The Sandbag Times Issue No: 22

The Veterans’ Magazine 

Issue 22 | 16 June 2016 

THE EU REFERENDUM 

What it means to the Armed Forces & Veterans 

The Armed Forces Covenant 

Does it really work? 

Music 4 Heroes 

The launch of a musical dream 

Could you be a Spy? 

Take on the challenge with a 

brand new Channel 4 series 

www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 

SPONSORED BY: 

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If you think you would be a suitable candidate, 

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CoNTENTS 16 June 2016 

SBT News 

4 Royal Navy to protect 

English Channel 

Border agency asks R Navy 

for assistance 

5 UK Peacekeepers arrive 

in Souther Sudan 

Michael Fallon confirms 

military team deployment 

6 Marine gives life to save 

drowning teens 

A US Marine has died after 

2 teens get into difficulty 

7 Board game helps 

Cananda military 

A board game based on the 

war against ISIS used to 

develop military strategy 

Features 

12 The EU Referendum 

How will it affect Armed 

Forces and Veterans 

22 American Veterans 

Today 

A look at veterans issues 

across the pond 

Regular 

16 Have Faith 

This week: Love 

19 The Historical Tommy 

Atkins 

The Battle of Waterloo: How 

the Iron Duke won the most 

decisivebattle of the 

Napoleonic War. 

27 Veterans Radio Stations 

What’s happening on your 

favourite radio stations 

33 SBT Information 

A page dedicated to back 

issues, information, book 

reviews etc 

37 Time for a NAAFI Break 

Fun & Games on the final 

pages. We are always 

looking for new ideas and 

competitions from you 

The Armed Forces Covenant Page 14 

American Veterans Today Page 22 

Sponsors 

Editor: Pablo Snow 

Tel: 01905 570590 

Email: info@sandbagtimes.com 

www.sandbagtimes.com 

www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 3 |

Royal Navy called to protect Channel 

The UK Border Agency has 

asked the Royal Navy about 

help to defend the English 

Channel from people 

smugglers. Border officials 

contacted military planners 

to ask what vessels would 

be available in a move that 

could see naval ships 

patrolling the coastline, 

Housing: Are local councils failing veterans? 

Veterans are being failed 

across the country by local 

councils refusing to house 

veterans unless they are 

directly connected to the 

area. Under the Armed 

Forces Covenant it is written 

that “Members of the Armed 

Forces Community should 

have the same access to 

social housing and other 

housing schemes as any 

other citizen.” The SBT has 

already reported on issues in 

the health care system where 

veterans are not being 

recognised under the AFC. 

We have also learned of a 

veteran, who remains 

anonymous, who is living in 

West Oxfordshire in a 2 bed 

flat with a son and a 

daughter. Soldier X has 

approached the council many 

times for help but this falls 

on deaf ears. Many local 

councils state that priority is 

given to applicants with 

direct connections to the 

according to reports. The 

Ministry of Defence said no 

formal request had yet been 

made for military support. 

But sources said MoD staff 

are proposing to offer 

several offshore raiding 

craft manned by Royal 

Marines to beef up 

protection. Read more. 

area. Sadly, the local 

councils are not obliged to 

sign up to the covenant 

which means cases like 

Soldier X are widespread. 

Despite promises to address 

the issue the problem 

continues to grow. 

Veteran driver banned from wearing badge 

A FORMER serviceman is outraged he has been banned from 

wearing his veteran's badge while working as a bus driver in 

Derby. The ex-squaddie, who has served in Afghanistan, Iraq 

and Northern Ireland, has proudly worn the badge on his 

uniform for several years but has now been told by bus firm 

Trent Barton it breaks the rules. He said: "I wear it in tribute 

to all of my friends as well as those who died or were seriously 

injured in conflict. Unfortunately, the company I work for 

does not feel the same." Tom Morgan, director of service 

delivery at the bus firm, said: “The uniform policy requires 

drivers to only wear company issued and union badges.” 

Read more on this story by following this link. 

CarillionAmey 

apologizes to 

Britain’s Armed 

Forces 

The Public Accounts 

Committee held an inquiry 

into Service Family 

Accommodation at the 

House of Commons on 

Wednesday 8th June. The 

Committee focused on three 

areas: the state of Service 

Family Accommodation, the 

introduction of the new 

Combined Accommodation 

Assessment System (CAAS) 

and the introduction of the 

Next Generation Estates 

Contracts (NGEC) and how 

the Department is managing 

CarillionAmey's 

performance against them. 

The Director RAF Families 

Federation was invited to 

appear as a witness. As 

reported in The Daily 

Telegraph and other national 

newspapers, Richard Lumby, 

the Managing Director of 

Carillion Defence and 

Security apologised for 

'horrendous' maintenance 

standards for Service Family 

Accommodation and for 

'failing' the families of 

Britain's Armed Forces. He 

admitted his company had 

"dropped a big clanger" and 

put a large number of service 

personnel and their families 

through "significant 

discomfort" over the last 18 

months. Mr Lumby agreed 

that CarillionAmey had 

"absolutely let ourselves 

down". On the converse 

there is no doubt that (in the 

last couple of months) things 

are getting better. Since the 

added resource has been 

bought in and since Mr 

Carillion and Mr Amey went 

to see the Secretary of State, 

we have noticed an 

improvement in 

performance. I think the 

challenge now is to make 

sure that the improved 

performance from 

CarillionAmey is sustained 

for the rest of the contract.A 

decision by the MOD is 

expected soon as to whether 

or not CarillionAmey should 

now retain the contract or a 

new supplier found. The 

Public Accounts Committee 

may also review progress in 

the autumn. 

| 4 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

NEwS 

UK peacekeepers arrive in South Sudan 

Michael Fallon today confirmed 

a small military team has been 

deployed to South Sudan as the 

UK starts to increase support to 

the UN Mission. UK personnel 

will provide vital engineering 

work to strengthen 

infrastructure, as well as further 

advisory support, underlining 

the UK’s continued commitment 

to peace and security for the 

people of South Sudan. The 

deployed UK team form the first 

group ahead of further 

deployments across 2016. 

Defence Secretary Michael 

Fallon said: The arrival of 

British personnel clearly 

demonstrates our commitment to 

supporting UN efforts to 

improve conditions in some of 

PSNI Federation sets up mental health fund 

The Police Federation of 

Northern Ireland has 

become the first policing 

“union” in the UK to 

create a fighting fund to 

help officers suffering 

from post-traumatic stress 

disorder (PTSD). The 

federation has set aside 

£1m for rank and file 

officers who are suffering 

from PTSD and other 

psychological illnesses. It 

includes help for those 

who are being targeted for 

terrorist attack. The 

current threat level against 

members of the Police 

Service of Northern 

Ireland (PSNI) from 

the world’s most destabilising 

conflicts. The arrival follows the 

Prime Minister’s announcement 

last year that the UK would 

double its contribution to active 

peacekeeping in 2016 - 

including sending up to 300 

troops to South Sudan, and 

around 70 to Somalia. Read 

more here. 

Euro 2016 Squad refused memorial trip 

Families of the nation’s war dead reacted 

with anger yesterday after England 

players were banned from a trip to the 

battlegrounds of the Somme. The Euro 

2016 squad was planning a three-hour 

excursion to pay homage to those who 

fell in the bloody Great War clash of 

1916. But the FA has scuppered the 

outing because medics said it could have 

been too draining. Read more 

dissident republican 

paramilitaries has been 

classified as “severe”. 

The fund was announced 

on Wednesday at the 

federation’s annual 

conference in Belfast. 

The federation said PTSD, 

anxiety and depression 

were leading to an 

increase in the number of 

their members taking sick 

leave. Mark Lindsay, the 

federation’s chairman in 

the region, said 37,674 

days were lost to mental 

health problems last year – 

a jump of 60% since 2013. 

Lindsay said: “The 

intention behind this 

funding is to significantly 

reduce the number of days 

lost through psychological 

illness and improve the 

overall wellbeing of our 

members. “This problem 

is getting progressively 

worse. It needs this urgent 

intervention. Whole 

families are suffering 

because those hurting are 

falling through the 

cracks.” He said the 

federation’s new 

“psychological wellbeing 

fund” would provide 

additional therapists and 

psychologists to help 

police officers suffering 

from PTSD. Read more. 

Musicians unite to raise funds for veterans 

MUSICIANS from across 

Wales will band together to 

support armed forces service 

veterans in a weekend of rock. 

The Patriot’s Motorcycle Club 

will host six bands on 26 & 

27th February, raising money 

for charity Change Step. The 

charity offers services 

"delivered by veterans for 

veterans," supporting exsoldiers 

who find it difficult to 

reintegrate into civilian life. 

Promoter "Brummie” Lees, 57, 

left the military in 2005 and 

hopes the event will help raise 

awareness of the “lack of 

support” for ex-serviceman. 

Change Step has supported 

more than 800 families 

throughout Wales, aids 

veterans aged between 20 and 

93 and 95 percent of its users 

are male. Falklands veteran 

and campaigner Denzil 

Connick will also attend the 

event and several charity 

collections will be taken on the 

night. For more info contact 

the venue at 01495 247178. 


Ex-Marine Corps Master Sergeant gives 

his life saving drowning teens 

A man credited with saving the lives of two teens, at the cost of his own, was reportedly a Marine Corps 

veteran and a two-time Purple Heart recipient. Retired Marine Master Sgt. Rodney Buentello was 

spending Wednesday afternoon with his family at Bandera City Park, about an hour northwest of San 

Antonio, when he witnessed the two teens in peril. The Bandera Marshal's office said that one of the 

teens was trying to walk across a park dam illegally when she was swept away by rushing water. The 

other teen went into the water to help her, but he got stuck as well. Buentello then dove in and managed 

to save both teens. However, he was dragged under the water and drowned before rescuers could reach 

him. Buentello had served as a recruiter in San Antonio and the training chief and class instructor for 

Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron in Iwakuni, Japan, according to Marine Corps news releases. 

