Category Archives: Patriots Corner

National Flag?

Posted on by

What a tragedy that the centuries old problems of Ireland, specifically Northern Ireland, show no sign of abating. The province seems to be locked in a vicious spiral where trouble breaks out, peace is made and all is quiet for a while before it all kicks off again. One wonders will it ever end? Sadly, as things stand, the answer is almost certainly no, because whilst there may be a peace-loving majority there are still enough extremists and bigots on both sides of the religious divide to guarantee that any cessation of hostilities will always be temporary. However, the latest outbreaks of violence almost defy belief and those politicians who decided to restrict the flying of the Union flag over Belfast City Hall are surely worthy candidates for admission to the local asylum.

There are of course two separate communities in Northern Ireland namely Catholics and Protestants with the Protestants comprising the majority. Traditionally, Protestants wish to remain a part of the United Kingdom whilst a significant number of Catholics would prefer to be part of a United Ireland. The situation is never less than sensitive or delicate and it doesn’t take much for trouble to arise as can be seen each year during the Protestant marching season when the archaic Orange Order openly and provocatively celebrate their 17th century victory over the Catholics.
The Union flag is much in evidence all year round in Protestant communities and is an obvious symbol of their membership of the UK. The crass decision to restrict the flying of the flag from Belfast City Hall to certain days of the year was inevitably going to lead to outrage and trouble. What on Earth were the City Council members thinking of, surely they must have known what the response to their decision would be?  Northern Ireland is like a keg of gunpowder, nice and calm when the lid is sealed but even a small child can tell you what happens when the lid is removed and you strike a match.
The province is part of the United Kingdom and its citizens should have an unrestricted right to fly the national flag on all public buildings at all times, just as they should, for that matter, in all parts of the UK. As long as the majority in Northern Ireland wish to remain in the UK their wishes should be respected. There may well come a day, and some say it is rapidly approaching due to a rapid growth in the Catholic population, where a new majority decide that they no longer wish to do so. That will be a different ball game and those pressing for a United Ireland may one day get their wish, though if I were a citizen of the Republic of Ireland I doubt that I would want the troubled North to be a part of my country.

Happy New Year!

Posted on by

It’s hard to believe that the year has come and gone and here we are, once again, on the eve of yet another. Where does the time go?

By and large 2012 has been a good year for most of us in the UK. For sure, we are still in the middle of a European crisis (aren’t we always!) and we are still suffering from the effects  of a recession that has allowed few countries to escape its clutches. However, life goes on and whilst there has been a general tightening of belts the country is hardly in a state of depression.
This was a year that saw the United Kingdom feature prominently on the world stage. The London Olympics together with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations put a smile on our faces and showed the world that our once mighty nation is still capable of putting on a show to match the finest. If nothing else those two events did wonders for national pride and morale and the positive effects may last a while yet.
So , what can we expect of 2013 and will anything change? Well, the recession is unlikely to go away in the foreseeable future and the problems over Europe are going to get worse before they get better. Our politicians will continue to promise prosperous days ahead (whilst crossing their fingers!), the trades unions will still call for national strikes and our weathermen will excite us with predictions of a glorious record-breaking summer until yet another rain-soaked August exposes their false promise!
We’ll ride through it all though, just as we always seem to do and there really is no reason why this coming year should not be, at the very least, the equal of the last. It’s all a question of positive thinking, isn’t it! Happy New Year to us all!

The Turning of the Tide

Posted on by

                                     
Today is an important day in the history of this nation which 70 years ago, during World War II, was literally fighting for its very existence. On November 2nd,1942 British and Allied troops were engaged in a battle that would see the tide of war, which for over three years had rolled against Britain, now turn in her favour. That battle was El Alamein (October 23rd – November 4th, 1942) and so important was the victory that Prime Minister Winston Churchill was moved to declare “This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end, but it is perhaps the end of the beginning”.

Prior to this victory in the desert of Egypt the British and Allied forces had known defeat and humiliation from Dunkirk to Singapore and in the North African campaign had regularly suffered at the hands of the German Afrika Korps led by the brilliant Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, known as the “Desert Fox”. Churchill decided that something had to be done and so changed the army leadership, appointing General Alexander to overall command with General Gott as commander of the 8th Army (later to be known as the “Desert Rats”). Sadly, General Gott was killed in the plane taking him to his new command HQ and by default, General Montgomery took his place.

