Non-motoring > The Country remembers - or does it? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Roger. Replies: 13
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 Sat 12 Nov 11 09:54 
 The Country remembers - or does it? - Roger.

Wounded soldiers face sack under new Army redundancy plans.

tinyurl.com/7c4knff


TOMMY, by Rudyard Kipling.

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
Last edited by: Roger on Sat 12 Nov 11 at 09:55
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 Sat 12 Nov 11 09:58 
 The Country remembers - or does it? - R.P.
It was ever thus though ?
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 Sat 12 Nov 11 11:47 
 The Country remembers - or does it? - Old Navy
Things must have changed, in my day if you were injured or sick you had a year to become fit for all duties or were subjected to medical review and discharged as unfit for active service.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Sat 12 Nov 11 at 11:49
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 Sat 12 Nov 11 12:01 
 The Country remembers - or does it? - R.P.
Apparently written by some chinless Rupert and denied by the MoD. I see your point ON - harsh as it sounds how long do you keep an amputee on if he can't do what he's paid for ?
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 Sat 12 Nov 11 12:16 
 The Country remembers - or does it? - Stuu
Sounds like passing the cost from one government department to another.
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 Sat 12 Nov 11 12:32 
 The Country remembers - or does it? - Zero

>> discharged as unfit for active service.

Thats military jargon for sacked.

So nothing has changed really.
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 Sat 12 Nov 11 12:33 
 The Country remembers - or does it? - R.P.
As I said it was ever thus. And perhaps Roger's quoting of Kipling is forever apt !
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 Sat 12 Nov 11 12:42 
 The Country remembers - or does it? - Old Navy
>>
>> >> discharged as unfit for active service.
>>
>> Thats military jargon for sacked.
>>
>>

Not quite, Zero. A medical discharge comes with an immediate full pension and depending on circumstances compensation.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Sat 12 Nov 11 at 12:43
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 Sat 12 Nov 11 12:54 
 The Country remembers - or does it? - -
Thanks Roger, worth reading again.

Pity that most politicians who use good old, when it suits, Tommy (or Fritz or any other) as pawns in their power games wouldn't understand it.
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 Sat 12 Nov 11 14:03 
 The Country remembers - or does it? - Ian (Cape Town)
War is over. Soldiers and dogs keep off the grass.
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 Sat 12 Nov 11 19:32 
 The Country remembers - or does it? - PhilW
"compensation"
And I wonder how their compensation compares to those poor celebrities who had their voicemail tapped????
Lose a few limbs or be phone hacked by the NOTW - which would you prefer??
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 Sun 13 Nov 11 09:11 
 The Country remembers - or does it? - Roger.
I watched the Festival of Remembrance last night and have to admit this cynical old git had a few wet eyes.
Actually it seems to me that there's is a bit more connection from the public to the whole thing this year.
My old mob (H.M. Jollies) put on their usual immaculate display, but I was hugely impressed by the Military Wives Choir.
The lass who took the solo - you'd never believe that in the first TV programme about the choir, that she was so self-deprecating and totally without confidence.
Brilliant.
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 Sun 13 Nov 11 16:30 
 The Country remembers - or does it? - Bromptonaut
Also watched and enjoyed (in HD) the Festival of Rembrance. Much more focused on present conflicts than I remember it being. Some of the Chelsea pensioners must have had stories to tell. Geoffrey Wellum, who must be one of very few survivors of 'the few', walked into the arena assisted only by a stick. He has told his story in his book First Light but would have been good interviewee too.

The lad was marching and playing his cornet with the Air Cadets in Daventry. I suspend my atheism for the day on Remembrance Sunday and went along too. Good turn out by the RBL, a few WW2 vets, cadets, St John's etc. The numbers from the Scout & Guide organisations were gratifying too - though 3 line whips might have been in force. March through the town to the war memorial for a short open air service, O God Our Help in Ages Past, last post, two minutes silence etc.

Then on to a full Holy Cross Church for a 'family service'. The Canon's address was pitched at the youngsters. One forgets that even the grandparents of todays primary kids are post war born, Hitler had to be explained to give a context to what I thought were rather tendentious links to today's conflict. Usual hymns, Praise my Soul the King of Heaven, Make me a Channel and an easy words version of my favourite hymn for the day O Valiant Hearts. Slighty outraged at the time but getting home and comparing notes it was actually well done. The original is stirring in in a tear in the eye way to an adult but perhaps too heavily allegorical for a younger audience. And at least they've not jiggered with the tune

The local constabulary are still willing to escort the parade and man road closures, a service who's absence has stopped the village vets from marching to the local church. Full marks to the Daventry sector.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Sun 13 Nov 11 at 16:32
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 Sun 13 Nov 11 16:49 
 The Country remembers - or does it? - Manatee
Boy looks after cadets with St John. They've been on parade today.
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