A Socialist and a Patriot

No ‘my week ahead’ for a few weeks as i will be spending most of the next 30 days either climbing in Wales or Northern India – where I am taking a group of teenagers to trek near to the city of Leh and work on a community project in a small settlement close to the Tibetan border.

This week I was very fortunate to be invited to attend a ‘Labour Friends of the Forces’ reception in London.

Those at the event included most of the Shadow Defence team and Ed Miliband also we had three Potential Parliamentary candidates, all ex members of the Armed Forces.

As soon as I arrived I was approached by another ex- Greenjacket – 1 rather than 3 RGJ and slightly older than me as he was a Borneo veteran, but we had a good laugh as we discussed how the ‘Black Mafia’ were once again running the army.

I then had a long conversation with two serving soldiers both had served in Afghanistan and it was informative to hear what had changed since I was in Sangin in 2009.

Then I met Frankie Caldwell, ex tankie who had taken a short break for campaigning for a ‘No’ vote in the up and coming Scottish independence vote to come to London to support the event. It was nice to catch up with someone who I had corresponded with via twitter.

Then the two highlights of the night, first to meet an ex RAF Officer but one with a number of tales to tell. As a young Sergeant he had been in the same Prisoner of War camp as those who had taken part in the ‘Great Escape’ and he himself had endured a long march across Poland as the Germans closed the camp with the Russians approaching. A real British hero.

Then I met Lord West, not only a former Ist Sea Lord but who had also been Captain of a ship that was sunk in the Falklands War.

I had a long conversation with him and asked him about a quote that had appeared in the papers this week that was attributed to him, I asked him if it was true he smiled and then confirmed it was.

The quote? It was true he informed me that he had asked Michael Gove if he wished to discuss the accusation (that Gove had made) that you can’t be a socialist and patriot. Lord West is happy to be described both as a socialist and a patriot and he did tell Mr Gove that he was willing to discuss the issue either inside or outside the boxing ring!

Not surprisingly Mr Gove had not yet responded; maybe he was till busy arguing with Mrs ‘no passports’ May.

With our new candidates and a shadow Minister like ex Para, Dan Jarvis – we are now ready to be the party of the Armed Forces.

Ask William Hague to Protect all Afghan interpreters

As a local politician, you often receive requests to sign and promote petitions- often I agree with the cause and sign but when I received this request I felt the need to not only sign but promote as much as I can.

I spent 2009 in Sangin, Afghanistan in what the bloodiest year for the British Army but every day soldiers went out and risked their lives they had alongside then local interpreters - by helping the British they put their lives in danger and if we pull out in the numbers the Government says we will next year - then their lives become even more at risk - please sign the petition and ask your friends to do so as well.

Petition is here.

This is the original request from former British soldier - Anthony Perkins:


I served in Afghanistan in 2008-2009 and then again in 2010. These were tough days in Afghanistan for all that were there. We relied on the help of local Afghan interpreters who were with us on every patrol and an integral part of our platoon.

The interpreters took great risks to help us, putting not only their lives but the lives of their families in danger of Taliban reprisals -- but now the UK Government has turned its back on the interpreters. It is refusing to give support or resettlement to interpreters who completed their duties between 2006 and 2011.

My great-grandfather Winston Churchill, who spent a large part of his career in the army, would have been shocked by the way our government is treating men who risked their lives to help British forces. By denying our interpreters entry into the UK the government is condemning them to persecution and almost certain death at the hands of the Taliban.

That's why I've started this petition on Change.org calling on Foreign Secretary William Hague to review the British policy for Afghan interpreters.

The interpreter I remember most was Barri. For all sense and purposes he was one of the lads. When we left Afghanistan Barri's father and brother were killed by the Taliban but the UK government didn't help him. His mother and sister died whilst trying to get to western Europe when their boat sank in Mediterranean. For two years Barri and his last remaining brother have been held in a detention centre until they were eventually granted asylum in Germany. Other interpreters are not even as lucky. They have been forced into hiding in Afghanistan or are locked in foreign detention centres, their lives in limbo.

There are certain codes we uphold in the military. Two of those are: "loyalty & honour." So I am appealing to Rt Hon William Hague and Rt Hon David Cameron - do the honourable thing and remain loyal to those who stood shoulder to shoulder with British Forces.

It is morally reprehensible to force these men to stay in a country that we are counting down the days to finally leaving. By leaving them in Afghanistan the only thing they can look forward to is a life of looking over their shoulders.

