The Sandbag Times Issue No: 40

The Veterans’ Magazine
Issue 40 | February 2018
A Brave Face
No Words, Just a Story
That Needs to be Told
SBT News Update
Plus all The Latest National & International
News from the Armed Forces & Veterans’ World
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk
Supporting #abraveface

SBT News
4 The Deepcut Inquest
Looking at week two of the
inquest in Surrey
4 Wildcat To Be Scrapped
New Aircraft being
considered in Defence
Review
5 British Officer Dies In
Iraq
A British Army Captain
Killed in non combat
incident
5 SAS Soldiers Face Court
Over Brecon Deaths
Two soldiers to face Court
Marshal following deaths in
SAS training march.
Features
8 Nicola Willis-Jones
Blogs at the bottom of the
world
13 A Brave Face
Brand new silent play that
tells a big story
24 Chronicles of Little
Hope
Hostile environments and
The continuing adventures
of Mrs Fox
Regular
7 Historic Tommy Atkins
Women & the Vote 1918
17 Have Faith
Humility...
22 SBT Information
A page dedicated to back
issues, information, book
reviews etc
27 Poetry Corner
Poetry and written art from
our readers
February 2018
No Words, Just a Story
That Needs to be Told
Plus all The Latest National & International
News from the Armed Forces & Veterans’ World
Nicola Willis-Jones
At The Bottom Of The World
Page 8
CONTENTS
The Historic Tommy Atkins
The Vote For Women 1918
Page 7
Editor: Pablo Snow
Magazine Manager: Matt Jarvis
Marketing Manager
Lisa Whittaker
Patron: Matt Neal
Honourary Patron:
Jacqueline Hurley
Additional editors:
Albert ‘Robbie’ McRobb
Jane Shields
Radio & Media Manager
Jim Wilde
Recording Engineer and PR
Manager
Vince Ballard
VIP Distribution
John Terry
Email: info@sandbagtimes.com
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 3 |

NEWS
THE VETERANS’ MAgAzINE
SBT newS February Edition
Deepcut Inquest: Week Two Hears New Evidence
The second week into the
second inquest of Pte Sean
Benton has heard evidence
fro soldiers who were
serving with him at the time
of his death. Accounts have
been heard how Deepcut
barracks was ruled by fear
and punishments were often
extremely brutal and staff
considered themselves
‘above the law’. The
Coroner heard from two female
soldiers who were among the
last to see him alive. Deborah
Rider, one of the two soldiers,
told of her torment at not being
able to give details of her
conversation with Sean Benton.
Witnesses at the inquest who are
now adults in their 40s described
how they would literally hide in
order to avoid coming into
contact with instructors. In one
day of accounts, former soldiers
described regular public
humiliations, recruits being
beasted until they were
physically sick, days filled with
pointless tasks, boredom and
random violence. The inquest in
scheduled to last until Easter
with over 140 witnesses giving
evidence. Read updates as they
happen by following twitter
page @deepcutinquest
Plans To Scrap Brand New Helicopter ‘Wildcat’ Fleet
Plans to scrap the entire fleet of
‘Wildcat’ helicopters are being
considered as part of the Defence
Review. The Westland Augusta
Wildcat is the new aircraft which
replaced the Lynx which recently
retired from service. Plans
include selling the fleet which is
used by the Army Air Corps and
Royal Navy in an attempt to fill
the deficit in the Defence Budget.
Other cuts include merging the
Parachute Regiment and the
Royal Marines as well as axing
two specialist amphibious vessels
HMS Albion and Bulwark. Other
regiments are also being
considered in the review including
squadrons of the Army Air Corps.
MoD Chiefs have warned the PM
that cutting the Armed Forces any
further would leave the UK
unable to defend itself from attack
especially with the current threat
from Russia. One incident
included a plastic Minehunter
escorting two Russian Submarines
through the English Channel
instead of a more capable Frigate.
Tasking a minehunter with
intercepting two Russian
submarines and a support ship
shows a “desperate shortage” of
appropriate escort vessels, a
former head of the Royal Navy
has said. Labour peer Admiral
Lord West of Spithead also
warned that the UK is moving into
an “area of great danger” owing to
a diminishing fleet size.
However, the MoD has been
given an extra 5 months to
consider any further changes and
to make a new case for a possible
increase in spending.
Prince William Launches War Poetry Competition
Prince William has launched a
competition to mark the 100th
Anniversary of the end of the
first world war. The competition
will mark the opening of the
new Defence and National
Rehabilitation Centre for
injured servicemen and women
at Headley Court. The
competition is open to everyone
aged 17 and over. The overall
winner will receive a £2,000
cash prize, with four runners-up
receiving £500. Poems must be
no longer than 25 lines, and the
deadline for entries is 9 April.
To enter the competition simple
email your poem to
entries@poemtoremember.co.u
k or post your entries to: A
Poem To Remember, PO Box
74616, London, SW6 9LB To
find out more please go to
www.poemtoremember.co.uk
Military Wives Hit Out
Over Pension Changes
Thousands of former military
wives are missing out on valuable
pensions credits simply
because they reached state
pension age before the rules
changed. The new state pension
was introduced in April
2016, and it stopped the ability
for people to claim a pension
based on their spouse’s
national insurance contributions.
Recognising the impact
this could have on partners of
people in the military, who
often move around, the government
introduced credits for
military spouses while abroad.
But the opportunity to claim is
only available to people reaching
state pension age after 6
April 2016. Anyone claiming
could be in for a substantial
windfall. Spouses, likely to be
women, can claim a full-year’s
national insurance credit for
any year they were abroad
since 1975. Read More
| 4 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