In addition to beyond being a decorated Marine and educator, Buentello was described as a family man. 

Buentello is survived by his wife, Lisa; and three sons. Friends and family took to social media 

following Buentello's death to express their condolences and admiration for the Marine vet. 

200 Attend Funeral of Veteran 

With No Known Relatives 

Four people were expected to attend the 

funeral of Serina Vine, a formerly homeless 

veteran of World War II. Instead, about 200 

showed up to honor her after veterans' groups 

organized a social media campaign, since she 

had no known living relatives. Vine, a graduate 

of the University of California, served in the 

Navy from 1944 to 1946 in radio intelligence 

and spoke three languages, according to the 

obituary published by A. L. Bennett and Son 

Funeral Home. She was laid to rest with full 

military honors, including a 21-gun salute, at 

the Quantico National Cemetery. Please read 

the full story by clicking here. 

Police searching 

for Navy Seal 

advised ‘caution’ 

Police in Long Beach, NY are 

looking for a former Navy 

SEAL who has failed to appear 

in court after posting bail for 

assault, strangulation and other 

charges. 33-year-old Nathanael 

“Lalo” Roberti is charged with 

second-degree bail jumping, 

second-degree strangulation, 

second- and third-degree 

assault, second-degree unlawful 

imprisonment, fourth-degree 

criminal possession of a weapon 

and fourth-degree criminal 

mischief. He was arrested on 

April 6, 2015 but failed to 

appear in Nassau Country 

Criminal Court after posting 

bail. Long Beach Police advise 

anyone who approaches Roberti 

to proceed with caution because 

of his military training and 

previous threats he made to 

officers at the time of his arrest. 

Two more fighter jets 

crash at air displays. 

Two fighter jets have crashed in 

seperate incidents last Thursday. 

A Netherlands F5 Tiger 

collided with a team mate at 

Leeuwarden air basewhile 

practicing for a display. One 

aircraft was destroyed although 

the pilot was able to eject safely 

while the other jet landed 

without further incident. 

Meanwhile a SU27 Fighter Jet 

crashed just outside of Moscow 

on the same day killing the 

pilot. The plane was returning 

to its base at the time and was 

not carrying weapons or 

ammunition, the ministry was 

cited as saying. The crash did 

not cause any serious damage 

on the ground, it said. A 

Defence Ministry commission 

was reported to be already 

working at the crash site to try 

to determine what happened. 

Two pilots have been killed in 

two weeks involving air display 

crashes. 


News 

Board game helps Canadian military 

Canada's military has 

been experimenting with 

a tabletop game inspired 

by the war against ISIS 

to help plan what tanks, 

planes, ships and people 

it needs to fight 

effectively in the coming 

decades. The ISIS Crisis 

uses dice, markers and a 

large map of Iraq and 

Syria, and is the latest 

twist in a governmentwide 

effort to use more 

games in the workplace 

for training and 

education. "This 

certainly does have 

potential to add 

additional rigour to our 

process," said Col. Ross 

Ermel, in charge of a 

directorate that plans 

how the Canadian Forces 

must evolve. "It does 

show some promise.… 

It's one of the things that 

we are certainly 

considering." The ISIS 

Crisis is known as a 

matrix-type game, a 

concept dating from the 

1980s, with minimal 

rules and using debates 

and arguments, unlike 

traditional war games 

with complex rules and 

drawing on probabilities. 

Matrix games allow 

complex, multi-sided 

issues to be explored, 

often by up to six 

players who don't need 

particular expertise in 

the subject matter. Some 

government planners say 

gaming may also have 

potential for directly 

engaging citizens. Ermel 

says his militaryplanning 

unit, which has 

never before played 

matrix-type games, is 

using the ISIS Crisis to 

"stress test" forecasting 

methodology rather than 

to predict Mideast events 

or any long-term 

Canadian role in the 

regions. Read more. 

New Zealand Z War hero mother denied a 

say in where his medals go 

The family of Rory Malone 

say they have been denied 

"closure" for their fallen son 

after he was blocked from 

receiving his New Zealand 

Gallantry Medal at 

Government House. They have 

launched a petition for a full 

ceremonial service for the 

medal he was posthumously 

awarded for his heroic actions 

at the Battle of Baghak, in 

Afghanistan in August 2012. 

Lance Corporal Malone was 

killed after pulling his 

wounded commanding officer 

Major Craig Wilson to safety 

during an intense firefight 

when their unit was ambushed 

in a remote valley in the 

Bamiyan province. It emerged 

this week that Malone's 

girlfriend, Kate Johnston, who 

was appointed as Malone's 

"primary next of kin" by the 

Defence Force, requested that 

the medals be posted to her in 

Australia. This requests was 

denied by Government House. 

Click here to read more. 

Robbers soldier shock in McDonalds raid 

Two wannabe hamburglars were 

foiled when they tried to rob a 

branch of McDonald’s where 12 

soldiers were eating lunch. 

The servicemen – from an elite 

military unit who are trained in 

hostage situations, prevented the 

two men carrying out an armed 

robbery in France. The suspects 

burst into the Ecole-Valentin 

branch and as one guy fired a 

warning shot, the other began 

raiding the tills. When 

McDonald’s employees took 

cover in the kitchen, the soldiers 

set upon the would-be burglars. 

The servicemen shouted for 

them to stop, and one of the 

robbers fell down some steps 

and was apprehended. 

While his accomplice was shot 

in the torso. They held the men 

until police arrived soon 

afterwards to arrest them. 


Researchers Unlock Secrets of the Nuked Carrier USS Independence 

Underwater archaeologists have 

determined the role USS Independence 

played after World War II. They used 

declassified government documents and sonar 

images of the shipwrecked vessel to unlock the 

secret. The Independence (CVL 22) was one of 

90 ships assigned to Operation Crossroads, the 

atomic bomb tests conducted at Bikini Atoll in 

the Marshall Islands. It was scuttled in 1951. 

Little was known about its use after the tests. 

The location of the shipwreck was found last 

year and researchers began comparing sonar 

images of the wreck with the declassified 

documents to determine the vessel had been 

used as a radiological laboratory and nuclear 

waste receptacle from 1946 to 1950. “Now we 

not only know what shape she’s in and where 

she lies but also exactly what happened to the 

Independence,” said lead researcher James 

Delgado, a maritime archaeologist at the 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA). One of the first 

vessels to be converted to a light aircraft 

Would you 

like to get 

better 

sleep? 

carrier following the attack on Pearl Harbor, 

the Independence operated in the central and 

western Pacific from November 1943 through 

to August 1945. After the war, it was assigned 

to Operation Crossroads as part of a fleet 

positioned within about 1700 feet of the 

“ground zero” blast from the bomb tests 

carried out to examine the effects of shock 

News Special 

waves, heat, and radiation. Twenty-one ships 

sunk during the tests, but the Independence 

survived, although it was heavily damaged 

when it returned to the U.S. This remains one 

of the most compelling frontiers in science, 

given not only the size of the oceans but what 

rests within them. 

Read more on this story here. 

Learn a skill that could stop sleep disturbances, improving 

sleep and daily functioning. 

We're looking for ex-servicemen/ women of any age from any 

service (regular or reserve) who are currently experiencing at 

least one traumatic nightmare per week, to volunteer to take 

part in a 2hr group session as part of a research study. 

The approach is non-invasive, doesn't involve drugs or therapy 

and you won't be asked to share any information or talk about 

your past experiences. 

Approved by the Help for Heroes Research Approvals Committee and 

Anglia Ruskin University’s Ethics Committee 

Spaces are limited and group sessions are 

being held at your local Help for Heroes 

Recovery Centre in 2016. 

The next sessions are: 

Colchester 8 June 

Tidworth 14 June 

Catterick 21 June 

Plymouth 28 June 

Scotland/Wales TBA 

Contact Justin Havens now to register or ask 

any questions: 

research@justinhavens.com 

07976 724181 


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SpieS 

Only those who are willing to abide 

by the Official Secrets Act and are 

willing to enter a world of intrigue, 

fear and espionage need apply. 

Minnow Films, the creators of the very successful 

series SAS-Who Dares Wins, are currently 

looking for a group of 20 ordinary men and 

women to attempt a course based on the authentic 

Recruitment and Training phases of Britain’s 

Intelligence Services. 

Please read the application requirements very 

carefully and apply only if you meet the criteria. 

And good luck! 

SPIES 

Application 

Form 

It is amazing how many people say “I could do 

that, no problem” from the comfort of their own 

armchair. How many, I wonder, would be willing 

to take advantage of the opportunity to actually 

have a go? 

Because of the very nature of the programme we 

cannot disclose too many details about what is 

going to happen, only the fact that it is very close 

to the recruitment process and training for the 

British Intelligence Service. For me this just fills 

me with a huge sense of excitement of what is in 

store. I have heard through the grapevine that the 

course will be as close to the real thing as possible 

and will immerse the candidates in a world of 

psychological pressure and uncertainty. Maybe I 

have said too much! 

Is it appealing to your sense of curiosity? Do you 

want to know what goes on behind the closed 

doors of our most secret organisations? Could 

you cope with the psycological uncertainty of the 

unknown? But most of all, can you keep a secret? 

If you can answer yes to these questions then open 

the envelope to reveal the next part of this 

mission. You will need to take on a rigourous 

application form to be considered for selection. 

Then, and only then will the confidential email be 

given to you to send in your application. Should 

you choose to accept this mission and if you meet 

ALL the criteria listed, making sure that you 

attach a recent photograph of yourself, your 

application will be considered and if accepted you 

will be contacted by the ‘Top Secret’ agency 

which is Minnow Films. 

