Soldier "Ben" to be awarded the VC - not a lot known about him at the moment but apparently he has previously been awarded a Gallantry award. The investiture will occur this weekend we believe.

pedro wrote:

Soldier "Ben" to be awarded the VC - not a lot known about him at the moment but apparently he has previously been awarded a Gallantry award. The investiture will occur this weekend we believe.

Congratulations Ben , you are a brave man.

A bit more about him at http://www.news.com.au/national/he-emerged-victorious-from-a-hell-of-blood-and-fire/story-e6frfkvr-1225992077678

There have been rumblings about this award for some time with vague hints that it was withheld pending further investigations (bullying, brutality, whatever innuendo you might choose, as coyly offered up by the journos of the yellow press). Now I do not know BUT, with troops being charged for kicking corpses and returning fire when (unbeknownst) there were hostages/human shields, I reckon it is a fair bet that his earlier exploit when, in small part, he "tore a Taliban fighter off his back like an insect, stood on his throat and shot him dead." would have to be first thoroughly investigated by our good lady (reservist) Director of Military Prosecutions to determine whether or not any breach of good manners had taken place.

Call me an unreconstructed male chauvinist pig if you will but the BS our guys have to put up with these days in the name of political correctness in all its guises and forms would turn a dingo's stomach. No, it's worse than that, it is straight-up, simply, dangerous!


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Former 'nasho', RAE Borneo (Confrontation)

My dear Rectangle, surely you should know that the politicos have either very little understanding or none whatsoever about battle conditions.

Firstly, you may like to write to your minster of moaning, asking for a full and detailed explaination of the requirement of a soldier's battlefield conduct. Then, add into the equation, that under firefight conditions, there is nano seconds between ascertaining the well being and comfort of the enemy, before they blow your head off.

In the world of total unreality enjoyed parliamenatarians, they have yet to understand that, if someone fires at you, you fire back. That is of course, you have read all the rules and regulations governing war. In that I mean, the Geneva Convention, The Haigh Convention, the Army Act, and the Human Rights act - and verified your legal position with a lawyer - meanwhile, you are being carried away in a body bag, and receive the pinnacle of cant and pointless rhetoric from some dumbo politico, about just how well you did.

How many soldiers have lost their lives to a suspected 'kill', only for them to jump up or roll over and spray the area with machinegun fire. This was a tactic of the ancient Chinese warriors, who were pretty damned good at it.

Those brain dead morons who masquerade as civil sevents, or politicos, who regulate our lives have failed to see that the 'enemy' never play by the rules of fair play. Ok! I will admit that we have not always played the game with a straight bat, but, there are times when logic tells you that if you don't play the game that way you will come home in a body bag.

If they were so concerned about the potential misconduct of service personnel in a combat zone and tthe possible damage to their own reputations, then don't send the troops there. After all, I don't see the Taliban ever abiding by the rules of war. Apart from the occasional massacre of innocent women and children and their predeliction for leaving explosive devices around to catch out the unwary.

It makes you wonder just who's side our lords and masters are really on.

Yours Aye

Arthur R-S