Bernard Law Montgomery, born in London in 1887, was a charismatic, inspirational and often controversial figure, a fine tactician and  meticulous organiser who exuded confidence in everything he did. He inherited a demoralised army who appeared to be more in awe of the seemingly invincible Rommel than their own leaders. This was all about to change as Montgomery declared, upon taking up his new command, “There will be no more belly-aching and no more retreats”. He was true to his word since, in his first action as commander of the 8th Army,  he was to achieve a defensive victory against Rommel at Alam Halfa in early September 1942.

Following on from this Montgomery (known as Monty to his men) made plans to go on the offensive and demanded men and materials from the Government to make this possible. He planned his campaign thoughtfully and methodically,  insisting upon having an overwhelming attacking force, superior in numbers and equipment to the enemy, before risking the lives of his own men. This attitude came about as a result of the slaughter of World War I where Montgomery himself had been severely wounded. He was determined never to waste lives unnecessarily and once, when told by one of his soldiers that his most prized possession was his rifle, Montgomery responded “No, it isn’t. It’s your life and I am going to save it”.

Before beginning the attack, Montgomery ensured that there was complete ground and air co-operation and co-ordination. He insisted that his RAF counterpart be based in close proximity to his own HQ and that he be kept fully informed of what was going on. So it was, that with air superiority guaranteed and a large force of fully motivated soldiers newly equipped with freshly delivered American Sherman and Grant  tanks, the attack on El Alamein (codename Operation Lightfoot) began with an almighty artillery barrage on the night of October 23rd, 1942.

Fighting their way through dense enemy minefields, sometimes 5 miles deep,  the British and Allied troops, under fierce fire the whole time, achieved what Montgomery referred to as the “break-in”. Now followed the second stage, the “dogfight” when Rommel (who had just returned from illness) threw everything he had against the Allies in a powerful counter-attack. This had been predicted by and planned for by Montgomery and when Rommel failed to drive the Allies back Montgomery launched the third and final stage, the “break-out” (Operation Supercharge) on the night of November 1st.  By November 4th it was all over, the enemy was in full flight and the battle won.

The effect on the morale of the army and the public at home was enormous, church bells were rung and people unashamedly celebrated the first piece of really good news that they had experienced in over three years of war. The last word belongs with Churchill, who after the war had ended, stated “Before Alamein we never had a victory, after Alamein we never had a defeat”. Victory was still a long way off however and came at a terrible price before its end  (in Europe at least) in May, 1945 when Field Marshall Montgomery (later Viscount Montgomery of Alamein) personally accepted the surrender of the German northern armies.

Going it Alone

Posted on by

Scotland is a beautiful country with many fine people who have, over time, done much to make the United Kingdom what it is today. I have always felt that, sharing the same island, we are all better off together. At times the United Kingdom may appear to be an uneasy marriage but a marriage it is and I find the possibility of a divorce both a cause for sorrow and concern. We have a unique position, we British, because we wear not only the hat of the United Kingdom but the hat also of our native country within the Union. I have never had a problem in calling myself both British and English and find no particular ambiguity in using either term. It seems that many Scots and in fact a significant number of Celts, let’s be honest, find it difficult to do the same.
As a Briton I want to maintain the Union because that has made us so much of what we are today. With our Celtic cousins, the Scots, the Welsh and the Irish, we created a great empire which, whatever some of our politically correct leaders may tell us, was largely a force for the good. Our statesmen. explorers, inventors, doctors, lawyers and engineers came from all corners of the British Isles and the Scots have always punched well above their weight within the Union. I say all of that whilst wearing my British hat.
 As an Englishman however I am tired of the constant whingeing and whining that emanates from across the border. Within the Union, Scotland undoubtedly has it good with the average Scot  enjoying many benefits denied to (though subsidised by) the English such as free medical prescriptions and free University education for their youngsters. Yet still they complain.
Perhaps our politicians should take a harder line with Alex Salmond, the Scottish Nationalist Party leader,  and spell out to him that actually Scotland needs England a lot more than vice versa. They should tell him to be careful what he wishes for because independence could well come at a heavy price and that price could be economic ruin for Scotland. Next time the English won’t bail out the Scots as they did prior to the Union of 1707 when the disastrous Darien Venture  virtually bankrupted Scotland. No, next time Scotland will be completely on her own.
Maybe our government should take pre-emptive action by saying –
 “Actually Mr Salmond, we are sick and tired of your agitating. Forget about a referendum, we’re abolishing the Union here and now and we are throwing you out. Take your politicians away from Westminster and return them to Edinburgh. With immediate effect all Scots are dismissed from jobs in the British Government , the Civil Service, Trade Unions and the BBC. Pay up your proportion of the national debt, build a nice big secure border between our countries and just SHUT UP!”
Of course it will never happen but it would be worth it just to see the look of righteous indignation on Salmond’s face.
In all seriousness, I have  a feeling that there are enough wise Scots who appreciate what we British have done and continue to do together and they will do all they can to preserve the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Let’s hope so, if only for the sake of their country.

