War dead are sneaked out of the back gate

[JMA]

JMA, I disagree with your comment that “The South Africans were not much better...” Each of us carried our own shock pack and our medics were incredibly well trained.

In the early stages of our war, we were definitely unprepared and at that stage, we may not have been any better but as the war progressed, we got better at our medical response. Most heli-casevacs I know of had a doctor on board who took over from the medics.

Yes, we prided ourselves on speedy casevac but we knew that the first few minutes are crucial.

My issue is not with the medical corps personnel.

Its really all comparative isn't it (and depends on the unit). There is no comparison between a medic National Serviceman who does a couple of "bushtrips" in SWA/Angola (during his two years of conscription) and a regular soldier who has been around for 3, 4, 5 years? Having served in 1 Para (1981/2) I had to push the limits of medical training for all troopies by arranging training under a (ex-Brit, ex-Rhodie) sergeant-major medic out of camp (and incorporated in battle camp training) to get all troopies to put drips into each other and give each other jabs. Mine was the only company up till then that did so. Even then there was not enough practice to be sure any/all of the troopies could be relied upon to perform in a contact if needed but it was a psychological boost to believe your buddy (theoretically at any rate) had the ability to get you through the ABCDDE if you needed it... and the CASEVAC system was excellent and the pilots landed close in and under fire if necessary to get the wounded out.

I suggest that it is important that we accept that we could have/should have done better (in this and other regards). The Brits could still do better, the SADF could have done better and so could have the RLI. We lost some troopies then who probably could have been saved... and that remains a tragedy.

[davidbfpo]

A half hour BBC documentary on Wootton Bassett:http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0147xdt

Having watched the documentary it has previously unseen and unreported - nationally - footage of respect shown along the route beyond the village.

There is an IPlayer link, so it maybe available across the water.

Carterton, the village near the RAF base where the dead will arrive, starting next month, is likely to replicate the respect shown:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...tion-base.html and: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...-soldiers.html

Yes, quite different to the article that appeared at the beginning of this thread, with the title 'War dead are sneaked out of the back gate'.

[JMA]

A half hour BBC documentary on Wootton Bassett:http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0147xdt

Having watched the documentary it has previously unseen and unreported - nationally - footage of respect shown along the route beyond the village.

There is an IPlayer link, so it maybe available across the water.

Sadly, not available in the colonies David. Have to keep an eye out on YouTube for its posting there by some thoughtful soul.

[davidbfpo]

A BBC story, with photos and commentary on Royal Wootton Bassett; told well and almost bought a tear to my eyes:

The coffins of 355 fallen military personnel passed through Wootton Bassett between spring 2007 and summer 2011. Close to RAF Lyneham where the bodies were repatriated, the High Street became a focal point for families and friends of the deceased.

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20743952

The guest editor on the original radio programme is a well known comedian, Al Murray, but his actual remarks are not readily found.

As a postscript:

....438 deaths among British personnel in Afghanistan since 2001.

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20876101

There has not been a British fatality for more than a month in Helmand. In part, it can be explained by the quieter winter - the insurgency is at its most deadly during the hot summer months. But it also reflects the changing role of the British military as they prepare to pull out.

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20875497