NEWS
THE VETERANS’ MAgAzINE
SBT newS February Edition
Former Head of the Army Fury as MoD
refuses to fund helpline for suicidal troops
A former head of the British
Army has launched a blistering
attack on the Government for
failing mentally traumatised
troops and veterans. General
Lord Dannatt also warned the
armed forces needed to undergo
a “complete culture change”
towards PTSD and other mental
illnesses. His comments come as
it is revealed that suicides among
serving soldiers have been at the
rate of one every three weeks for
the past 20 years. Ministry of
Defence figures show 325
servicemen and women suffering
took their lives between 1997
and 2016. Many died on British
bases and most were veterans of
Ulster, Bosnia and the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan. Inquests
found many were being bullied,
were sex abuse victims or
suffering from PTSD and other
mental illness. Lord Dannatt is
furious at the MoD’s refusal to
pay £2million to establish a 24/7
helpline – a drop in the ocean
compared to £89million for one
Typhoon fighter jet. In the past
five years the MoD has
medically discharged almost
2,000 soldiers diagnosed with
mental health problems. In 2012
it emerged the suicide toll was
higher than those killed in battle.
Some 21 soldiers and 29 veterans
killed themselves that year,
compared with 44 troops who
died in Afghanistan. Read More
British Officer Dies In Iraq In ‘Non Combat
Related’ Incident: Investigation Ongoing
A British Army Officer
who died in an incident
last Wednesday while
supporting the anti-Islamic
State coalition has been
identified as a Scottish
soldier. Capt. Dean
Sprouting of the Adjutant
General’s Corps died at Al
Asad Air Base, a joint
coalition and Iraqi military
compound in Anbar
province, west of
Baghdad, the MoD said in
a statement Friday. “An
investigation is underway
to establish the detail but it
is not a result of enemy
activity,” said Minister for
the Armed Forces Mark
Lancaster, who expressed
his sympathies to the
man’s family and friends.
Capt Sprouting was
serving with Black Watch,
3rd Battalion, Royal
Regiment of Scotland. Lt.
Col. Rob Hedderwick, the
unit’s commanding officer,
said the father of two had
quickly made himself
indispensable. “His
intelligence and sharp wit
was apparent from the
SAS Soldiers to Face Trial Over Brecon Deaths
Two SAS soldiers face trial by court martial in Colchester over
the deaths of three reservists on a 16-mile march in the Brecon
Beacons. The men, known only as 1A and 1B, both deny
"negligently performing a duty" by failing to take reasonable
care for the health and safety of the candidates taking part in
the exercise. Lance Corporal Craig Roberts and L/Cpl Edward
Maher were pronounced dead on the Welsh mountain range
after suffering heatstroke in July 2013. Corporal James Dunsby
died at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital from multiple
organ failure more than two weeks later.
outset; there was an everpresent
twinkle in his eye
and he would gladly admit
that his youth had been full
of adventure,” “His loss
is keenly felt by us all and
our thoughts and prayers
are with his wife and
children whom I know he
cherished more than
anything else in this
world,” Hedderwick said.
“I am hugely proud and
thankful to have known
him.” No further
information has been
released at this point.
1A and 1B, whose
identities are protected by an anonymity order, appeared
behind a screen at Colchester Military Court on Monday
accompanied by their barrister Lewis Cherry. Their names,
ranks and numbers were supplied to the judge in writing. 1A,
a serving captain who was the training officer in charge of the
march, and 1B, a former warrant officer, who was the chief
instructor on the exercise, each face a single charge of
negligently performing a duty. They could face up to two years
in prison and dismissal if convicted. Read More Here...
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 5 |

The Historical Tommy Atkins

The Historical Tommy Atkins
The Right To
Vote
Written By
Peter Macey
In November 2010 Cpl Sarah Bushbye RAMC
was awarded the Military Cross by Her
Majesty the Queen in a ceremony at
Buckingham Palace. Sarah is only the third
ever female recipient of the MC. Pte Michelle
Morris also RAMC was the first in 2006 and
Able Seaman Kate Nesbitt RN received hers
for actions in Afghanistan.
A lot has changed in the last 100 years.
When I joined my first adult unit Hameln in
1978 I recall that due to it being a Royal
Engineer unit there were no female soldiers in
the Unit. We did have a female military doctor
posted to Gordon Barracks years later and at
the time the Assistant Adjutant was a WRAC
officer. But the number of female soldiers was
few and far between in male dominated RE
units.
Of course it is very different now with female
soldiers enlisting directly into nearly all areas
of the Services, serving on the front line with
the Army, going to sea on Royal Naval ships
and flying tactical aircraft in some very harsh
situations. And Sarah, Michelle and Kate are
good examples of equality in service.
The month of February 1918 will go down in
history due to a couple of memorable events
happening around the world at the time. But
on 6th February for the first time in British
history women over the age of 30 were given
the right to vote in British Elections. For years
leading up to the turn of the 20th Century and
beyond the Suffragette movement finally got
the results they were looking for on that date
and later. The group had started in earnest as
the Women's Social and Political Union and
was led by Emmeline Pankhurst. The WSPU
had been influenced by the uprising in Russia
where the chosen method of protest was hunger
strikes. In the meantime the independent
Government of the Isle of Man had given the
right of the vote to women, but only those who
owned their own properties, back as 1881.
Despite the fact that some states in the US
were granting the right to women as young as
21 this was always argued against by the totally
male dominated British Government. By 1903
women in Britain had still not been considered
to have many rights let alone that of choosing
parliamentary representatives. The WSPU
decided to raise their game and under the
leadership of Pankhurst developed the
movement to become radical and militant
believing this was the only way forward if it
was going to be effective. The campaign
became increasingly bitter, with property
damage and hunger strikes being countered by
the Police who began gaoling protestors and
force-feeding those who were following the
Russian methodology.
The demonstration of belief went so far that on
8th June 1913 a prominent member of the
WSPU, Emily Davison, who had already been
arrested nine times for rioting, been on seven
hunger strikes and been subjected to forced
feeding nearly fifty times made the ultimate
sacrifice for her cause when she walked out
onto the race track at Epsom as the 1913 Derby
race was running. She was hit by Anmer, a
horse owned by the King who was running at
around 35mph when the collision occurred.
Emily died two days later of her injuries. But
the whole incident was caught on camera and
sent around the world. This continued until it
was suspended due to the outbreak of War in
1914.
At the commencement of the First World War,
the WSPU called a halt on their efforts to have
Women recognised to instead focussing on the
war effort and all the riots and hunger strikes
stopped. As a sign of agreement in August
1914 the Government released all prisoners
who had been incarcerated for suffrage
activities who were given an amnesty. The
Suffragettes' focus on war work turned public
opinion in their favour and support rose for the
cause.
Due to all men of a certain age being sent to
the war, women eagerly volunteered to take on
many traditional male roles. The war also
created a split in the movement and various
splinter groups developed, some like the
WSPU supporting the war effort where others,
such as the Women's Suffragette Foundation
(WSF), led by Emmeline Pankhurst's daughter
Sylvia, continued the fight.
Finally on 6th February 1918 an act was passed
in Parliament called the Representation of the
People Act 1918 which gave way for the rights
of women over the age of 30 to vote in general
elections and then in November 1918, the
Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 1918
was passed, allowing women to be elected into
Parliament. The Representation of the People
Act in 1928 extended the voting franchise to all
women over the age of 21, granting women the
vote on the same terms that men had gained ten
years earlier. The Women's Royal Army Corps
(WRAC) was formed in on 1st February 1949
from the existing members of the Auxiliary
Territorial Service (ATS) which had been in
existence since 1938. The WRAC were
disbanded in April 1992 and existing members
transferred directly to the Corps to which they
were attached.
In July 2015 Susan Ridge was promoted to the
rank of a two star Major General, the first
female soldier to reach this rank.
So for all our female readers, please share your
experiences by contacting us at Sandbag Times
and Forgotten Veterans UK.
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 7 |

