Walking Home for Christmas - again

My last big walk- my right leg is now beyond repair! So this will be my final solo (third) walk supporting WWTW - Walking Home for Christmas. Next time , something shorter, maybe as a group of us – more of a social event.

I thought I would walk from where it started! My first posting in the army was at Oakington Barracks with 3RGJ in 1979. So I will walk from the old barrack gates to Ipswich, stopping overnight when tired, and sleeping rough in a Suffolk field and completing the walk the next day - 61 miles #Fromwhereitstarted

The walk will start at 7.30am on Wednesday 13 December – finishing (hopefully) at 4.30pm on 14 December

Why do I support this charity? - ‘Walking with the Wounded’ – many reasons, based locally in East Anglia – plus it looks at helping those with less visible injuries- PTSD –

For example they helped a Riflemen from my former regiment – Simon, moved to 3 Rifles and served in Afghanistan in 2010, he may have already been suffering PTSD after the loss of a close friend in our Battalion, he was then injured by shrapnel and left the army.

Struggle to keep down a job, turned to drink and found himself in trouble with the police.

‘Walking with the Wounded’ has helped Simon, who was set up with a placement at Starbucks, this then moved to a full time job, since then he has completed a course in property maintenance and has had help with his mental health issues.This was achieved thanks in part to the sponsor money you have donated for my last two trips.

So if you can sponsor me – it would be appreciated, because of my leg, being lazy and doing no fitness for a year – I think this will be my hardest challenge – but I think you need to do something that is challenging, it may attract more sponsorship and I feel that it should be hard, (but no fridge this time) – just walking, darkness, and sleeping rough. Rations will be 4 x cans of coke and a six pack of Toffee Crisp.

My giving page is here- https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AlasdairRoss

Thank you again for your support

Alasdair Ross

We will Remember them

Kohima Epitaph

When you go home

Tell them of us and say

For your tomorrow

We gave our today

Today we remember those from Ipswich who paid the ultimate sacrifice, I also remember those who I served alongside in the Royal Green Jackets and the Rifles who lost their lives in conflict.

Paul Harding - friend, mentor 

Mark Hale

Friend, 

Happy Christmas

I would just like to wish all the readers of this blog and Rushmere residents a 'Happy Christmas'

2012 will be a difficult year for all of us and I with my Labour colleagues in Ipswich will be trying our hardest to do the best for the people of Ipswich.

But this Christmas I will also be thinking about my friends and comrades serving in Afghanistan, both 2 and 5 Rifles will be away from their families this Christmas. I remember the Christmases I had to spend away from my family and to be honest it is easier for the troops than those who are left behind.

So this Christmas if you wish to help our troops away from home visit the Care 4Casulaties website or Labour Friends of the Forces.




HAPPY CHRISTMAS

Care for Casualties

This morning I was campaigning in Ipswich town centre with fellow Labour colleagues as part of 'We love our NHS Day'. But whilst in town I noticed another stall decked out in Rifle Green. I went over to speak to the two men who were raising funds for my old Regiments charity- The Rifles and 'Care for Casualties'

Neither of the men had been in the Royal Green Jackets or the Rifles but they were doing their bit for the regiment as their father had served in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps.




Bob McHenry is now 85 but spends every weekend raising funds for 'Care for Casualties'. this weekend he had two bookings, so whilst he was in Clacton he had sent his son to Ipswich.

Their effort is much appreciated by those who have served in the Royal Green Jackets and the Rifles - Thank you.

The Regimental system – under threat from Tory defence cuts

The Regimental system – under threat from Tory defence cuts

Well trained, well-motivated, experienced, battle hardened – all reasons why there is little doubt that the British Army is the best in the world – if not THE best.
But without doubt the current Regimental system is also one of the key reasons that we continue to have an army to be proud of.

But that system is now under threat from proposed Tory defence cuts – talk of up to 8 out of 36 Infantry Battalions being scrapped.

Now here is the funny thing, the Army reduced from 40 to 36 Battalions in 2004 under a Labour Government. The Labour Government plan (that was backed by the Generals), and led to the formation of a number of super Infantry Regiments that were able to keep regional links. But the funny thing was that the Tories did not back the plan, the cutting of the Black Watch was the catalyst for a number of protests and led to Nicholas Soames the Tory Shadow Defence Minister to promise to reform the 4 lost Battalions and return to 40 Infantry regiments.




Anyone heard anything from Nicholas Soames in the last month? No, it is just another broken Tory promise. To make it even harder to swallow, the Scottish Battalion that is under threat is the Royal Regiment of Scotland that has inherited the traditions of the Black Watch. I hope those same Scottish Tory Gentry who led the protests in 2004, return to Westminster this year.