Where it all Began

Posted on by

They say that travel broadens the mind, though whether or not this applies to all travellers is a moot point.  I travel for a living and it certainly helps me gain a true sense of perspective of not only myself but, much more importantly, of our country. There are those among us who are constantly critical, always seeking to have a moan about the UK, a trait which most foreigners who I encounter find truly astounding.

I make no apology for the fact that I am both a proud Briton and a proud Englishman and I mean  that in a matter of fact and positive manner and not through any misplaced sense of superiority. In my work I travel all over the world particularly Canada and the USA , from where I am writing this blog. I’m actually in Memphis today and have been guiding a group through the beautiful states of Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee. These are lands steeped in history, though compared to our history they (at least as far as the history of non-native Americans is concerned) are a mere five minutes old!
I’m in the land of cotton and the more I research the history of cotton I am struck by how much our own recent history is linked to that of the southern USA. For many years, at the height of the Industrial Revolution and the height of Empire, the British were the biggest purchasers of American cotton and much of Britain, particularly northern England grew very wealthy on the back of it. Thousands of mills were constructed in the north of England to process cotton purchased from the USA and other parts of the world and hundreds of thousands of people found work in those mills. At one time Britain was the world’s leading exporter of cotton products. The Industrial Revolution began in England and our country was the first industrial super power with mainly English inventions leading the way for the rest of the world to follow.
Most of the mills have gone of course but the legacy remains. As somebody who works in tourism, taking British people around the world, it occurs to me that we should turn it on its head and invite more tourists to our country. Just think of the jobs that would be created for a start and the sense of pride that could be engendered in our own people as they show foreigners around our country. We have a history and a heritage second to none and wouldn’t it be marvellous to invite coach loads of Chinese, Indians and Americans to these shores to show them where it all began and from where their own current prosperity originated?

A Close Run Thing

Posted on by
Today is the anniversary of the battle of Waterloo, June 18th 1815, one of the most significant days in British and indeed, world history. On this day Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, Britain’s finest soldier since the Duke of Marlborough, faced the French army led by the military genius  Napoleon Bonaparte in what would effectively decide the future of Europe.

As we all know, Wellington, aided by the late arrival on the field of battle by the Prussians under Marshall Blucher, defeated the French ending, once and for all, the threat of Napoleon. It was a closely fought battle and but for the courage and skill under pressure of the unflappable and ever-cool Wellington, the bravery of his troops and some uncharacteristic indecisiveness by Napoleon things could have turned out rather differently. Indeed, Wellington himself referred to his victory as “the nearest run thing you ever saw in your life”.

For Britain, the victory meant the removal of the threat of invasion and for the next 100 years she lived in prosperity and for the main part in peace (an era known as “Pax Britannica”) free to develop the greatest empire the world had ever seen. I wonder how many of our schoolchildren know of this day and, for that matter, how many of their teachers?

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

Posted on by
Only the most cynical or curmudgeonly could fail to be moved by the celebrations marking the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee this weekend. The outburst of genuine love and affection from the vast majority of her people, the riot of colour of the red, white and blue flags, bunting and Union Flag outfits have taken us back to a more innocent time and have served to remind us that this country has a history, heritage and tradition that is the envy of most of the world.

Whatever your views on the monarchy, it has to be said that our Queen has been a wonderful servant to her country and to her Commonwealth. In 60 years of unbroken and dedicated service she has witnessed some of the most significant events ever witnessed by mankind. Man has landed on the moon, has made vast leaps in medicine and technology and has created the internet which perhaps more than any other invention or discovery has quite simply revolutionised our lives.