Huge public pressure convinced the Government to offer resettlement or support to some Afghan interpreters. We need the same pressure to extend the policy and make sure no interpreter is forgotten.

Please sign my petition and make sure all Afghan interpreters get the support they need.

Anthony Perkins:

Sign the petition here.

We will remember

Kohima Epitaph

When you go home
Tell them of us and say
For your tomorrow
We gave our today

The people of Ipswich came out in their thousands today to remember those from this town who have sacrificed their lives so that we can live in peace. I probably felt more emotional today than at any previous Remembrance Day. Not sure exactly why? Maybe when Mrs McClure laid a wreath to remember all those from the town who have died in conflict since 1945 or when the Apache helicopter flew over, reminding me of a daily occurrence in Sangin, Afghanistan.

Sangin - warmer than Christchurch Park

Not sure but it was pleasing to see the thousands of Ipswich people there to remember those who had fallen and in particular the large number of young people who attended.

We will remember.

Elections – From Rushmere Ward, Ipswich to Sangin Afghanistan (and then back to Rushmere)

I write this new post with just a week to go after a month of long, hard campaigning.

I won Rushmere Ward for the first time in 2008 that was after being the runner up in 2006 and 2007. The night of the count seems a very distant memory but I just remember the nerves, the excitement and most of all the pride in winning- even if it was only by 13 votes.

I love elections and campaigning but this election in 2012 will be very different to the election I was involved in during 2009.

That summer I found myself back with the army for a year and acting as the Operations Warrant Officer with 2 Rifles. We found ourselves based in Sangin in the Helmand Province and in seven months we had many of our regiment wounded and 25 of our battle group paid the ultimate sacrifice.

But on the 20th August 2009, the Afghan people were able to vote in their second presidential election. But instead of knocking on doors and delivering leaflets I found myself involved in planning a massive security operation that would enable the people of Sangin to vote.

The Taliban had other ideas. On the eve of the election this year, I will be delivering my last ‘Vote Ross’ leaflets but on the 19th August in 2009, I was stood with my helmet and body armour on as our base, FOB Jackson came under attack from rocket fire. A further 21 rockets would hit our camp over the next 24 hours.

Election day this year, will see me up in the early hours, delivering leaflets, knocking on doors but in Sangin, I spent the morning running up the stairs in the Fire Support tower helping replenish ammunition as we came under constant attack. So heavy was the fighting that we fired a total of 12 Javelin ant-tank missiles at the enemy – just so people could use their democratic right to vote.




From early afternoon though to the early hours of the next morning, I was in the Operations room as we continued to protect Sangin, it was not easy and we lost two men that day. Private Young and Sgt Macalese. I had got to know Mac quite well and we used to sit and try and do the crossword together back in the UK. He was highly rated and would have gone far in the army, his father had been in the SAS and was part of the team that was involved in the Iranian Embassy siege.



Sgt 'Mac'

Their loss was felt by many but we had to continue, we had a mission.

In 2008, I gained 1,026 votes as 2,333 people voted in Rushmere, the cost? A few hundred pounds on leaflets, a few blisters and two dog bites.

In 2009 in Sangin, 434 people voted, some of the bravest people I had ever met, they had been threatened by the Taliban, the town had been under attack for over 24 hours but they still went and placed their cross and handed in their ballot paper. The cost? Two dead from 2 Rifles, our camp hit by 22 rockets and in defence we had fired millions of bullets, artillery rounds and 12 missiles.




You do not have to vote in this country, you have that choice because in 1939 our ancestors fought to maintain our freedom but do not take the right to vote lightly, there are many places in this world where the right to vote is still being fought for.

On the 8th April I visited the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, on the Armed Forces Memorial I saw inscribed the names of Private Young and Sgt Macalese. I will remember that they gave their lives to help 434 Afghans vote. Democracy does not come without sacrifice.

Military Covenant - Tories break it already

The Tories campaigned during the last election on how they were going to mend the Military Covenant. Britain has a 'duty of care' to its armed forces. This began as an unspoken pact between society and the military, possibly originating as far back as Henry VIII's reign. The pact was formally codified as a 'covenant' in 2000 (by the Labour Government). It is not a law but is reinforced by custom and convention.

The Tories accused the Labour Government of breaking the Covenant and told everyone how they were going to mend it - so what have they done!