Most importantly, and crucially: 

DO NOT TELL ANYONE YOU 

ARE APPLYING FOR THIS SHOW 


A brand new TV series is soon to be aired on Channel 4 

called ‘Spies’. From the team that brought you ‘SAS – 

Who Dares Wins’ comes an exciting new series testing 

20 hopefuls through the gruelling recruitment and 

training of the UK’s Intelligence Service to be shown 

later this year on Channel 4. 

The Sandbag Times is proud to be assisting Minnow Films 

in the search for 20 potential candidates. So if you think 

you have what it takes to be a British Spy then why not 

click on the link below and fill out the application, you 

never know. The course will be as close to the real thing 

as possible, immersing the candidates in a world of 

psychological pressure, risk and intrigue. 

www.minnowfilms.co.uk/spies 

A Brand New TV Series 

Coming soon on Channel 4 


As the EU Referendum 

draws near the SBT 

asks what it will mean 

to the UK’s Armed 

Forces and Veterans. 

We hear voices from 

both sides of the 

fence. 

With only a week left until the UK faces 

the biggest decision of modern times, 

the Sandbag Times takes a look at the 

impact this will have on our Armed Forces and 

Veterans community. Personally, I have been sat 

on the fence for far too long. Undecided due to the 

hype and scaremongering caused by the arguments 

of both sides. I was very interested to find the top 

brass warning of the risks to defence by staying in 

the EU yet some of our more senior veterans 

warning of the risks in leaving the EU. Let’s first 

look at what the defence cheifs have been saying 

and why they feel the UK must leave. Speaking 

out in favour of Britain leaving the EU, they said 

that Nato, and not the EU, should remain the 

cornerstone of Europe's defence. Among the group 

is General Sir Michael Rose, whose name was 

originally on a letter organised by Downing Street 

supporting UK membership of the EU. The 

Remain campaign says membership of the EU and 

Nato is not contradictory. The former senior 

military commanders - including Falklands veteran 

Major General Julian Thompson, former deputy 

chief of the defence staff Sir Jeremy Blackham and 

Lieutenant General Jonathan Riley, who 

commanded coalition forces in Afghanistan - have 

said the UK's national interest would be best served 

outside the EU. General Sir Michael Rose, a 

former director of special forces and a commander 

in Bosnia, has expressed concerns that the EU is 

trying to set up its own army that could undermine 

the Nato alliance. Downing Street admitted it had 

made a mistake earlier this year when it released a 

letter claiming he was among former military top 

brass who wanted Britain - which has the fifth 

largest defence budget in the world - to remain in 

the EU. General Rose said sovereignty and 

defence were indivisible and that EU policy had 

already seriously undermined Britain's combat 

effectiveness. "I believe that the UK's contribution 

to European defence can manifestly be better made 

solely through Nato than by trying to spread our 

limited resources too thinly, in order to include 

European defence and security policy initiatives 

into the UK's defence programme," he said. "It is 

something of an insult to our European partners, in 

particular France and Germany, to imply that UK 

membership of the European Union is necessary to 

secure future peace in Europe." In response, 

campaign group Britain Stronger in Europe said 

there was an "overwhelming consensus" among 

military chiefs, including four former chiefs of the 

defence staff, that Britain was "stronger and safer" 

in the EU. And Labour MP Dan Jarvis, a former 

paratrooper who served in Iraq, has warned EU exit 

would be a "gift" to Russian President Vladimir 

Putin. A few months ago, the Sandbag Times 

wrote about a veteran turned MP. So far he has 

proved to be a politician that veterans can trust. A 

man with his head in the right place in parliament 

to actually see the facts with veterans issues firmly 

in his sight. So where does Johnny Merceer MP 

stand on the referendum? 

“I’m in this because I believe in it. I believe in the 

Conservative vision for Plymouth, for the country. I 

believe in transforming the lives of some of the most 

deprived wards in the city. I’m in it because most 

people end up in bad positions because of 

circumstances outside their control – perhaps a bit 

of bad luck, a couple of bad decisions, and it could 

be any one of us. I’m in it because I believe we do 

‘bombs and bullets’ reasonably well in this country 

but, when it comes to using that force, when it comes 

to looking after people and cashing the cheque for 

which these guys have sacrificed so much, most 

people just don’t ‘get it’. And if people don’t vote for 

that I’m disappointed, but that’s democracy and I’m 

big enough and ugly enough to take the result. But 

I’m not going to start telling them that the other 

options available are frauds. It demeans me; it disrespects 

them, and it treats people like they are 

stupid. Here’s the truth: The world ain’t gonna end, 

no matter which way the EU vote goes. It will still 

rain most of the summer, England will go out of the 

Euros at the first opportunity…and I will still be 

droning on about veteran’s care from the back 

benches. Should we leave the EU? It’s not perfect – 

picking holes in it is like shooting fish in a barrel. 

But do we seriously think that the most vulnerable in 

our communities; those whose lifelines are their 

jobs; those who regularly use the NHS; those who 

rely on funding for our public services – do we 

really think these people could tolerate the financial 

shock of leaving the EU? Of course not. Do we 

really think in a world that is only getting more 

dangerous and more complex, we are better off 

alone, or as part of a team heading in generally the 

same direction? Obama, Cameron, Osborne, 

Petraeus, Carney, Merkel, Clinton, Rajoy, Hollande, 

Trudeau, Lagarde, Branson. Do we really ignore all 

these opinions?” 


I’m not too sure whether I agree with him or not 

but he does at least have the balls and honesty to 

speak from his heart and tell us in simple terms 

why he thinks the way he does. Maybe if one or 

two others could take this example intead of 

drowning us in political mumbo jumbo then our 

decisions may be so much easier. But that’s just 

me. There are many veterans that agree with 

Johnny. Second World War veterans have warned 

against the UK leaving the European Union, 

saying it would bring instability to the continent. 

Four war heroes, including the former head of the 

military Field Marshal Lord Bramall, have 

recorded messages of support for the Remain 

campaign. RAF veteran and NHS campaigner 

Harry Leslie Smith said: "Britain is stronger in 

Europe because it reflects the values my 

generation fought for in Europe during the Second 

World War." D-Day veteran and former Royal 

Marine Patrick Churchill warned: "If it breaks or 

we are not in that union, then countries will fall 

apart. "The only solution is to bind together, hold 

together, there we find strength." Field Marshal 

Lord Bramall, former chief of the defence staff, 

said: "We would be going backwards, not 

forwards in what we set out to cure after the 

terrible tragedies of the Second World War." RAF 

veteran David Meylan said: "We sacrificed many, 

many men in both world wars and this was to 

establish a peaceful and a prosperous union. We 

can't sacrifice that now." Justice Secretary 

Michael Gove told the Daily Telegraph that voting 

Leave on 23 June was the only way to stop the 

influence of “rogue” European courts and to 

deport terrorists instantly. He said the European 

Court of Justice was currently considering the 

legality of Britain’s surveillance regime and 

attempting to assert “legal control over what our 

intelligence agencies can and cannot do”. 

Decorated former sergeant George D Cowie said: 

“Our forebears fought and made terrible sacrifices 

in two World Wars for the freedom of their 

families and the sovereignty of our great country. 

“It falls upon us yet again to fight for our freedom 

and sovereignty.” Ex-RAF sergeant Peter Hall 

added: “It’s very important for serving personnel 

to register to vote. There is only one way for 

them to vote that is in the country’s interests and 

that is to vote to leave, to return democratic 

control and head off any more plans to merge us 

in with their plans.” 

Retired Navy petty officer Ian Davies said: “Never 

again will we get this chance to ensure WE make 

significant changes to our home countries and not 

faceless Eurocrats.” 

Arguments on both sides. I have to be honest, one 

issue has kept me thinking. It is, to the grand scale 

of things on the EU agenda, just a small matter but 

one that weighs heavily on the heart of many 

veterans and soldiers alike. Supposing we remain 

in the EU and we become part of a European 

Armed Force as Sir Michael Rose has suggested. 

This is just a question, what happens to our 

Regiments and Squadrons? What happens to the 

traditions of our serving forces and the history it 

has so proudly preserved? Will we see the repeat 

of the 1992 ‘Options for Change’ where we saw so 

many of our traditions vanish at the push of a 

politicians pen, but on a massive scale? I 

remember being told by our CO in Colchester that 

the Royal Hampshire Regiment was to become part 

of a new regiment. I must admit, it was a very sad 

day for me and for most of the guys on parade that 

day. Yes, we made the most of it but I did feel our 

forebearers had been betrayed. Can we really do 

that again on such a huge scale? Somebody please 

tell me this is not going to happen and I will be a 

very happy man. I could be wrong to think like 

that but it doesn’t seem that there are many in 

power reassuring us otherwise. 

If you are still undecided, this ‘In or Out’ questionnaire may help you. 

It is a neutral questionnaire that just highlights the main issues 

surrounding the referendum. Give it a try. 



Is it working for veterans? 

The subject of the Armed Forces Covenant has 

never been in my head so much as it has over 

the past few weeks. In fact, I think I am just 

about on my way to becoming something of an 

expert on it, well, at least in my own head I am. So 

what is the covenant, what does it mean to us 

veterans and the big question is, does it really work? 

So what is the Armed Forces Covenant? 

The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise from the 

nation that those who serve or have served in the 

armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly. 

This means supporting the armed forces community 

by working with a range of partners who have signed 

the covenant. The covenant is a national 

responsibility involving government, businesses, 

local authorities, charities and the public. 

It is very easy to rip this apart as something that is 

nothing more than a promise without any real punch 

or substance. To be honest I can see how that could 

be the case in some eyes, but I think it also has to be 

looked on as a work in progress. I have seen, within 

the space of a month, exaples of it’s success and 

examples of where it is failing or at least where it is 

not being recognised.. 