NICOLA WILLIS JONES
Nicola Willis-Jones
At The Bottom
Of The World
Nicola Willis-Jones joined the WRAF in Dec
80 and trained as a cook. 81-83 Shawbury,
83-86 Laarbruch and 86-88 at Uxbridge. Left
the WRAF after 8 years in the rank of Senior
Aircraftswoman. She has been a chef for the
whole of my working life in various places.
She spent a year in the UK then her husband
(now ex ) moved back to Germany for 2 years
where she worked for the US Army.
In 1991 they migrated to Australia and that is
when the thought of working in Antarctica
popped up - they started the application
process to the Australian program, but
because they both had new, good jobs they
decided career over part time work. Life took
over - kids came along and they became
Australians and they were settling there for
ever. In 2005 they went to Virginia in the US
with hubby's work for 2 years - 12 years ago!!!
Nicola is a head chef in a pasty shop keeping
all the "Commonwealthers" happy!!
Having lived on 3 continents and visited 2 it
became a life long dream to do all 7 but I had
no idea how that would happen. Hubby and I
spilt in May and after I saw that Heidi Muir
was applying to the British Program I thought
"why not". I tried UK and Australia but their
jobs were all closed but after much searching
I found the US base needed chefs so I
applied and here I am - 6th continent done
(South America to go).
Nicola is not on an expedition but living and
working at a base cooking for the support
staff and all the scientists that do go on
expeditions. "I have met some amazing
people doing wonderful things and am so
glad to be a small part of it".
Joining Nicola on her trip is "Annie the
WRAF" a knitted WRAF and mascot of WRAF
Veterans.
Nicola and Annie are due to return from
deployment on 23rd February 2018 -
assuming the weather id good enough to flydelays
can be up to a week.
Nicola was also a member of the WRAF
Veteran Team to volunteer at the Invictus
games in Toronto in 2017.
Read Nichola’s Full Blog Here
| 8 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

THE TOMMy ATkINS TRUST
The Tommy Atkins Centre...
Things are running along nicely here at The Tommy Atkins
Centre. We have regular confirmed bookings now with
Combat Stress for the use our facilities to carry out one to
one meetings with potential clients, and are also eagerly
awaiting confirmation of the beginning of their new Peer
Mentoring service to be run from here too.
Marie and I are formulating plans for an Open Day event, with
as many veteran related services we can contact to invite
them all here on 27th March. All local veterans are cordially
invited to pop in during that day to discover the many
organizations currently available to them and also how these
organizations may be able to assist them.
Our qualified psychotherapist is taking on a steady stream of
bookings to help those requiring her services, and we are
beginning to see members of our veteran community calling
in for a chat and a cuppa, and to find out what we are all
about.
We are still actively seeking local volunteers who can offer a
few hours of their time to help us to keep the centre running
smoothly, any interested persons are asked to make contact
with either Marie or Jane, please call in on Tuesdays or
Thursdays between 0930-1530 and we will discuss the role
with you. Look forwards to meeting you all soon.
Jane & Marie
www.thetommyatkinstrust.com
OperatiOn Blues
Meet ‘Big’ Vince Ballard.
Musician, vocalist, well respected
Bluesman, SBT photographer,
recording engineer and producer
and all round big, loveable bear.
In fact, Balloo has come to mind
a few times, as I watch him using
the corner of a wall to scratch his
back. Anyway, my old mucker
has decided to put all of his Blues
knowledge on to paper and bring
out a brand new magazine called
‘Operation Blues. Yes, he does
have veterans in mind, exploring
the talents of all of us soldiers,
sailors and airmen that have ever
dared to pick up an instrument or
have crooned their lungs out. In
tune or not. But he is not just
after veterans. His contacts in the
Blues world has meant he has a
few total legends in his first issue
such as Mike Vernon, Ruby
Turner aka Jools Hollands female
vocalist, Connie Lush to name
just a few. There is also plenty of
other bits to wet your whistle. he
has leant on the experience of a
few other local Blues artists to
write down their reviews and
experiences. Blues slide artist,
Tone Tanner keeps his eye on the
local scene while ‘Poor’ Bob
Jones brings a wealth of experience
and humour as he looks
back down his long career. Vince
will also be dabbling in the rock
‘n’ roll music as well as folk, rock,
soul and a few other genre’s to
throw in the recipe. All in all, if
you like music, this will be one to
be read. So much experience
brings this magazine together
and I must say, I am a little in awe
of all of these wonderful artists.
Vince hopes the first issue will be
ready for release by the end of
February. Mind you, that is
dependent on how hard he
cracks the whip over his personal
secretary, i.e. me! Don’t worry
mate, I won’t let you down.
Congratulations to you Vince From “MIKE VERNON”. His Words Inside
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Hart
2018
Tour
Dates,
Inside
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 9 |

