and disband them.
Once and originally the 33rd afoot, then joined with the 76th afoot, later to be named The Duke of Wellingtons Regt. And now the 3rd Bn The Yorkshire Regt.
But they are still and referred to as such as the 33rd and the Dukes.
Corporal Liam Riley and Lance Corporal Graham Shaw
Prince Harry, who served with Cpl Riley at a military training unit in Canada in 2007, said he was a “legend”.
Cpl Riley was 21 years old, while L/Cpl Shaw turned 27 on Sunday.
Prince Harry, who spent 10 weeks on the frontline in Afghanistan before being flown home in February 2008, said it had been a “privilege” to work alongside Cpl Riley at the training unit in Canada.
“He was a legend. A really special man who got us all going and heading in the right direction,” he said.
“It is incredibly sad also to hear that Liam died alongside his friend, Lance Corporal Graham Shaw.
“My heart goes out to their loved ones, and to their many, many friends in their regiment and the wider Army.”
Cpl Riley, from Sheffi
eld, and L/Cpl Shaw, from Huddersfield, were on foot patrol when two bombs exploded.
Typically today’s losses are harder than they should be, these men did not die in a manner they would have wished, not in the heat of any soon forgotten battle nor while trying to save the lives of others – they were killed by yet another road side bomb… And that my friends is a cruel waste.
It certainly is. What can we do about it? Do you think there are people if not on the other side, at least who understand the other side who might be worth talking to? Do you think ex soldiers might be more using trying to sort things that governments can’t?
Puts my problems in perspective. One from Sheffield, one from Huddersfield. The two places I’ve spent most of my life.
Well i feel your sadness, and it’s a great shame to the things going on in both of these conflicts.
I know it’s a different subject, but i watched ‘The Hurt Locker’ at the weekend. And that gives a sideline view of how things are over there. (Pretty sad state of affairs if you ask me!! Good film ‘tho!)
Cheers
Coz
Shaking my head 21 and 27 – wars and conflicts always take the young- and there are so many young that have been taken…. I only went on holiday once to North Africa ( and it happened to be after the Lockerbie disaster.about a week……..we stayed I know I know in a “fr**ch” hotel ( another reason I am leary of their culture) but even in those 10 days watching ( as is my want )there are a multitude of difference in the way we think and perceive..you would first have to get over the “little differences” to tackle the larger ones…. I remember the guide telling us that the local royalty had moved the Jewish souk ( sp) and had them moved around the Palace… they formed sort of a religious moat apparently through which his enemies wouldn’t cross due to the Jews being “unclean” in the eyes of his enemies…. I do know that there were a plethora of cats all over the place in this 5 star fr**ch hotel which the staff wouldn’t chase away because they might be touched by the fur and that was considered very bad…. as for dogs that was another issue… I have gathered that TWB is fond of the Middle East etc… but I have absolutely no desire to return..
but give me the downs and the sea air of England on my face even in the bloody rain…
This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, England ……..
waxing lyrical this morning so
OH, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet,
Till Earth and Sky stand presently at God’s great Judgment Seat;
But there is neither East nor West, Border, nor Breed, nor Birth,
When two strong men stand face to face, tho’ they come from the ends of the earth!