The two biggies within the covenant are healthcare 

and housing. The NHS has made a commitment to 

the covenant with regard to veterans care where it 

relates to service-related issues. The NHS states: 


issues we have found recently is that of practice 

administration staff being unaware of the system and 

the covenant. Although we can all say this is not 

ideal, we do have the option to help the system and 

in turn, you may be helping others. 

A good way to help within your community is to let 

your personal departments know of the Community 

Covenant. This is a set of guidelines to assist 

agencies in finding best practice in approaching and 

dealing with the veteran community. You can have 

a look at this by clicking the picture below. 

NHS healthcare 

for veterans 

The Armed Forces 

Covenant is a 

covenant between 

the Armed Forces 

Community, the 

Nation and the 

Government. 

All veterans are entitled to priority access to NHS 

hospital care for any condition, as long as it's related 

to their service and subject to the clinical need of 

others. If the NHS service you are dealing with is 

unaware of priority treatment, you are actively 

encouraged to tell them about it and ensure you have 

told them that you have served. Failing that, you can 

enlist local health care commissioners, your local 

authority community covenant lead, or one of the 

national service organisations, such as the Royal 

British Legion, to support you. Please remember 

that priority treatment does not entitle you to jump 

the queue ahead of someone with a higher clinical 

need and only relates to a condition associated to 

your time within the armed forces. When servicemen 

and women leave the armed forces, their healthcare 

is the responsibility of the NHS. It is highly 

important for continuing healthcare that you register 

with an NHS GP and remember to tell them you’ve 

served. Telling the GP practice about your veteran 

status will trigger the transfer of your full medical 

documentation from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) 

to your GP and enable you to benefit from veteranspecific 

services, like prosthetics and mental health. 

Those of you who read my article ‘The Invisible 

Veteran’ will remember me talking about the NHS 

coding system. This system falls into line with the 

above statement. However, it is important that you, 

as veterans, ensure that your individual health 

practice is aware of this system. One of the main 

This brings me quite nicely to my next issue. That 

of housing. This is probably the most difficult area 

to address. I recently heard a case of a veteran living 

in a small two bedroom flat with two children. This 

is far from satisfactory and I thought I would look 

into it with a view to asking the local council 

housing officer about the covenant. Much to my 

annoyance, although I did kind of expect it, the 

officer said that there was no relevance to the 

covenant in the way they conduct housing allocation 

unless the veteran in question was actually homeless. 

After a little research I discovered the councils are 

quite within their rights to do this. There is actually no 

law that states any council must abide by the covenant. 

I read this in the community covenant best practice 

guide which probably explains things a little better. 

Housing is the primary concern for a lot 

of Service leavers and their families, who, 

when they leave Service, lose their military 

accommodation and have to look for new 

lodgings. Many Service leavers are able to 

purchase their own home or rent privately and 

experience no problems. However, for those who 

wish to live in socially rented housing - which 

is often the only affordable option - the process 

can be difficult. A great deal of this difficulty 

arises because local authority housing allocation 

schemes usually reward local connection and 

waiting time on the Housing Register. 



In this regard, the mobile nature of an Armed Forces 

career can put its members and their families 

at a disadvantage. In recent years, both the 

Government and local authorities have 

become more aware of these issues and measures 

have been introduced to try to address them. The 

difficulty with this is that although there are a 

number of statutory provisions, local authorities 

still have the discretion to make their policies 

particularly flexible to the Armed Forces community, 

and only some are choosing to do so. 

At this moment in time I can see no answer to this 

dilemma. It is a very sad fact that housing still 

remains a problem. However saying that there are 

some councils such as Liverpool, Portsmouth, 

Wandsworth and Sheffield that have actually put 

steps into place to assist veterans with housing 

difficulties. Big well done to those! 

We as veterans can play a part in changing the way 

our local governments can help. The Community 

Covenant sets out guidelines and some great ideas on 

who you can approach and how you can get things 

debated in your area. 

Maybe this is a good thing, I see a lot of people on 

facebook and other social media asking for change. 

Maybe these people would be the ideal candidates 

for getting these ideas off the ground. All it really 

takes is good meaning people with a passion for 

getting things done. 

After all, my recent case of bringing the healthcare 

issue to light in my own GP surgery, has worked. I 

now know that veterans in Worcester will get the 

help they need. It is very satisfying to know that 

actually this was done with relative ease. The 

countrywide problem still exists but at least steps are 

now in place to rectify this. During June and July 

the NHS is being retrained to understand the Armed 

Forces Covenant and the systems for treating 

veterans in a more efficient manner. 

I would like to bring your attention to a particular 

section of the covenant that very often gets 

overlooked. This is ‘Support after Service’. There is 

a very large organisation in place that can help out 

with many veterans issues, not least of these is War 

Pensions or as it is now called the ‘Armed Forces 

Pension Scheme’. 

Section 11 of the Armed Forces Covenant states: 

The Covenant involves an obligation for life, and the 

commitment and sacrifices made by veterans in the 

past, as well as their continuing value to society, 

should be properly recognised in the support they 

receive. In accessing services, former members of the 

Armed Forces should expect the same level of 

support as any other citizen in society. 

Pension schemes should be fair and appropriate to 

the particular circumstances of Service personnel. All 

veterans will be able to access advice and in some 

cases additional support, from the MOD (Service 

Personnel and Veterans Agency), elsewhere in 

Government, and the charitable sector, although their 

access may be affected if they do not live in the UK. 

Those who have been injured in Service, or have a 

health condition relating to Service, should receive 

additional support which may include a financial 

element depending on their circumstances (eg 

through the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme or 

War Pension Scheme). Bereaved families should 

receive assistance commensurate with the loss that 

they have suffered, including help during the vital, 

but difficult, Inquest process. 

The MOD’s veterans department, the SPVA is a 

wealth of knowledge and information if you find 

yourself facing difficulties. They can advise you on 

how the covenant works or doesn’t work as the case 

may be. In any case don’t be afraid to call them. 

So, in summary, my personal feelings are that the 

Covenant is better in place than not. It does have 

benefits and it very often causes confusion especially 

when veterans start looking at their ‘rights’. Yes it 

has been enshrined in law but it is also a 

Government promise. That means it is not 

enforceable. With that in mind do your homework 

before you go charging in at the deep end to rip 

holes in your local council for something that is 

greiving you. My best advice is to make the 

covenant work for you by calling on those in local 

office for help and assistance., use the community 

covenant and get everyone together to discuss the 

best ways forward. After all, isn’t it better to 

negotiate a peaceful solution? 

This obligation involves 

the whole of society: it 

includes voluntary and 

charitable bodies, private 

organisations, and the 

actions of individuals 

in supporting the 

Armed Forces. 


Have Faith 

Love 

When considering what to write this week I spent time with God 

and thanked Him for whatever He was going to place on my heart to 

write about. I prayed expectantly as I know that if God wants me to 

write this then He will provide me with the words. Anyway I sat for 

a long time quietly and with anticipation, and then as my mind cleared 

these words came into my head: 

‘You don’t win hearts by force, you win hearts through love.’ 

It started me thinking about love, what it means to love & be 

loved, what drives us to do things and the power of love. God is love 

and in the Bible Paul writes: 

‘Follow the way of love’ (1 Corinthians 14:1) 

So I started wondering about what drives people to do things? 

Why, for example do men & women join the forces? It’s a dangerous 

job with many risks. Having chatted to veterans about this, I found 

that there are a number of reasons. Some have a love for their country 

and the freedoms they enjoy. Some love it because they are able to 

protect vulnerable people in other nations. Some have a love for the 

job, the action, the security, the camaraderie, community, belonging, 

and some because they love their family and want to honour tradition. 

Whatever the reason there always seems to be love involved. 

Love is a positive driving force. When the love fades, with it 

goes the joy and the motivation. I particularly like the way mother 

Teresa puts it: 

I read a book a while ago by 

Phillip Yancey called ‘The Jesus I 

Never Knew’. In it He explains 

about love and how important it is. 

He uses the example of 

communism. In communist 

countries the ideal is that everyone 

is treated the same and that 

everything is shared out equally. 

Now I know that the heads of these 

countries still get a larger share than 

the rest, but this is not my point 

today. The fact is communism 

doesn’t work because it is forced. When people are made to share 

they do it begrudingly and out of fear of consequences, but when 

people choose to share and show kindness they do it out of 

willingness and love. People are not motivated by force, but by love. 

When I first became a Christian I wanted the world to know the love 

that I had found through Jesus. I became a bit unbearable because all 

I would do, was go on and on at my friends about God and how great 

He is and how they needed Him too. This was because I had found a 

‘greater love’ than I had ever known and was excited about this new 

relationship. Not much different to when someone meets the love of 

their life and wants to tell the world about it. It took a while for me 

to realise, that the only way they would share in the love I had found, 

was by finding it themselves, not from me going on and on, because 

actually this put many of my friends off. Love does not come through 

insistance, persuasion or force. It also does not come through fear. It 

wasn’t until I watched, disapprovingly, another Christian trying to 

argue and frighten people into believing, that I realised that these 

methods are all wrong. It’s funny isn’t it, what we see in others and 

often miss in ourselves. This was a good lesson for me. God was 

teaching me that love is the only way. 

‘There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, 

because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not 

been perfected in love.’ (1 John 4:18) 

In Matthew 22:36-39 Jesus, in response to the pharisees’ question, 

tells the people 

that the greatest 

commandment of 

all is to love the 

Lord your God 

with all your 

heart, soul and 

mind. He went 

on to say that the 

second was to 

love your 

neighbour as 

yourself. 

My faith is not built on rules or legalism, as can be found in many 

religions. My faith has grown as my relationship with God has 

deepened. I spend time talking to Him, sitting quietly with Him, 

listening, reading His word (the Bible) and sharing things with Him. 