VK78030M012 05-Dec-2012 10:49
A Guide to Medical Welfare Services
for Health Care Professionals, Organisations
and Support Workers
Caring For Those Who Serve – Frontline To Recovery
| 10 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

CANADA CALLINg
Canada Calling
The Canuck Connection
The 2018 Winter Olympics
The 2018 Winter Olympics will take place in
Pyeongchang, South Korea, from Friday,
February 9, 2018 to Sunday, February 25, 2018.
A very sad state of affairs for Veterans who have placed their life
on the line for CANADA, Queen and Country.
Stay Safe Folks, Have a thought for our Serving Troops.
Our Veterans and the military Families who support them.
Nil Sine Labore
Robby
North and south Korea will have a combined
Hockey Team with a Canadian Coach
The IOC has not allowed the 15 RUSSIAN athletes to compete
despite the ban being lifted:
https://www.spencerfernando.com/2018/02/02/watch-canadianveteran-brock-blaszczykconfronts-trudeau-khadr-paymentbetrayal-promise-not-fight-vets-court/
http://www.egypttoday.com/Article/8/41000/A-Canadian-hockeybrat-drives-the-womens-game-in
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/winterolympics/article-
5352247/IOC-rejects-15-Russianathletes-Winter-Olympics.html
This will certainly be an Olympics worth watching especially if
the Orange President of the USA, riles kin on jung.
The sad news from Canada is all about our Boy Prime Minister,
who tells wounded Veterans there is no money for their injuries.
https://www.spencerfernando.com/2018/02/02/sickeningtrudeau-says-veterans-askingable-give-right-now/
https://www.therebel.media/trudeau_gives_money_to_terrorists_
while_shafting_veterans
Every NATO/ISAF Veterans needs to see this video.
| 12 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

On 20th January, the SBT was invited to the final
dress rehearsal of the brand new production ‘A
Brave Face’ by the Vamos Theatre. We walked
out of the theatre totally stunned with what we
had just witnessed.
A Brave Face is the story of a soldier who returns
from Afghanistan badly affected by the traumas
he experiences. The show then takes our soldier,
Ryan, through a very difficult journey suffering
with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and
struggling to let go of the horrors of his past.
A Brave Face is completely wordless but
incredibly vocal in it’s messages. The SBT is very
proud to feature Vamos Theatre and A Brave Face
over the next few pages...

A BRAVE FACE
No Words, Just A Story
That Needs To Be Told
Vamos Theatre, the UK’s leading full mask
theatre company, opens its new production
A Brave Face at the London International
Mime Festival before extensive UK tour.
For over two years, Vamos Theatre has collaborated
with Veterans, serving personnel, military
families and health professionals in the
making of A Brave Face, a full mask theatre
production that will tour the UK and Europe in
2018. The result is an honest and hugely compelling
piece of theatre inspired by the hidden
stories and personal journeys of those affected
by, and connected with, Post Traumatic Stress
in the military.
From the mud and mustard gas of World War
One to the desert sands and IEDs of
Afghanistan (where A Brave Face is set), the
psychological effects of war have long been
evident. And whilst an understanding of the
mental trauma now known as Post-Traumatic
Stress (PTS or PTSD) has progressed since the
days when shell-shocked soldiers were categorised
as ‘nervous’, support for Veterans living
with PTS is still hugely under-resourced in the
UK.
Working in a co-production with The Mercury
Theatre, Colchester, Vamos Theatre aims to
create a better understanding of PTS and, crucially,
encourage coordinated support for those
who live with it. The company has based the
production on the real-life experiences of those
affected, a technique for which they have
gained a strong reputation over their ten year
history, previously tackling issues such as
dementia and forced adoption. Artistic Director
Rachael Savage has been at the forefront of
the research, which has seen her meeting not
only Veterans, but their families, serving personnel,
and organisations and professionals
who support those living with PTS.
Rachael comments, “We want A Brave Face to
show honestly what PTS is and can mean to
soldiers and to their families, who often find
themselves on the frontline in coping with the
condition: they deal with the trauma, as well as
instability, social isolation, loneliness - often
with no support. The input of those who have
helped us make the show has been invaluable
- at every stage their generosity continues to be
extraordinary, particularly those for whom discussing
PTS can be in itself traumatic.”
Consultants on the production include veterans
of Afghanistan, Iraq and Northern Ireland, as
well as organisations at the forefront of PTS
support, such as Help for Heroes, Veterans
First and the pioneering Recovery Centre,
Chavasse VC House, many of whom are leading
the way in instigating new approaches to
healing psychological injury.
The production was initially inspired by journalist
and author Matthew Green’s book
Aftershock, which explores the first-hand experience
of war trauma, and Matthew has also
helped the company in their research. A Brave
| 14 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