The Generals need to be strong, large Regiments are the answer- more flexable and gives Officer and Senior NCO’s the opportunities to train and operate in different theatres, building up their experience.

I joined the Royal Green Jackets in 1978, but we still took our traditions from the Rifle Regiments that merged into the RGJ in the early 60’s and each of the 3 battalions took a link to a particular Regiment. So those in 3 RGJ were proud to be descendants of the Rifle Brigade. But it was a sad day in 1992 when we were reduced to 2 Battalions (under a Tory Govt) but it was even more galling when the Tories under pressure saved Single Battalions of County regiments like the Cheshires.
Now the Rifles take the traditions of the Green Jackets, The Light Infantry and the West of England Regiments – keeping those traditions alive, keeping regional links but having the flexibility to move soldiers between units and benefit operationally from that movement.

But again we have Cameron under pressure, and leaving instructions that cap badges must not be lost, so it is Regiments like The Rifles, The Mercians, Yorkshire, Lancashire and Scottish Regiments under threat. With other Regiments likely to be saved (including the Guards) because he just wants to save badges.

Cameron and his party lied both to the public and the Army in 2004, this time the Generals must be strong and stick to what they think is best operationally. In reality we cannot afford to fight in Afghanistan and be on call to operate in other theatres if we lose any battalions and definitely not 8. Maybe 2 is nearer the total we could afford to lose, but do not let the Tories just keep cap badges to save face!

A Tribute to The Rifles" The Chosen Men" High on a Hill'

Worth a look-

Shackleton -Timewatch- Rifles at the South Pole.

Last year I blogged on the Matrix Shackleton Centenary Expedition to the South Pole. Shackleton is my hero and probably one of the greatest British leaders of all time.


Tonight I have just watched the BBC 2 Timewatch programme, which followed the successful 2008/09 Expedition. A fantastic programme and a great achievement,

The picture is of Lt Col Henry Worsley, a former colleague of mine, here he is at the South Pole, with the Rifles flag.

A proud moment.

Back to the Army

Back to the Army and possibly Afghanistan!

Some of you may have read in the Ipswich Evening Star that I may possibly be off to spend 6 months in Afghanistan . Currently I am going through the process of mobilisation hopefully to join the Infantry Battalion, 2 Rifles in the new year.
The Battalion are currently in Northern Ireland but have been warned off for a 6 month tour of Afghanistan and if deployed will be spending the Summer in Helmand Province.
I left the army 6 years ago so it is with a sense of trepidation that I await to join the Rifles, I had previously spent 24 years in the Royal Green Jackets. The Green Jackets reformed into The Rifles in 2007.
I will hope to keep readers of this blog informed about the training and what it is actually like in Afghanistan, on the front line.


Little did I know when serving as a young 18 year old Rifleman in 1980 that in 2008, I would be preparing to go on another operational tour.

A young "Councillor -to be" in Cyprus on a UN Tour in 1980

I do believe we are making a difference in Afghanistan, we must not let that county fall back under the influence of the Taliban, you just had to read the recent news reports of the acid attacks on young girls to see why we must stay.
I am sure also that I am re-joining one of the best trained forces in the world and that coupled with the recent experiences of soldiers in Ireland, Bosnia, Kosova and Iraq will serve us well. one thing I know that will not surprise me, and that is the superb example young servicemen set for all the youth of this country.
It is not confirmed that I am going yet, and with army paperwork- anything could happen! Whatever happens I hope to be able to resume my council duties on my return, I will also hope to be able to go to local schools and organisations and give them an insight to life on the front line.

Lions of Basra- Nothing wrong with the youth of today.

Last week I managed a break from campaigning to go to London for a lecture by one of my former Army commanders. the was by Lt Colonel Patrick Sanders.

Patrick gave a fascinating lecture which gave those who were present a real insight to the difficulties the 4th Battalion The Rifles (2 RGJ) had encountered during those 6 difficult months in Basra last year. the lecture was even more relevant due to recent incidents in Basra where there Iraq Government has had a crack down on the Iranian backed militias.

What it id bring out to me was how much the Iranians are involved in the Basra power struggle and the very different problems that face the British compared to the Americans in Baghdad.

It was strange when Patrick described the many acts of courage undertaken by Rifleman, as many of those he mentioned, I had served with.

Election campaigning can often get you down, especially when you often face so much apathy- house after house of non voters and often young people who have never voted and are unlikely to vote ever, it was a real boost then when Patrick said forget all this criticism of the "play station" generation, what he had witnessed in Basra last years was young people performing immense acts of bravery under very trying conditions- As Patrick said - "There is nothing wrong with the youth of today".