Being thankful to Him for all that I have and involving Him in 

everything. Not just the biggest difficulties and decisions, but even in 

the small things, like a smile from my son or a beautiful flower. I 

know He is with me always and by investing time in this relationship 

(just as I do with family and friends), the relationship grows closer 

and the love deeper. I love Him because He first loved me (1 John 

4:19). Faith was never pushed on me, although some tried. I found 

faith when I realised how much I was loved by Him - as I am - 

imperfect. You cannot be forced to love, but you choose it, and when 

you choose to love, thats when great things happen. Look at Mother 

Teresa for example, all that she did in her life she did in love, and she 

made such a great 

difference in peoples’ 

lives. She explained that 

her love for God and His 

love for her was why she 

did the things she did. One 

quote I particularly like 

from her is: 


Have Faith 

Her purpose was to reflect God on earth. To show others’ the 

love that God has for them. She was his servant. She was such a 

great example of love, of God. She reflected the very nature of 

God, who is love, and her life was a testimony to Him and His love 

letter to us all. 

I grew up in church and knew that God loved me, but did not 

really understand. I saw the vicar leading, full of wisdom, and 

thought he was closer to God than me, one of the chosen ones, and 

that I needed to go through Him to get to God. It wasn’t until I was 

older that I realised that I could have my own relationship with God, 

that in Gods eyes we are all equal. No-one is more or less important. 

He has no favourites. 

Many people say to me, ‘but what about the commandments if you 

don’t get those right, if you don’t follow the rules, then God won’t 

love you. If you don’t fit a certain mould God wont accept you.’ 

That’s conditional love. The 

commandments were given by God to help 

us to realise that none of us can meet those 

demands, and to see that He loved us so 

much that He sacrificed His only son to save 

us, so that He could have a personal 

relationship with each one of us. I struggle 

with many things, as we all do, but this is the 

greatest thing, God knows my faults and He 

still loves me. That’s why Jesus died on the 

cross. Through His sacrifice I am forgiven 

and loved. We are all forgiven and loved. 

So what’s the catch then? There is none. It 

says in Romans 10:9 that ‘If you confess 

with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and 

believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be 

saved.’ Faith is built on perfect love, unconditional, no strings 

attached, no set criteria, Jesus says in Matthew 21:22 ‘believe and you 

will receive’. God loves us whether we love Him back or not, but He 

wants us to seek a relationship with Him, so that we can fully receive 

His love. 

So what is love? When we think of love, we usually think of a 

warm fluffy feeling. We all speak of love. It can be translated in many 

ways. Love for our partner, our children, our parents or other family 

members. Love for our friends, or maybe a pet, a job, our country, 

our home, the sea, the sunshine. There are many things that we 

‘love’. In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Paul describes love: 

‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not boast, it is not proud. 

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered, it 

keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but 

rejoices in truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hope, 

always perserveres. Love never fails.’ 

Now this is a popular passage that many may have heard read at 

weddings, but have we really listened? Have we given it any 

thought? I know that I find it hard sometimes not to bring things up 

from the past when unhappy or hurt by someone I love, and yet love 

‘keeps no record of wrongs’. I get angry sometimes, and I think ‘what 

about me?’ when feeling neglected by my loved ones. Is love easy to 

do, easy to get right? No. From a human perspective it is difficult, 

we all have faults and to love means to bear with one another in our 

faults. We all make mistakes and we 

are to forgive each other. Is that 

easy? No. So the idea that love is all 

hearts and flowers is not reality. I 

think what I have learned over the 

years is that love can overcome all 

things. I know that ‘God is love’, so 

when we get to know Him, we start 

to understand true love & in time we 

start to show true love to others. God 

has taught me acceptance because He 

accepts me as I am, warts and all. He 

has taught me trust, I can be honest 

with Him, get frustrated with Him, get upset with Him and often go 

my own way and not the way He would choose for me, but He is still 

there and He still loves me. He never gives up on me. That is the 

way I try to love others. People let us down, they make mistakes, they 

hurt us, sometimes on purpose, sometimes 

inadvertently. They can be unreliable, they 

can need you only when they need you, and 

don’t seem to be there when you need them, 

and it can hurt. What I have realised is that 

everyone is trying their best (and I have said 

this many times in these articles). Their best 

may be different from your best, but it is still 

their best. When I remember how much God 

accepts from me, how much I let Him down 

and sometimes don’t make the effort or get 

things wrong, and He still loves me, I know 

that I owe that same love to others, and want 

and choose to show it. As I keep saying, it is 

not easy, and I often get it wrong, but I, like 

everyone else am trying my best. 

We can all make a difference in other people’s lives. We are not 

all destined for great things like Mother Teresa or Martin Luther 

King, but as Mother Teresa said “Not all of us can do great things. 

But we can do small things with great love”. We can’t necesarily 

change the whole world but those small things we do in love, make 

such an impact. I guess the 

point I’m trying to make 

through all my wafflings is 

that as people, we thrive on 

love. No-one can do without 

love. Mother Teresa explains 

it perfectly: “There is more 

hunger for love and 

appreciation in this world than 

for bread” and “the most 

terrible poverty is loneliness 

and the feeling of being 

unloved”. So in the words of 

Jesus... 

I want to reassure you that however alone you are feeling 

right now, you are NOT alone in your battle. Please message 

me if you have any questions or if you would like us to pray 

for you or for someone you know. 

Please contact me at havefaith@sandbagtimes.com 


Canada Calling 

Canada 

Calling 

The Canuck Connection 

“Oh Canada” is to become Gender Neutral. How do I feel about this 

news. Befuddled, confused, one cannot think of all the synonyms for 

this issue. WHY would our Parliament wish to change our historical 

anthem? Although not officially adopted until 1980 as Canada’s 

National Anthem, it has received a few rewrites over the years. 

However making it Gender Neutral as proposed is a waste of 

valuable parliamentary time and expense. I do fully understand, this 

private member’s bill, is an MP who is suffering with ALS and I am 

sad for him. 

"O Canada" (French: Ô Canada) is the national anthem of Canada. The 

song was originally commissioned by Lieutenant Governor of Quebec 

Théodore Robitaille for the 1880 Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day ceremony. 

Calixa Lavallée composed the music, after which words were written 

by the poet and judge Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier. The lyrics were 

originally in French and an English version was created in 1906. 

Robert Stanley Weir wrote in 1908 another English version, which is 

the official and most popular version, one that is not a literal translation 

of the French. Weir's lyrics have been revised twice, taking their 

present form in 1980, but the French lyrics remain unaltered. "O 

Canada" had served as a de facto national anthem since 1939, officially 

becoming Canada's national anthem in 1980 when the Act of Parliament 

making it so, received Royal Assent and became effective on July 1 as 

part of that year's Dominion Day celebrations. Click here for link 

As well as the anthem issue, there’s the Province of New Brunswick 

(FYI: Canada’s FIRST official Bi Lingual Province) this headline story 

is ludicrous at the least. Decide for yourself after reading this article. 

Click for link 

We veterans are very opinionated (which is our right) and the previous 

stories I am sure will be heavily discussed, dissected and opinions 

formed at many Veteran Gatherings. 

Sadly most of these social events no longer take place in Royal 

Canadian Legion Halls. Many Veterans are very upset with the actions 

of Tom Eagles (A NON VETERAN) and Dominion President who 

leads by disassociation, with Veteran’s and their concerns. 

NATO allies in Eastern European 

are requesting that Canada 

contribute 1,000 soldiers to 

protect against Russian 

aggression in the region, the 

Ottawa Citizen reports. “We do 

honour all of our NATO 

commitments when they come 

due,” the parliamentary secretary 

to the minister of national 

defence John McKay said Friday, 

during question period. “We have 

a considerable number of military 

over in that part of the world and this request is being actively reviewed 

as we speak.” 

Canada currently has 220 soldiers stationed in Poland, the Ottawa 

Citizen reports. One hundred and seventy are currently taking part in a 

10-day NATO exercise involving 30,000 soldiers from 23 nations. 

Any increase in troop levels could put pressure on the Canadian 

military, which is dealing with decreased spending levels, prior 

commitments overseas and a continuing military mission in Iraq. 

McKay’s comment was prompted by a question from Conservative MP 

Jacques Gourde, who asked if the defence minister would “show 

leadership in response to NATO or ignore reality as he did with the CF- 

18s.” 

Last but by no means least, the CF-18 situation has reached a new 

COSTLY Level for non-compliance. Click for link 

My friend Al Cameron of http://vetvoicecan.org/ tells a great story 

of a Veteran of WW2. Just spent an hour with Victor M, WW2 Bomber 

Command Veteran pilot. He told me he was given three and a half years 

to live ,as statistics say that of people diagnosed with Leukemia. He 

then laughed saying that was good with him because he'll be 98 in two 

weeks and wanted to make it to 100! Yup...the Greatest Generation. 

(Well said sir, we look forward to your Centenary.) Today’s column 

ends with another one from the funny side of Military Life: Once a 

PADRE always a Padre; 

A FRIEND of mine who is a Canadian Forces chaplain tells this story: 

A military aircraft had just reached its assigned 38,000 feet when 

suddenly and dramatically it dropped steeply to about half that altitude. 

A frightened soldier among the passengers turned to his seat mate, a 

chaplain. "Do something, padre!" he pleaded. "Relax, my boy," said the 

chaplain. "I'm sure we'll be all right." The soldier was not reassured. 

"Please, padre," he persisted. "Do something religious!" The chaplain 

smiled, then asked: "Would you like me to take up an offering?" 

Meanwhile in the UK Forces TV is a fine source of all things military. 