Face is being documented by award-winning
Guardian photojournalist Kate Holt, who has
worked extensively throughout Africa and
Afghanistan for the last 15 years, and the
show will open as part of London
International Mime Festival in February 2018.
The national tour is being supported by Diane
Palmer (Operational Manager and Partnership
Lead) and her team at the Midlands and East
NHS Veterans Mental Health transition, intervention
and Liaison Service. There are 4
NHSE commissioned TILS covering England
that launched on the 1st April 2017. Diane
previously founded and managed the Multinational
award-winning Veterans First Service
when work on A Brave Face began, this service
was replaced by TILS. Diane and her colleagues
have pledged to attend as many
shows as possible across the country to offer
support to anyone affected and to raise
awareness of TILS.
‘’I am delighted to be involved in this unique
performance. Rachel Savage has shown a
genuine desire to portray an honest and
heartfelt account of military personnel and
Veterans experiences as they battle with mental
health conditions including Post Traumatic
Stress. It is hoped that the show not only will
it demonstrate the challenges Veterans and
their families face, but it will raise awareness
of the new NHS services available to support
them across England in collaboration with the
MoD and Military Charities”
Full mask theatre is wordless, which may
seem a tricky medium for addressing intensely
emotional subjects like PTS, but as
Rachael explains (in a 2017 article by The
Guardian’s Lyn Gardner), “one of [mask theatre’s]
greatest currencies is its ability to give
voice to the unheard and the unspoken.”
Working without words creates a personal
kind of communication in which difficult
issues can be more easily approached. She
promises that A Brave Face, whilst sometimes
being raw, is also often funny and
always compassionate. Whilst the show’s
objective is to highlight how some people living
with PTS are feeling failed by the system,
it does so in a way that good theatre can – by
showing the human story behind the labels
and statistics, and the importance of creating
hope.
The SBT on ‘A Brave Face’
If I could be allowed to express myself freely
in this section, I just may be able to give our
readers an insight to this incredible piece of
work.
Some years ago, I was honoured to be able
to write a musical play which tackled one of
the most controversial subjects around today.
A Song For A Hero told, what I thought was a
dramatised but pretty accurate account of
PTSD in Veterans,, that was until a few weeks
ago.
Granted, Vamos Theatre, headed by Rachael
Savage had plenty of information by actual
veterans which gave them the realism from
the ‘lads on the ground’. But it was also the
result of two years research.
I don’t want to spoil this production for future
viewers apart from saying it is bloody good
and it would be a crime to miss it, but two
thoughts came strongly to mind after watching
the show. Firstly, just how much I related
to the character ‘Ryan’. In so many ways, I
could see myself a few years ago but that
won’t just be relevant to me. I truly believe
any veteran that has experience mental
health issues will connect to him. Secondly,
just how acurately the production was done.
It is a far cry froma typical stage-planned war
hero, it is a reality check to the cold, hard
truth. This alone, has filled me with hope that
finally, after all of the shouting and screaming
at people to understand these problems,
somebody has finally got it. Not just got it,
but hit the nail on the head so hard, they
have driven the hammer through the wood.
Finally, I am so pleased to report that, as I
write this, I have been contacted by the
Vamos Theatre team who told me that their
opening night in London was a huge success.
I must put out a warning to those wishing
to see this production, get your tickets
soon. They are selling out so quickly.
We are giving away a pair of tickets to the
show, hopefully at a theatre near you. To find
out how to have a chance to win this awesome
prize, simply visit the SBT home page.
For more information or to
book tickets, go to
www.vamostheatre.co.uk
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 15 |

| 12 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

HAVE FAITH
Humility In The Face Of Pride...
Oh, this is so much of a painful subject for me to talk about
but one that I feel, has taught me some of my best lessons.
Take last weekend for instance. A great weekend with my
partner and friends listening to some amazing Blues music.
No stress,, just chilling out . On Saturday night, I watched a
gentleman who is well known around our town for being an
outstanding blues slide guitarist and believe me, he did not
disappoint. He was on it from the word go. Then on Sunday,
it was advertised for a guy from the USA. His poster said he
was a Delta blues player. (For those of you who are not in
the Blues world, the Delta blues is where it all began, the
original slide, deep down Mississippi sound). You can
imagine my excitement at being able to watch and listen to
someone who had those roots. Now before I go any further, I
play slide guitar myself and consider myself fairly competent.
So when the gentleman started to play in this very rough
style, not the exacting way I was used to, I have to admit I
was disappointed. In fact, I didn’t like it. Yet, my friend, who
has forgotten more about the Blues than I will ever know
found him to be outstanding. So began my mental battle. I
spoke to a few others, including the guy who had played the
previous evening, all said the same thing. The guy was a real
blues player. I have to say I was getting quite annoyed, and
with that a little frustrated. Even to the point where a few
comments left my lips that I now regret. Anyway, I sat down
for the second set and decided just to listen with an open
mind. I started listening to the stories he was telling which
lead into the music he was playing and I started to get more
and more in to it. All of a sudden, Bingo!! I got it. I was
watching somebody telling me a story of his life and just
using music to do so. Then it really hit me, I had been
judging this guy on my own standards which were actually
nowhere near this guys. I felt so ashamed. I had been
putting down a very nice guy just because I thought I was
better. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I had a few words
with him after and had to apologise just for my thoughts. I
also told him he had taught me a huge lesson.
The bible teaches us to live in harmony with one another. Do
not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low
position. Do not be conceited. (Romans 12:16). and this past
weekend I have had another one of those life lessons telling
me that I am not perfect and still just a christian in training. I
am not, by any means, there yet. Another great verse in the
bible that brings this all home is found at 1 Peter 3: 3-4.
“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such
as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine
clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the
unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great
worth in God’s sight.”.
So yes, this weekend I was week, I judged wrongly and found
humility in a very big, nasty tasting pill but it is one I made
myself. When we go out in to the world we very often like to
give the physical, external impression that we are good
people, we like to present ourselves to impress others. We
should really be concentrating on our soul and our inner self.
By showing humility and being wise, generous and kind,
others will know what kind of person we are and in turn God
will see too. I personally hope that this has brought me to a
better place in my life. But please remember, we are not
perfect, any of us. But we can try to be better people.
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 17 |