She has witnessed too the sad decline of her country and the break-up of the once all-powerful British Empire. She has seen incredible social change and a total revolution in the way we now live our lives. There are still some (a small minority it has to be said) who would prefer a republic and a leader elected democratically by the people, a politician with all the bias and prejudice that that would entail, a vote winner anxious to cling to power at whatever cost. Can you imagine a President Blair or Brown? No, monarchy may have its faults (and I have never agreed with inherited privilege) but it is the best system we could have and is far better than the alternative.

Eight of ten Britons were born during her reign and still she is there with us, the one constant, comfort even, in all our lives. The fact that she is held with such obvious love and affection by her people is a huge tribute to her dedication and service to us all. Her reign should be celebrated and treasured because we will never see her like again.

The Last Englishman

Posted on by

Like many people in the UK I bemoan the fact that our children are no longer taught substantive English and British history, save in private schools. We have such a rich heritage that the omission is nothing short of a scandal. Until our governments see sense (common sense?) I suppose we who were lucky enough to be taught English history must satisfy ourselves by passing on that knowledge to others less fortunate. Today I will be making a speech at a belated St George’s Day lunch and my theme is Hereward the Wake, a hero of these Isles referred to by some as the Last of the English.

Following the battle of Hastings on October 14th, 1066 England lay defenceless against the organised might and ruthlessness of William the Conqueror and his victorious Norman army. By the clever use of gifts of land  in return for oaths of allegiance King William, as he was quickly proclaimed, ensured that England would soon be pacified and brought to heel. This system, the Feudal System, guaranteed the loyalty of his nobles who quickly occupied the estates of the English (Anglo-Saxon) nobles who had been decimated at Hastings.

Some natives refused to bow to the Conqueror and revolts sprang up in various parts of the country. These were swiftly and brutally crushed but one man still resisted. Hereward the Wake (meaning wary or watchful) was born in the town of Bourne, Lincolnshire the son of an Anglo-Danish nobleman. He was something of a hothead in his youth and was outlawed by the King causing him to flee the country. Whilst in Flanders, where he had fought as a mercenary, he learned of the Norman conquest and shortly afterwards returned home with some followers. He discovered  that his father had been driven from the family home and, worse still, that his younger brother had been killed and his head nailed above the doorway.

Hereward, a redoubtable warrior, sought revenge on those responsible and legend has it that he single-handedly killed the fourteen Norman culprits and then had their heads nailed above the same doorway.  Clearly he couldn’t remain at large since the Normans were sure to come looking for him and so he and his followers went into hiding in the nearby Fens. The Fens, comprising treacherous marshland surrounded by thick forest, made an ideal base for the guerrilla warfare that Hereward planned against the Normans.

Hereward soon became a sharp thorn in the side of his enemies who tried desperately to capture him as his successes continued. As word of his exploits spread he became the symbol of English resistance and his small army increased in size as other rebels joined him. Aided by the Saxon Lord Morcar, from Northumberland, and a small force of Danes he led an attack on the Abbey at Peterborough capturing a large hoard of treasure which he wished to prevent from falling into Norman hands.

So serious was the threat now posed by Hereward that a Norman army led by King William in person descended upon the Fens determined to bring the rebellious Englishman to justice. Hereward’s stronghold was well chosen however and the Normans could find no way through the treacherous fens and marshes that he now called home. The Normans tried to cross over the marshes by means of various causeways but Hereward always outwitted them, on one occasion hiding his men in the reeds and then setting fire to stockpiles of wood as his enemies approached. Fleeing the flames, those Normans who were not drowned in the marshy waters were picked off by hidden English archers.

What the Normans were unable to achieve by straightforward military means they were however able to achieve by treachery and so it was that the Abbot of Ely, sick of the fighting, revealed to the Normans the whereabouts of a secret path leading straight into the heart of Hereward’s camp. Armed with this information the Norman soldiers followed the path and attacked the camp taking the rebels completely by surprise. Though many were killed in the sudden attack Hereward managed to escape.