This link will explain who may wear a traditional beard in the ARMY, 

Navy and even the Air Force.. Forces TV 

Canada may step up to the plate 

yet again. A formal request for 

1,000 Canadian troops in Eastern 

Europe being ‘actively reviewed’ 

A request for more Canadian 

troops to be stationed in Eastern 

Europe is being “actively 

reviewed,” says the parliamentary 

secretary to the national defence 

minister. 

Have a great week 

Nil Sine Labore 

Robby 

Is this K-9 Bi Lingual? 


The Historical Tommy Atkins 

The Battle of Waterloo 

18th June 1815 

This year marks 201 years since the 

Battle of Waterloo; one of the most 

famous battles in English history 

This week I decided to go back even further into history. The 18th 

June marks the 201st anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. I 

remember learning about this at school, but it interested me to 

note that the anniversary was this month so I thought I’d have a read and 

learn a few more facts about this great battle, and share them with you. 

On a battlefield in Belgium, the British army and a coalition of 

nations, including Belgian, Dutch and 

German troops led by Arthur Wellesley, 

Duke of Wellington (1769-1852), and the 

Prussians led by Gebhard Leberecht von 

Blucher (1742-1819), defeated the 

French forces led by Napoleon Bonaparte 

(1769-1821), in what the Duke would 

later call “a damned close-run thing.” 

The Duke of Wellington 

The Battle of Waterloo was the final 

and decisive action of the Napoleonic Wars, the wars that effectively 

ended French domination of the European continent and brought about 

drastic changes in the political boundaries and the power balance of 

Europe. Fought on 18th June 1815, near Waterloo, in modern 

Belgium, the battle ranks as a great turning point in European history. 

After raising France to a position of preeminence in Europe, 

Napoleon met defeat in 1814 by a coalition of major powers, notably 

Prussia, Russia, Britain, and 

Napoleon Bonaparte Austria. Napoleon was then 

deposed and exiled to the island of 

Elba1, and Louis XVIII was made 

ruler of France. In September 

1814, the Congress of Vienna 

convened to discuss problems 

arising from the defeat of France, 

and whilst congress was in session 

on 26th February 1815, Napoleon 

escaped from Elba and returned to 

France. Many veterans of his 

former campaigns flocked to his side, and on 20th March 1815, he 

again took the throne. The Congress of Vienna, alarmed by 

Napoleon's return to power, reacted quickly to the crisis. On 17th 

March Austria, Great Britain, Prussia, and Russia each agreed to 

contribute 150,000 troops to an invasion force to be assembled in 

Belgium near the French border. A majority of other nations present 

at the congress also pledged troops for the invasion of France, which 

was to be launched on 1st July 1815. 

Napoleon, learning of the invasion plan, was determined to attack 

the allies on their own ground before their army could form. He 

mobilized an army of 360,000 trained soldiers within two months, and 

deployed half of these troops within France as a security force, 

sending the remainder into attack units. On 14th June 1815, Napoleon, 

moving with speed and secrecy, reached the Franco-Belgian border 

with 124,000 of his troops. Another 56,000 men were left behind in 

supporting positions. 

On June 15th 1815, Napoleon moved across the border of Belgium, 

and his sudden arrival caught the allied command unprepared. 

Napoleon ordered his left wing, under Marshal Michel Ney, to attack 

a brigade of Wellington's cavalry at Quatre-Bras, north of Charleroi. 

Wellington’s army was undefeated. He next ordered the right wing, to 

move eastward against the Prussians who were stationed in the town 

of Gilly. At the Battle of Ligny, on June 16th, Napoleon defeated the 

Prussians under the command of Blucher. However, the French were 

unable to totally destroy the Prussian army, and General Blucher 

retreated. This set the scene for the final, decisive battle. 



Napoleon's headquarters 

on the eve of the Battle 

(now the Musée du 

Caillou) 

Before the battle, Wellington 

stayed at a Waterloo inn while 

Napoleon was three miles south. 

Their men slept out as rain fell 

throughout the night. 

Wellington knew success the 

next day rested heavily on the 

arrival of General Blucher and his 

Prussian reinforcements. They were recuperating in Wavre, 18 miles 

east of Waterloo. With the Prussians and Allied armies separated, 

Napoleon was confident he could defeat Wellington and 

make his way to Brussels. 

On the morning of June 19th, Wellington had 

established a strong defensive position, blocking the road 

to Brussels in order to stop Napoleon’s advance towards 

the capital. 

had two brigades of cavalry over the ridge. With Napoleon's men 

advancing towards the British line, now was their moment. The 

cavalry charged and hit the French infantry, slicing through the soldiers 

on the ground. Napoleon’s line had been brutally weakened but 

Wellington’s left flank was also damaged, and he couldn’t afford to 

launch another attack without reinforcements. 

Napoleon's cavalry, sent to investigate movement in the east, 

discovered Blucher's troops near Plancenoit, a village 5 miles from the 

main battlefield. The Prussians captured the high ground and attacked 

the French hard. Napoleon was forced to send more troops to 

Plancenoit during the course of the afternoon as the 

territory changed hands several times. Although Blucher 

was unable to reach Wellington at the main battle, his 

efforts put the French under pressure, forcing them to split 

their resources. Wellington, hearing the cannon fire in the 

distance, knew that Blucher had formed his own 

formidable front line, as promised. 

Wellington knew he was outnumbered with 

approximately 68,000 Allied troops versus Napoleon's 

72,000, so he positioned his men behind a ridge and three 

garrisoned farms. The farm of Papelotte was on his left, Le 

Haye Sainte in front and Hougoumont to his right. The combination of 

the incline, fields of high corn and well-placed garrisons meant 

Wellington had both a good vantage point and cover to shield his troops. 

From here he could try to hold the ground until the Prussians arrived. 

Napoleon's mind was also on the terrain. It was waterlogged after 

the night's rainfall, making it difficult to move his men and guns into 

position, so he decided to delay his first major attack until noon to give 

the ground time to dry out. This strategy was a critical blunder, 

because although it would save tiring out his men in the early stages of 

the battle (as they would have to wade through the mud), it gave 

Bluchers remaining 30,000 troops time to march to Waterloo to 

provide much needed backup for Wellington’s men. 

Napoleon decided to 

The Battle at Hougoumont Farm 

launch a diversionary 

attack on Hougoumont 

farm, starting the battle 

with an assault of largescale 

cannon fire. Led 

by Napoleon's brother, 

5,000 troops advanced 

on Hougoumont. They 

outnumbered the 1,500 British holed up inside, but its walls made it a 

strong fortress . Wellington's guards were able to fire through holes in 

the walls at the French who were sitting targets. Napoleon’s men 

managed to break open the gates, but the British quickly closed them 

again, trapping 40 French soldiers inside. They slaughtered all but one 

of them, an 11-year-old drummer boy. 

With Wellington's right flank busy defending Hougoumont, 

Napoleon seized the opportunity to do some damage to the centre of 

the British line. He sent 18,000 infantry along the road to Brussels to 

strike a decisive blow. They captured the farm of Papelpotte and the 

area surrounding La Haye Sainte. It looked like victory was now 

within Napoleon’s grasp. If he took La Haye Sainte, he could attack 

the remaining British troops at close range. However he became 

concerned by movements he had spotted in fields to the east, and 

promptly ordered a troop of cavalry to go and investigate. It was the 

Prussian troops, but they were still far off. 

Wellington, desperate to drive back the French, sent reinforcements 

to La Haye Sainte. Lord Uxbridge, Wellington's cavalry commander, 

Gebhard Leberecht 

von Blücher 

Napoleon ordered Marshal Ney to capture La Haye 

Sainte, Wellington’s central stronghold, and for the next 

few hours, wave after wave of heavily armoured French 

soldiers on horseback charged at the Allied line. The 

Allied line responded with a change in formation. They fended off the 

4,000-strong French cavalry, but their new square formation made 

them vulnerable to Napoleon's heavy artillery fire, causing one 

battalion, the 27th 

Regiment, a loss of nearly 

500 of its 747 men. La 

Haye Sainte finally fell. 

Wellington had lost his 

prize garrison. 

crushing blow. 

It was a 

Napoleon was now 

able to bring the French 

artillery forward and 

The storming of La Haye Sainte 

by Knötel 

attack the Allied centre with devastating results. All Wellington could 

do was defend from behind the ridge and hope for the Prussian's swift 

arrival with reinforcements. 

Knowing that he needed to take swift action against the weakened 

Allied force, Napoleon sent 6,000 French soldiers across the field up 

towards Wellington on the ridge, marching between Hougoumont and 

La Haye Sainte. Those on the right made it over the ridge with the 

protection of the French-held garrison, but those on the left suffered 

fire from the British-held garrison. 

When the French reached the ridge, Wellington gave the order to 

stand and fire. At almost point blank range, muskets tore through the 

French soldiers, forcing them back. With Blucher's troops now 

arriving on Wellington's left, the Allied army advanced, pursuing the 

Imperial Guard. Wellington, presented with an opportunity to kill 

Napoleon, ordered his men to hold fire, and the Emperor fled, shielded 

by his men. It was reported that he rode away from the battle in tears. 

Wellington on the ridge, with 

a view over the battlefield 



Blucher and Wellington celebrate 

their victory over Napoleon 

After the final 

Prussian assault, the 

field was strewn 

with tens of 

thousands of bodies. 

By some estimates, 

the French suffered 

more than 33,000 

casualties (including 

dead, wounded or 

taken prisoner), 

while British and Prussian casualties numbered more than 22,000. On 

this bloody battlefield in Belgium, Wellington had halted Napoleon’s 

relentless march towards European 

domination and secured Britain's role as a key 

player in Europe. 

Wellington went on to secure a peace deal 

with France and in 1828 became British 

prime minister. Blucher, in his 70s at the time 

of the Waterloo battle, died a few years later. 