Hi Folks, and welcome to Sandbag Times Radio!
A somewhat stuttered start to the new year, but now all the
"visits" are out of the way, it's good to be back behind the
mic with me slippers on ;)
The featured artist aspect of the shows is proving to be
very popular, and this will continue into the new format.
Along with Pablo, we have been formulating the structure
of the new shows. All I can say at this point, is that they
will not be just "audio"! You will be getting video feed from
yours truly, and I hope to get Pablo back on air with his
dry wit and humour. A weekly video show of around an
hour, bringing you all the latest news from the
SandbagTimes Magazine, along with all the other issues
affecting our Veterans Community. This will be a first, and
we don't see any other station doing this at this time.
Keep your eyes and ears peeled to the various pages on
social media etc for the latest news.
Radio
should have sampled some of the fruits of our labours until
then, keep the faith :)
Your continued support of both the Magazine and the
Radio Station is greatly appreciated. If you have any suggestions
for how we can bring you a better more varied
service, then please let us know. Email me At
Jim@Sandbagtimes.com. Thank you, and spread the
word!
Until next month, keep tuning in, and stay safe wherever
you are
Jim Wilde
We have not forgotten about taking the music to the masses,
and a mobile element to the show is something that is
still in the works. Like everything these days, the logistics
behind pulling something like this off are considerable,
and require manpower and resources. We continue to
work on this in the background, to bring you the best possible
service. Bear with us while we make these changes.
Just a short update this month, and by next month, you
| 18 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

TO ORDER PLEASE CALL: 01226 734222
ORDER ONLINE: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
PEN AND SWORD BOOKS LTD
47 CHURCH STREET BARNSLEY SOUTH YORKSHIRE S70 2AS

Armed Forces &
Veterans breakfast Clubs
www.afvbc.co.uk
Website
The VBC Website has now been revamped/redesigned and is now live.
There are several new features including a Post Code search facility that
brings up the five nearest Breakfast Clubs to your Post Code, and we now
have a News feature and links to the current issues of the Sandbag Times
and much more. To make it easier for people to get to it, funds have been
made available to allow the acquisition of more domain names.
The new address is www.afvbc.co.uk and the old address is pointed at the
new site.
The main alteration is that the email addresses have changed from:
Support@VeteransBreakfastClubs.co.uk
to
Support@AFVBC.co.uk
Win The Hatch & Geere Medal of Honour For
Your Club
Every week Hatch and Geere speak to a Veterans’ Breakfast Club
from a different part of the UK, but this is not your average chit-chat,
there is a battle to be won...
Each Veterans' Breakfast Club has to answer 10 ‘pot luck’ questions.
The aim of the game is to get at least 8 out of 10 correct to
win a "Medal of Honour" and a place in the ‘coveted’ Hatch and
Geere Hall Of Fame.
Richard Hatch and Verity Geere want to know where these clubs
meet, who goes along and what the breakfast is like.
This week they spoke to Dudley Armed Forces Veterans' Breakfast
Club in the West Midlands…
If your Veterans' Breakfast Club wants to be part of the fun just
email hg@bfbs.com
| 20 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

Veterans Breakfast Clubs
CLUB OF THE MONTH: STOCKPORT ARMED FORCES AND VETERANS BREAKFAST CLUB
77 for breakfast at Stockport Armed forces and veterans breakfast club.
Fantastic to see the comradeship between old friends from not just one unit or regiment, but from all members. Great to see
Les Banjo Crocker back on his feet after being so poorly and the father and son team of Ken Riley and Dean Riley.
SANDBAG TIMES AFVBC OFFER
As many of you, in the AFVBC world may know,
the Sandbag Times is now available as a
printed edition. Unlike the online edition, we
cannot offer the printed copies for free as we
have to pay for expensive printing costs and
obviously, the postage. However, we have done
some number crunching and we are pleased to
say we can send out packs of 5 magazines for
£20.00. Unfortunately, we regret that we cannot
send out single copies at this time, hopefully
that will change in the near future as the SBT
grows. The prints are of excellent and
professional standard with 250gsm covers and
130gsm pages with stunning colour and
graphics. If you would like to order monthly
magazines for your club or send in entries, then
please email us at info@sandbagtimes.com
This printed copy will be used to support the
Tommy Atkins Veterans Centre in Worcester.
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 21 |

Information
A word from the Ed
Plans to replace the
Wildcat are not
going well!
2018 has so far brought the team
many challenges and a few
changes. Some good, some a
little sad. But I suppose thats all
part of being involved in such a
wonderful project as the SBT.
Firstly, I would like to say
goodbye to our old sponsor Ken
Brooks who has been with us
since day one. Ken has had to
concentrate in other areas and has
reluctantly had to withdraw from
the SBT but we wish him and Jax,
the very best of luck in what ever
they do in the future.
So, forward and on to month two
of 2018. It is a lull before the
storm and we are doing the best
we can to prepare for the
onslaught of BTCC 2018, the
Airborne Challenge, the airshow
season, plus all the daily activity
of bringing you all the best
Veterans magazine out there. I
wouldn’t swap it for the world!
Speaking of the BTCC, Matt and
the gang at Team Dynamics have
just said a fond and sad goodbye
to Matt’s team mate Gordon
‘Flash’ Shedden. Like Matt,
Flash is also three times BTCC
champion with his last title in
2016. It is still unclear what his
future plans are but it has been
confirmed on the BTCC website
that he will not be competing in
the 2018 Season. What ever he
does, we all wish him luck in his
onward journey.
We would now like to welcome
our newest member to the team,
Lisa, our brand new marketing
manager. Lisa is also a very
experienced psychotherapist who
also has become our resident
professional at the Tommy Atkins
Centre.
That’s just about it from me for
this month, keep supporting us
and keep your eyes on our radio
station. Big things are afoot in
the very near future. Px
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
| 22 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