It is here that his story has become blurred through the mists of time. Some say that he made peace with King William, others say he was later ambushed and killed by the Normans and yet more who say he simply melted quietly away into the anonymity of the marshy Fens. Whatever the truth, his memory lives on and to many, Hereward the Wake embodies the spirit of a true freedom fighter, the last of the English.

Happy St George’s Day!

Posted on by

Today is St George’s Day , the national day of England although, unlike most national days, ours tends to pass with barely a nod of recognition by the majority of the nation. I wonder how many people will be wearing red roses today? Nevertheless this is England’s day and there will still be plenty of folk celebrating  and honouring  the memory of our patron saint, St George of Cappadocia. Whereabouts in England is that you may wonder?

Well, of course, it isn’t in England. Cappadocia was a province of Asia Minor at the time of the Roman Empire (now a part of modern Turkey) and St George is said to have been a Roman soldier of great valour who died for his Christian beliefs. How strange, one might think,  that we should have as a patron saint a man from the Middle East with no apparent connection to England. Well maybe, but it’s not without precedent. The most widely celebrated patron saint in the world, St Patrick, wasn’t even Irish; he was born in either Wales or Scotland, depending upon which historical account you read!
St George was adopted by the English in mediaeval times because of his religious beliefs and because he represented the qualities that honourable Englishmen aspired to in those times. With all heroes a legend develops and the story of his fight with and eventual conquest of the dragon was mere allegory and a symbol of the victory of good over evil. The St George cross (a red cross on a white background) was used as a flag by the Crusaders in their wars with the Saracens and was also painted on to their shields to demonstrate their Christian beliefs, if not their behaviour – as a cursory inspection of the history of the Crusades will reveal! It became the official emblem of England at about the same time and in 1222 the Council of Oxford declared that April 23rdbe treated as a day of national celebration, a tradition that has continued for nearly 800 years.
Whatever the nationality of St George the man and whatever the truth or otherwise of his exploits he is our patron saint and any man who symbolises, as he does, the victory of good over evil is someone we should all feel proud of. This is our day. Let’s all enjoy it and toast the memory of our patron saint with a glass of finest English bitter. Happy St George’s Day!

The Falklands

Posted on by

It seems that the Falkland Islands are never far from the news with Argentina’s refusal to keep the islands out of the international spotlight. In spite of, and maybe because of, their defeat in 1982 Argentina continues to lay claim to the islands that they refer to as Las Malvinas and has recently stepped up those claims. As far as international law is concerned the Falklands, despite their physical proximity to Argentina, remain a sovereign territory and a part of the British Commonwealth. The population, small though it is, remains English-speaking and 100% committed to maintaining its links to the UK. That really should be an end to the matter but, of course, things are never that simple.

The latest flare-up has arisen through two matters, I suspect, namely the potentially rich oil and gas deposits off the islands and political  opportunism by an Argentine president, anxious to cling on to political power. The UK has responded, though it may be coincidence, by sending to the islands a Royal Prince as well as a state of the art warship from our dwindling navy. Today the Argentines have stated that we also have a nuclear submarine in the area or at least on its way there.

So what does all this mean? Is it mere rhetoric by the Argentine president or is it something more sinister? Are the islands at risk once more and is there a danger that Argentina, aware of the fact that we have weakened considerably since 1982, may be prepared to have another go. If they are, then are we capable of successfully defending the islands once more and will there be the political will and public support to see it through? Difficult questions and none of them are easy to answer, though I feel the public would most probably support a defence of British sovereign territory and I’m sure that the Prime Minister would be equally supportive.

However, the problem remains that it is a conflict that we could lose and clearly we should do everything we could to avoid any escalation towards that conflict. We are no longer the force that we were. On the world stage we have considerably declined economically, militarily and politically and 19th century style gunboat diplomacy is no longer an option for us. In 1982 we successfully defended the islands through the political will of Margaret Thatcher and a well organised and equipped task force backed fully by public opinion. We were also fortunate to have American support and luckier still to face a poorly equipped enemy, half of whose bombs and shells failed to explode even when they hit the target.

This time, I doubt we’ll get the same support from President Obama as we got from the anglophile President Reagan and I don’t think we should rely on faulty Argentine weaponry either. If relations continue to deteriorate between Argentina and the UK we may well have no option but to place the whole issue in the lap of the United Nations; a bitter pill to swallow but better than military humiliation.