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#121
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Well yes - but on the other hand look at the treatment of the Jewish members of the Palestinian Pioneer Corps who were captured in the disastrous campaign in Greece and could well have faced a grisly fate. In fact, they were treated exactly the same as any other British soldier. Many of them attempted to escape from the camp in Poland and were returned to the camp with no undue reprisals.
Many of them were German nationals and could have reasonably been treated as traitors. There are as always many facets to any story. But let me say that if any soldier under my command had ever inflicted a "fat lip" on a PW of any rank - or indeed any civilian under military arrest - I would have seen to it that he/she was prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The only time in my 20 years of commissioned service that I struck a soldier was a WO2 who was about to inflict a little extrajudicial punishment on a PIRA bomber. He later formally apologised on parade in front of the whole battery. Eddie |
#122
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As for having a warrant officer publicly shamed in front of other ranks , I can only feel for him and although I don't know the full circumstances I may have had some sympathy for him and understanding for his feelings toward the murderous scum that you mentioned who was' nearly' on the other end of his disdain. You sound proud of that event Eddie but I certainly would have thought very little of an officer who stood by while this WO was demeaned, a view I suspect knowing soldiers as I do that some of those present on the day would have shared. I have no problem with the law of armed conflict nor did I ever whilst serving but an allowance even if in thought only rather than deed has to be made in some instances for human nature, not least when fighting a terrorist organisation who of course have no time or respect for human life or the law of armed conflict. |
#123
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If your PIRA bomber had just blown up Musgrave Military Wing would you have been so quick to strike your WO2? Sometimes decisions are not totally black & white. Other Eddie |
#124
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Any lawyer [or barrack room lawyer come to that] would tear that to ribbons. As for a commissioned officer striking a junior, it beggars belief. I thought only lesser breeds without the law struck their men. |
#125
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So did I, and I reported myself to my CO within minutes. There was an enquiry and I was exonerated.
As to "about to" - the blow was on the way and landed on me. Proud? No. Pleased I stopped an act which would have finished his career? Yes. His apology was unplanned, spontaneous and unexpected. |
#126
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Grumpy,
I had a flashback to the situation in the 1970/80s and I could feel the emotion that WO2 felt. When you have a bomber in your hands and you can see his handy work it could be enough to tip the mildest of men. Eddie |
#127
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Exactly, and nobody else was going to stop him.
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#128
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Thank you anyway. I feel that in general terms that the subject of POWs and their treatment whether actual or perceived is an emotive subject that could be debated at length with countless examples quoted from all periods of history but I feel that the majority of us in fact share the same or similar views with regard to what is in fact no more than common decency in the hell that is war. Regards to all. Ry |
#129
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I do fear it would have to be a multi volume set, even if you just started with the first six weeks of actual campaign in France and the low countries, from the 10th of May 1940, that, in itself would be a very considerable volume.
Quite frankly, their behaviour at that point is certainly not surprising, they had learnt their trade from their own fathers and grandfathers. |
#130
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http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...ht=trench+raid
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“The homely British consummated the long and bitter duty by which, at the end of their epic insular history, they saved Europe by their example.” Lest we forget. |
#131
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No, sadly they were already very proficient indeed, not only, in particular, before the Marne, but actually before that war.
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#132
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War is a terrible business isn't it! Regards. Ry
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“The homely British consummated the long and bitter duty by which, at the end of their epic insular history, they saved Europe by their example.” Lest we forget. |
#133
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Yes, war is indeed, terrible, as members of the 2nd Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment, in particular, found to their cost after surrendering to the enemy at La Paradis, truly appalling.
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#134
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Hear, hear!
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