SPONSORED BY:
Information
From Jacks To Joysticks
By Mick J Patrick
Kent Duchaine
& Leadbessie
This is maybe the man who has taught me the
true meaning of Blues music. Visit his
website, take a listen to a few of his tracks
and buy a few of his MP3s. You definitely
willnot be sorry. Great man!
Trenchard Brat. Flying Spanner. Left Hand
Seat. Nicknames abound in aviation. But
not many get to be called them all,
especially when they’ve started life with an
aversion to school and a stammer thrown
in. Mick Patrick started his aviation career
as an RAF Apprentice and finished it as
an Air Ambulance pilot. He never knew
he was going to become a pilot – just
that he was determined to have a good
start in life and it seemed the RAF
offered this to him.
Another cracker from our book supplier
Pen & Sword. Definitely worth popping
over to their website to check out the
full library of titles on offer.
The Darkest Hour
Gary Oldman
Lily James
Kristen Scott Thomas
Gary Oldman is absolutely
brilliant in this recreation of the
first days of Winston Churchill
as Prime Minister in the midst of WW2.
The story works brilliantly with his
opposition to his office and the issues
faced with those abandoned in Dunkirk.
Definitely one to watch!
Back issues of The Sandbag Times are available to download here
!!
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# ! ! $
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 23|

MRS FOX gOES TO WAR
Mrs Fox Goes
To War...
The Chronicles of Little Hope
1939 - 1945
Villager of the Month
Mrs Fox’s Wartime Trivia: The Anderson Shelter..
Meet George Cross, British Agent Extraordinaire ...
With ‘Darkest Hour’ storming the box office and
people standing up and cheering at the end,
let’s take a quick look at the iconic Anderson
Shelter!
There had been a run on loo roll in Little
Hope and George had the sole remaining
copy of The Daily Mirror, he was beginning to
feel a bit hunted, to be honest...
George Cross, SOE Agent extraordinaire, was known
to be a master of disguise and slight of hand and
was a damned fine shot to boot. His signature fragrance
was a unique brand of tobacco which lingered
in the air long after he'd departed the covert
scene of operations and it was rumoured that a single
whiff of his peculiar shag was enough to strike
fear into the very heart of any jerry coming across it.
George was also rather adept at puffing out Morse
code with his pipe, as it were, so to speak, hence his
SOE agent handle ‘Three Nuns Shag’.
George was the beloved beau of Penny Stamp, the
postmistress of Little Hope, and it was truly a match
made in heaven, they danced around one another's
affections like Fred and Ginger and managed - inadvertently
- to cause havoc both abroad in occupied
Europe and back home in Blighty. And so yes, if you
were in a tight spot and needed a firm hand on the
job, George was most definitely your man, providing,
of course that he fancied your shag...
As far back as November 1938, almost a year
before war was declared, the British government
had the oddest feeling that Hitler wasn't a
trustworthy sort of fellow - in spite of Neville
Chamberlain's best efforts at appeasement and
his clip-toned reassurances to the British people
that he had it all sussed and under control
(Peace in our time, and all that).
Hitler was dodgy, and we knew it.
And so it was that a fellow named Sir John
Anderson - clearly a sterling sort with a name
like that - was tasked with figuring out how to
protect Brits in a Blitz, which was surely the way
things would go judging by the Fuhrer's charming
behaviour during the Spanish Civil War.
Anderson had a bit of a think, followed by a
'Eureka' moment which resulted in the birth of
the Anderson Shelter, essentially a family-sized
tin hat which could accommodate up to six
people, their insurance documents, a couple of
sandwiches, Kitchener the cat (if you could
catch him) and still - of course - have enough
elbow room for a cup of tea.
Actually, the Anderson shelter was rather a
marvellous invention. It was made of corrugat-
| 24 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

THE CHRONICLES OF LITTLE HOPE
ed iron, the undulations in the metal would help to
dissipate blast waves, and was shaped like an elongated
croquet hoop for added stability. Said shelter was
intended to be erected in a dirty great big hole in your
garden and covered with earth to give an added layer
of protection. Your could even plant your carrots or
cauliflowers on top and jolly well dig for victory by
day whilst nightly producing your own manure just a
couple of feet below your Webbs Wonderful lettuce.
Yes. The British were going underground.
Shelter kits were put together (complete with a spanner)
and, if you earned under £250 per annum, they
were free, gratis and delivered to your door. If you
happened to be in a higher earning bracket then you
had to pay £7, but that was a small price for the 'comfortable'
to shell out (no pun intended) to keep jerry's
incendiaries from lighting up your life contrary to your
desires. Instruction leaflets were printed to go along
with the kits which to the modern eye make swedish
bookcase assembly instructions look like a piece of
cake.
Once you'd finished digging halfway to Australia in a
back-breaking attempt to make a hole big enough to
fit your shelter into, you’d need to fit A to B avoiding
contact with E but remembering to slot C in before
the whole A and B thing. This achieved, you should be
able to take five minutes and sit back with a cup of
tea and have a good look at your erection, as it were.
If your hole was big enough, approximately 4 feet
deep and a good 7 feet by 6 feet in length/breadth
then you should be able to get it in quite snugly. If
you'd cocked the whole thing up and got your measurements
wrong then you might want to consider
spending the war in your chicken coop instead.
All in all though, once the cursing and family fallingsout
were over and once you were all on speaking
terms again after the epic build, you should actually
have a structure which was fit for purpose. Sorted.
Bung sandbags and earth on top and tuck it in snugly
with soil around the sides, try not to confuse your
lavatory bucket with your fire bucket – Good to go! It
might smell like a crypt and would always be damp,
but unless some ace jerry bomb-aimer actually managed
to score a direct hit on your shelter you stood a
fighting chance of surviving the nightly raids which
were on the cards!
Hilda Ffinch:
The Bird With All The Answers
Hilda Ffinch, Little Hope's very own Agony Aunt (page 5
of the Little Hope Herald) was easily bored and terribly
rich. She loved nothing better than taking on the problems
of others and either sorting them out or claiming
that she'd never heard of them if it all went tits up and
they had to leave the district under cover of darkness
having followed her sage advice.
Letter Of The Month
Always keen to help, this month Hilda has been advising
local pigeon fancier Mr Benn, who spotted a bird he
rather liked the look of perched on his rhubarb...
Hello Hilda,
I have a dilemma. I found a pigeon in the garden and it
has some kind of medallion around its neck with the words
"Dickin Medal" on it.
My dilemma is do I put it in a pie or let it go?
Times are hard and we are all hungry. What do you
advise?
Regards,
Mr Benn
Dear Mr Benn,
I wonder could you double check around the side of the medal
in question to ascertain whether or not a name, rank and number
are inscribed? I ask simply because two days before he
went back to his regiment, Colonel Ffinch was rampaging about
the house shouting "Where's my dickin' medals?" at all and
sundry. I'm wondering if perchance he left them on the terrace
after getting them out for Lady Shag-Pyle when she called for a
spot of tiffin the previous afternoon and a pigeon misappropriated
them?
Should it transpire that the gong in question does indeed belong
to the Colonel, I'd be most grateful if you would drop it off at
the manor in person rather than entrust it to the postman who
has anger management issues with military trinkets on account
of flat feet.
Bring the pigeon with you and cook will give you a good stuffing.
Yours,
Hilda Ffinch
The Bird With All The Answers
If you’d like Hilda Ffinch, The Bird With All The Answers to
address your own wartime problem, then pop along to
https://www.mrsfoxgoestowar.co.uk/hilda-finch-agony-aunt
to subject your personal crisis to her (hopefully) sober
scrutiny. Remember to give yourself a suitable wartime
alias! Letters will be answered online and a selection of
them published in next month’s Sandbag Times.
You can catch more of Mrs Fox and Friends at www.mrsfoxgoestowar.co.uk
or on Twitter @mrslaviniafox
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 25 |