What happened to Napoleon? On June 22, 

1815, Napoleon once again abdicated. That 

October, he was exiled to the remote, Britishheld 

island of Saint Helena, in the South 

Atlantic Ocean. He died there 6 years later on May 5th 1821, aged 51, 

most likely from stomach cancer. Napoleon was buried on the island; 

however, in 1840, his remains were returned to France and entombed 

in a crypt at Les Invalides in Paris, where other French military leaders 

are interred. 

The morning after the battle of Waterloo 

by John Heaviside Clark 1816 

5. 200,000 men, 60,000 horses and 537 guns were in action on a piece 

of land measuring only five square miles. This meant that although the 

killing was greater in other battles, it was seldom as concentrated as at 

Waterloo. The average number of casualties per square mile suffered 

by Wellington's army during that single day was 2,291 as compared 

with 234 British casualties per square mile over the 120 days of the 

battle of the Somme in 1916. 

6. When the Prussians captured Napoleon's campaign carriage on June 

19th, they found printed proclamations announcing his victory, 

addressed to the people of Belgium and post-dated 17th June 1815. He 

also promised his troops unlimited plunder when they occupied the 

Belgian capital. 

7. Three days after the battle Napoleon 

consumed a vial of poison that he carried in 

case of capture. A physician was called 

when he was found writhing in agony, and 

he was given emetic to induce vomiting. 

Whether the residual poison contributed to 

his subsequent suspected stomach cancer, 

we'll never know. 

8.The British Army received a 'gratuity' of 

25 million francs from the French crown 

after winning. Converted into Sterling, 

£978,850.15s.4d was divided into 16 equal shares for distribution to 

every survivor. Four shares were split between the rank-and-file, 

giving each man £2.11s.4d. (About £142 in today's money). Two of 

the 16 shares were distributed among the non-commissioned officers, 

and so on up through the ranks of subaltern, captain, field officer and 

general officer. Wellington, as Commander in Chief, received a single 

share: £61,178.3s.5½d, equivalent to over £3.25 million today. 

The tomb of Napoleon 

Bonaparte in the central 

crypt at Dôme des 

Invalides,Paris,France 

9. In the warfare of the day it was common for the bodies of the fallen 

to be pillaged for anything of value, particularly teeth. They would be 

set in ivory and used as dentures for the rich. 

10. Incredibly, sightseers arrived the morning after the battle and a 

buoyant trade in mementoes ensued. Everything from cap badges and 

tricolor cockades to sabres and pistols could be bought from local 

peasants. 

10FascinatingFactsaboutTheBattleofWaterloo: 

1. A gaffe from a French officer probably swung the battle in the 

favour of British and Prussian troops. Napoleon sent word that the 

battle had begun (engagée) but the officer read it as gagné, which 

means won. 

2. The Prussians called the battle 'La Belle Alliance', after the inn of 

the same name at the centre of Napoleon's line. The French called it 

'Mont St Jean' after the ridge that marked Wellington's line. 

Wellington insisted on calling it 'Waterloo', the location of his 

headquarters, even though that town was more than two miles away 

from the fighting. He had a thing for naming battles after the place 

he'd stayed at the previous night. 

3. A few months later Napoleon was under British arrest on a ship 

docked at Plymouth. The site was continually packed with people 

hoping to catch a glimpse of the most famous, or infamous, man of that 

period of history. 

4. There is a memorial to Lord Uxbridge's leg at Waterloo, shattered 

in the battle and amputated. When he died 39 years after the battle, 

Lord Uxbridge's leg was exhumed and buried with his body. 

SourceS: 

Images from Getty Images & Wikipedia 

Waterloo, The History of Four Days Three Armies and Three Battles - Bernard 

cornwell 

www.battleofwaterloo.org 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Waterloo 


American Veterans Today 

American Veterans Today covers the 

top issues and latest features in the 

veterans world from the United 

States. This week we look at the 

interview by Military Veterans 

Radio with Presidential 

Candidate Chris Keniston and 

Vice Presidential Candidate 

Deacon Taylor of The Veterans 

Party of America 

One of the most inspirational 

interviews I have heard on a veterans 

radio station in a long time took place on 

Saturday 11th June 2016. I have to be honest, 

until this interview I had not heard of The 

Veterans Party of America, Chris Keniston or 

Deacon Taylor. The interview changed all of 

that within the space of an hour. 

So who are the Veterans Party of America and 

what are they about? I took a look into their 

website to find out. 

The Veterans Party of America was formed 

when Congress chose to balance the budget by 

reducing the cost of living allowance for 

military retirees, including those medically 

retired after sustaining injuries during combat 

with the enemy. The founders started the 

National Party and their respective states of 

California and Florida. It was expected that a 

couple hundred people would be interested at 

the end of the first month. 

Less than two years later, with over 42,000 

people on our National Party Facebook page, 

we have passed the Facebook following of all 

other American political parties, only trailing 

the Green Party, the Libertarian party, the 

Democrats, and the Republicans. All of the 

parties ahead of us have been in existence for 

no less than 30 years. We recognize that 

Facebook is only an indicator, not an accurate 

reflection of any accomplishments, but it is a 

valid indicator of potential growth and the 

need for a Constitutional political party. 

We currently have activated a state party in all 

50 states, which is a leadership indicator. 

There are parties in existence for over 23 years 

which have still not activated a party in every 

state. Perhaps that leadership is due to none of 

our party leadership being career politicos, but 

rather everyday citizens. 

Team VPA is currently registering voters in 

Alaska, California, and Delaware to gain full 

recognized party status. We are on the verge 

of reaching recognized status in those states. 

To be fully recognized, as an equal political 

party in those states, we only require 

approximately 7,000 more voters to register in 

Alaska, 600 more in Delaware, and only 

around 50,000 more in California. We have 

achieved full recognized party status, and 

registering voters in Mississippi. The Veterans 

Party of America is now authorized to run 

candidates in Indiana and Montana. 

In our very first year, 2014, we ran a dozen 

candidates in 5 states, winning one seat and 

our strategy is to run a thousand candidates 

across the nation in 2016, focusing on 

unopposed races. The Veterans Party of 

America nominated Chris Keniston as our 

Presidential candidate, who then asked the 

runner up to be his running mate, Deacon 

Taylor. Deacon is conducting the first known 

Presidential Team campaign by motorcycle. 

Our Party Platform has been developed from 

input by our team members, based on the 

belief that there is not a problem without a 

Constitutional, viable, fiscally responsible 

solution. There is not a requirement to have 

served in the military, or have any affiliation 

with the military or any facilities, to become a 

member of the Veterans' Party of America.. 

We could sit for hours and discuss the political 

agenda the VPA has. I think a good idea is for 

you to listen to the recording of the interview 

for yourselves. However listening to the two 

candidates talking about the Military, tackling 

terrorism, the economy plus so much more 

kind of reminded me of a certain MP in the 

UK. There was no finger-pointing or putting 

other parties down, no flash or bull, just 

honest, straight forward policies. Both openly 

state that mistakes can and will be made but 

it‘s learning from the mistakes and working 

together that makes the difference. 

Personally, I wish them all the best for the 

coming year. I would also like to congratulate 

Military Veterans Radio for a very well 

executed interview. It was made just a little 

sweeter that the interview falls on the second 

birthday of MVR. Kat and the team stand by 

their motto: Hands Across The Pond. 

| 22 

www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

American Veterans Today 

Music For Veterans Launch 

Kickstarter Project to record 

the brand new album: ‘Back 

Home - The Veterans Album’ 

Tuesday 14th June 2016 saw the launch of a brand new 

project to raise funds with the aim to record an album 

of veterans music. The Kickstarter project will bring 

together Veterans across the globe who professionally 

write and play music through a compilation album 

called "Back Home: A Veterans Album". This album 

will showcase these Veterans, some incredible 

musicians, who are contributing their music to our 

project to help us to expand the great work that the 

Music For Veterans program does. This album will also 

feature a song by our local Music for Veterans group in 

Erie, Pennsylvania. 

The Music for Veterans program was formed 5 years 

ago to offer Veterans a creative means of addressing the 

transition from military to civilian life. Playing a 

musical instrument improves healing & long-term 

happiness. Why? Because it totally engages a person 

physically, mentally, and emotionally! 

We've found a wealth of musical talent with Veterans 

across the country and around the world. This program 

creates a strong sense of camaraderie among these 

Veterans that dramatically improves their quality of life. 

What we are proposing is a fun, yet powerful 

demonstration of the musical talents and camaraderie of 

the Veteran community. The album will be made 

available to the public and the proceeds from the album 

will help to grow the Music 

for Veterans program. 

What’s more perfect than 

offering a group of men and women who served in the 

military the opportunity to come together in PEACE 

through music? 

The roots of music therapy in the military span over 70 

years of service in the United States, and there is 

promising research that playing music, whether it be 

singing, playing an instrument, songwriting, or even 

listening, offers benefits to service members "useful in 

recovery, growth, and development" 

I have come to know Veterans for Music pretty well 

over the last few weeks and I have spoken to one or 

two of the team. I have come to understand the 

importance of the project. This is not just a case of 

raising money to record an album but about giving 

veterans hope and a way to help the recovery process 

through music. 

I had a sneaky peak at a couple of the artists on the 

album today. I was blown away by one track in 

particular, Chuck Hawthornes “Welding Son of a Gun”. 

Totally loved it and I am so looking forward to hearing 

the professionally recorded version of this. 

You can get involved in the project by clicking this link 

or visiting their website www.music4veterans.org. 

You can also visit their facebook page at 

www.facebook.com/MusicForVetsErie 

We wish you luck guys, from the SBT Team. 