Well they have not done much but they have told us what they are going to do - cut pensions to War Widows and injured soldiers - George Osborne the Tory Chancellor has announced the proposed changes, it has even caused the Head of the Armed Forces to say that 'War widows and injured soldiers must be protected against the "worst excesses" of the coalition's cuts to pensions'

I was fortunate to serve alongside and get to know two brave young soldiers who lost their lives in Sangin, Afghanistan in 2009 both were married and joined the tour late as they stayed behind in the UK for a few weeks as their young wives were both pregnant. A week after their babies were born they flew out to join us. This Tory Government is now saying if those young widows remarry, they will lose their War Widow pension. If that is not breaking the Military Covenant, I don't know what is: The Covenant states: " British soldiers must always be able to expect fair treatment, to be valued and respected as individuals, and that they (and their families) will be sustained and rewarded by commensurate terms and conditions of service."




I was also fortunate to work alongside Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid, who lost his life on bomb disposal duty, his wife Christina spoke eloquently after his death, and captured the feeling of many families who have lost loved ones. Now Osborne and the Tories want to cut her pension.

It is nothing more than a disgrace!

Armed Forces Day

Today I was very proud to attend an event at Grafton House in Ipswich to launch Armed Forces Day. the actual day is at the end of the week, but councils all over the country raised the Armed Forces Day flag at 10.30am this morning. In Ipswich the Mayor along with veterans raised a flag at the Town Hall and I joined other councillors and council employees as we raised a flag at Grafton House.

I think armed Forces Day is a great idea, as it gives the general public an opportunity to show their support for our Armed Forces. I could never have seen that happening in the early 80's, when myself and other soldiers often felt we were being treated like third class citizens. to be honest the Armed Forces get far more support every day of the year now than we ever got, but it is still good to have a dedicated day on which we can thank every member of our Armed Forces.

Today also marked the loss of the 300th serviceman in Afghanistan, this may lead to even more of a clamour for our withdrawal. I for one think that would be a major mistake, if we left Afghanistan, within weeks the Taliban would take over that country and Pakistan would not last much longer. The situation could lead to another India - Pakistan war. We will lose further soldiers in the conflict but we are doing a good job and we are winning. Last Armed Forces Day I spent in Sangin, in 50 degree heat but I knew then we were there for the right reasons and I still believe that now.



How we marked Armed Forces Day in Sangin in 2009, the only cool place to hold the flag, in the Helmand River

We MUST Remember them.

We MUST and will Remember them

Swift and Bold

We will remember them

Tomorrow, I will be joining most of my fellow Ipswich Borough councilors at the War memorial in Christchurch Park.

Remembrance Day has always been an important event in my family but this year will be even more poignant as I remember the 24 soldiers we lost from our Battle Group in Sangin this year. whilst we are holding our service, the Rifleman of 3 Rifles will be holding a similar service at the small memorial inside the Sangin District Centre.

...and hello Ipswich

In my last post, I said goodbye Sangin, Afghanistan and in this one I say "Hello, Ipswich"
My Labour colleagues managed to get me a welcome home announcement on the electric scoreboard at Ipswich during half time in the match last Saturday against Derby County. A nice touch and an even better welcome was being able to see us win our first three points of the season!
Good to be coming home, but I will never forget serving with 2 Rifles in Afghanistan as our commander stated, "it was the fight of our lives". the tragic news from Helmand today reminds us all in the Rifles of what we went through and watching the news today it made us realise the roller coaster ride our families went throughwhilst we were away.

Goodbye Sangin

Goodbye Sangin- it has been a complex, lethal, intense and nuanced campaign. But we leave Sangin and the Upper Helmand Valley a safer place to live for all Afghans.

Sidegate School- "Star of the Week"

Only home for a weekend before departing for Afghanistan, but it was nice to be able to fit in a visit to my local school- Sidegate Primary.


I love going to visit the school as the children always seem so full of life and though one of the biggest primary school's in Suffolk it still manages to have a homely feel to it.

Today I was there to see their weekly assembly, where a number of pupils received certificates for achievements over the last week. Three lads were given certificates for playing the 'giant' in the school production of 'Jack and the Beanstalk'. Others got certificates for maths, homework and for just being helpful.


At the end of the assembly, I was presented with my certificate, as the Headteacher- Andrew Waterman decided I could also be a 'Star of the Week'.


It did give me the chance to tell the pupils of the good work that the British army is doing in Afghanistan, and how I felt it was important that children in that country, whether boy or girl should get the chance of an education. Something that we take for granted over here in the UK.


I will take my certificate with me and it will hold pride of place in my bedspace in the Sangin District Centre in Helmand.


Thank you Sidegate.