Poetry Corner
Poetry Corner
“Hugs
I“
I Made It Home”
©2014StanleyThompson aka:SydneyWestan
I hear the guns in my head, I see the rockets flare
I wake up and I'm soaking wet, covered in sweat and tears
On the outside I'm a father, with three children and a wife
On the inside I'm a soldier, still fighting for my life
I made it home with just one crutch, one of the lucky ones
Honored by my Countrymen, but the Heroes don't come
home
I was proud to serve and sacrifice, my flag flies high and free
Now I pray the wars are over and my kids will live in peace
I made it home with just one crutch, one of the lucky ones
Honored by my Countrymen, but the Heroes don't come
home
I close my eyes, I fold my hands, I kneel beside my bed
I cry out to the angels, “Cast these nightmares from my
head”.
I hear the guns in my dreams, I see the rockets flare
I wake up and I'm soaking wet, covered in sweat and tears
I made it home with just one crutch, one of the lucky ones
But, I pray the wars are over, because some kids don't come
home
Because some kids don't come home
“Hold Me”
©2009 Stan Thompson aka: Syd Westan
Hold me! Like you’re kissin’ a dream goodbye
Hold me! Through the dawn’s early light
Hold me…...like you’re kissin’ a dream goodbye
Only ten more hours before I catch that flight
This rifle and my duffle bag, seem heavier tonight
I don’t know where I’m goin’ or when I might return
But I pray it’s not too long, till I can hold you again...so
Hold me! Like you’re kissin’ a dream goodbye
Hold me! Through the dawn’s early light
Hold me…...like you’re kissin’ a dream goodbye
I tucked your photo in my pocket, that’s right over my heart
‘n The allure of your perfume, will linger in my thoughts
I need to feel your warmth...I want to hear your breath
‘n Lord, if you are listening…”Lord, please give us strength”
I could come back wounded...or draped in Stars ‘n Stripes
Or maybe lost forever...so remember this night
‘n Kisses”
©2005 StanThompson aka SydneyWestan
She's gonna be long distance for an unknown length of time
Where and why she's going, they say that's classified
Her family and her friends and me, we'll all be left behind
We'll be waitin’ stateside with our worries runnin’ wild
We sacrifice for freedom and pray we will prevail
But for now, we'll have to settle, for her hugs ‘n her kisses...
In the mail
When I look up...to the stars...and stripes...and see the moon
I know that same old silver moon will soon shine down on
you
A moon that carries hope and dreams across the darkest sky
A guardian of the love we share on a page of black and white
We sacrifice for freedom and pray we will prevail
But for now, we'll have to settle, for her hugs ‘n her kisses
In the mail
She's trained for endurance…
Sustained by her courage…
Honored to serve her country…
Determined to make it home…
She's gonna be long distance for an unknown length of time
Her family and her friends and me, we'll all be left behind
So we must sacrifice for freedom and freedom will prevail
But for now we gotta settle for her hugs ‘n her kisses
In the US Mail
Yeah! For now, we'll have to settle, for her hugs and her kisses
In the US Mail
Win This Fantastic Title
This unusual and beautiful book collects
together twenty five of the often read, wellloved
poets. Each poet is illustrated with an
original watercolor portrait by the talented
young artist, Charlotte Zeepvat, who
reproduces in pleasing script one of their
works, giving a biographical summary that
placed the poet firmly in the battlefield
context in which their work was conceived.
To have a chance at winning this
fabulous book, simply email your
poetry to:
jane@sandbagtimes.com
Hold me! Like you’re kissin’ a dream goodbye
Hold me! Oh! So tighter than tight
Hold me…...like you’re kissin’ a dream goodbye
Hold me! Like you’re kissin’ a dream goodbye
Hold me! Through the dawn’s early light
Hold me…...like you’re kissin’ a dream goodbye
Hold me…...like you’re kissin’ a dream goodbye
Now the dawn is breaking...it’s time for me to go
Here comes the sun...it’s time…...to let me go
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 27 |