Bedford VBC 

Bedford Breakfast Club 8 turned up 

today including 5 new members so 

excellent. Our next one is 10 July 

2016 

Doncaster VBC 

We had thirteen visit Doncaster 

Breakfast Club today for a great 

breakfast and a tour of the Ashworth 

Barracks museum, which everyone 

enjoyed, photos to follow. 

Leigh Veterans 

Breakfast Club 

16 today at Leigh BC including 

Andy Burnham MP and local 

councillors Keith Cunliffe and 

Jo Platt. 


Veterans Breakfast Clubs 

Tameside Veterans 

Breakfast Club 

35 veterans plus a few family members, 

brilliant turnout and good to see a few new 

faces. We had an introduction from Ashton 

Armoury trust, and the work their doing to help 

veterans, who need assistance. Brilliant work 

lads. Also in attendance were the 

representatives from the Royal British Legion, 

who also do amazing work with veterans in the 

community. The club is taking off and the 

word is getting out there but more importantly 

we had a very anxious Ulster veteran turn up 

for the first time and left shortly after but he's 

taken the first step and thats a good start. 

East Cyprus 

Veterans Breakfast Club 

15 at East Cyprus today + 8 Wags 


…selfdiscovery 

WordRace… 

 

 

 

Futurefor Heroes 

Enhancing their Prospects 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tranquillity andserenity, an 

opportunityto reflectandthink 

Brathay 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trust building! 

 

 

 

FINDOUT MORE: 

 

 

 

 

AnF4H Maxim 

 


Veterans Radio 

Veterans Radio Net 

VeteransRadioNet 

“OUR” radio station “Yours and Mine” 

By tuning in and commenting on our Live Chat Page 

you take control of the station, you make it “Yours” 

Come on in and make some new friends, have a laugh, pick 

the music and tell us what you want to talk about 

VRN, the NAFFI of the Airwaves 

Keeping Veterans Stronger Together since 2012 

With new presenters joining the team soon, VRN is going 

from strength to strength 

"Make yourself part of it" 

www.veteransradionet.co.uk 

Forces Online Radio 

May 23rd saw the launch of a new military focused radio station 

"Forces Online Radio". We are operating in direct support of the 

The Centre of the Universe, 

"Forces Online" page/site, that is growing rapidly, and needs another 

ok so that's pushing it, but VRN is 

string to its bow. Our aim is to bring you a diverse selection of both 

 

music and topics, that either directly or indirectly affect the lives of our 

Military personnel, and of course the Veterans. Basically, anyone that 

is serving or has served. We value your input and hope that this is the 

beginning of a two-way communication via the airwaves. It will 

always be a "work in progress", as we adjust and adapt to the 

requirements of our listeners. After all, without you, we have no 

purpose. To get connected, please use the link below: 

http://www.forcesonline.net/ 

Other links that can be used for external connection are: 

Winamp: 

http://dallas.audio-stream.com/tunein.php/jimwilde.pls 

Real Audio: 

http://dallas.audio-stream.com/tunein.php/jimwilde.ram 

Windows Media: 

http://dallas.audiostream.com/tunein.php/jimwilde.asx 

Jim Wilde 

 

Director – Forces Online Radio 

Military Veterans Radio 

“Hands Across The Pond” 

MVR is the place to be for great music, great company and 

a deep love and respect for our troops and veterans. 

We thank them for their service by providing a safe and 

welcoming enviroment to meet and chat. 

. 

MVR also provides a support platform where you can find 

links to get help and support for many veterans issues 

So what are you waiting for? 

Just click on the link and join us in the chatroom 

www.militaryveteransradio.com 


Classified 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ContactUs 

Pleasefeelfreetocontactus 

regardinganyofourservicesusing 

thefollowingdetails: 

Address: 

2MelvilleStreet,Falkirk,FK11HZ 

Telephone.07909908056 

Email. 

info@wizzpropertiesltd.co.uk 


advertise@sandbagtimes.com 


Classified 

Vetera 

ans 

Help 

O ur 

Links 


Veterans jobs 

Store Manager 

AVIS UK, Southend-on-sea - East of England 

Salary Range: £24,000, 

Veiw Job Details 

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AVIS UK, Greater London 

Salary Range: £19,000 + Commission 

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Salary Range: £21,000 + Commission 


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Salary Range: £28,000 - £32,000 + Overtime + Package, 


Security Officer (48 hour shift) 

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Prison Security Officer - 8621 

SERCO, - West Midlands 

Salary Range: £15k - £20k, 


Workshop Chargehand 

FSR SOLUTIONS, - Greater London 

Salary Range: £30k - £34k depending on experience, 


Trainee Manager 

AVIS UK, Cambridge - East of England 

Salary Range: £20,500 


Guest Services Mall Manager 

VSG, Stirling - Mid Scotland and Fife 

Salary Range: £9.40 p/h 


Communications Manager 

MISSION MOTORSPORT, - East Midlands 

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HGV Driver 

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A word from the Ed 

“I don’t believe it, John Terry isn’t in 

the VBC pages!! Hold on, yes he is...” 

So we strive together to 

make probably the biggest 

decision of modern times 

with regard to the UK. Do we get 

the sun tan lotion out or what?!! 

I’m only joking although the 

weather this week has put an end 

to any ideas of being a bronzed 

Sun God. Ah well. Yes, the 

Referendum is upon us and in a 

week’s time we will decide in or 

out. Reading Johnny Mercer’s 

view on the referendum he made 

a very valid point. Regardless of 

the outcome, the world isn’t going 

to end. This time in a fortnight 

we will still be carrying on with 

our lives in the normal fashion 

making a few small adjustments 

where necessary to adapt to our 

new status. Having said all that, 

there is a great link this week on 

the main article that can help 

make the decision if you are still 

sat on the fence. Give it a try. I 

must admit I did it because I had 

arguments for both sides but my 

decision has now been made. I’m 

happy with it and I’m sticking to 

it. No, I’m not going to tell you. 

This week has been very busy in 

the pages. As the magazine 

grows so does the content. I am 

literally being bombarded on a 

daily basis from people sending 

stories, features, news etc. Please 

don’t stop. 

Remember to pop across to the 

website and take a look what’s 

going on. We (or should I say, 

Matt) updates the pages very 

regularly. We had a meeting last 

week over a glass of ale and 

discussed many new changes. 

Please keep an eye on us as we 

grow. Take care folks, chat again 

next week. 

Ways to find us 

The Sandbag Times 

www.sandbagtimes.com 

thesandbagtimes 

@thesandbagtimes 

info@sandbagtimes.com 

A Song For A Hero 

“The Brand New Rock Opera which tells the truth of what 

happens to our heroes when the killing ends. Packed with 

incredible songs, breathtaking graphics and an emotional 

rollercoaster of a story that will leave you asking 

questions for a long time to come.” 

Where Do They Go... 

...When the Killing Ends 


Information 

Prince Harry has pledged to devote the rest of his life to supporting veterans 

with psychological injuries. A month ago, he opened the Invictus Games in 

Orlando, Florida, for wounded personnel from 14 nations. The games featured 

many inspiring examples of veterans who have managed to redefine their 

relationship to mental and physical scars and discover a new appetite for the 

future. Among them was Kelly Layden-Farrer, a former Sergeant in the British 

Army, who was medically discharged last year due to post-traumatic stress 

disorder (PTSD) sustained in Iraq. As Layden-Farrer's experience on returning 

home to Wiltshire showed, Prince Harry will have to pursue much bolder 

reforms if he wants to keep his promise. Here's an opinion piece I wrote for 

Newsweek which documents Layden-Farrer's experience and sets out what 

Prince Harry must do. 

AFTERSHOCK AT HAY 

Many thanks to Professor Jamie Hacker Hughes for his 

excellent hosting of the Aftershock event at the Hay Festival 

on June 2. Hay has made our hour-long conversation and Q+A 

with the audience available for download here for the bargain 

price of £1. 

BLOG SUBSCRIBERS 

I am delighted when people forward these blog posts to 

others who may be interested. If anybody wants to sign up to 

ensure they receive the Aftershock Blog regularly they can 

email me via contact@matthewgreenjournalism.com or use 

the sign up box at the bottom on this page on my website. 

Back Home: A Veterans Album 

Watch for this one 

Follow Music 4 Veterans as they embark on the project 

to record and produce this great album in support of 

veterans in the US. Follow their progress here 

Too Late The Hero (1970) 

Michael Caine 

Cliff Robertson 

Henry Fonda 

My recommendation for this week 

is a classic set during WW2 in the 

Phillipines.. A reluctant hero, 

American Lt. Sam Lawson, is secunded to a 

motley British unit tasked with destroying a 

Japanese radio on a Philippine island. 

EVENT REMINDER 

The next Aftershock event will be at the Edinburgh Literary 

Festival: August 14, 2:15pm, Garden Theatre 

Back issues of The Sandbag Times are available to download here 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPONSORED BY: 

 

Osteopath 


Combat Veterans Players 

| 34 

www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

Combat Veterans Players 



NAAFI break 

 

 

 

 

gawpin 

READ IT AGAIN!!! 

Come up with 

a caption fo 

or Sgt 

Sandbag 

an 

nd wi 

in a prize 

Word Wheel 

How many words can you find in the above Word Wheel. 

There is at least one 9 letter word 

Send in your answers, future puzzles, brainteasers, jokes, etc into info@sandbagtimes.com 


Next week 

Next week in the 

Sandbag Times 

Regiments, Corps, Squadrons & Ships 

A look at our military roots 

Justin Havens - 

Pyschological Therapist 

Justin tells the SBT of how his methods 

of helping veterans with sleeping 

problems can actually help to defeat 

the symptoms of Combat PTSD 

Life After War 

Veteran and film maker Wayne 

Shorrocks and his plan to travel the 

country to make a documentary film 

highlighting the struggles of veterans 

and showing where they can find help. 

| 38

The Sandbag Times Issue No: 22

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