SBT Issue 43

The Veterans’ Magazine Issue 42 | May 2018
ITS AIRSHOW TIME
We Take A Look At The Hardware
Gracing Our Skies This Year
Utilising Veterans In The Construction Industry
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk
Supporting #abraveface

CONTENTS
SBT News
4 Shoreham Airshow Crash
Pilot Denies Manslaughter
5 Royal Navy Escorts
Russian Waeship
Warship escorted through
English Channel
5 UK Reaction To North
Korea as testing halts
Cautious welcome as N
Korea halts Nuclear tests
5 US Navy Fleet in Europe
A US Carrier Fleet has
entered European Waters in
routine Ops.
SBT News
All of the latest National
& International Armed
Forces and Veterans
News
4
Features
6 Kerry Dedman
Pro CV Writer helping
Veterans
14 Airshows 2018
What to look out for at this
years displays.
16 Subby Jobs
Utilising Veterans in the
Construction Industry
Regular
9 Historic Tommy Atkins
Laurence...
19 Have Faith
Try, Try Again......
28 SBT Information
A page dedicated to back
issues, information, book
reviews etc
30 Mrs Fox Goes To War
All the latest gossip and
letters from Little Hope
May 2018
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
Peter Macey
Radio & Media Manager
Jim Wilde
Recording Engineer and PR
Manager
Vince Ballard
# "
!
Email: info@sandbagtimes.com
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 3 |

NEWS
THE VETERANS’ MAGAzINE
SBT newS May Edition info@sandbagtimes.com
SHOREHAM AIRCRASH PILOT DENIES
ELEVEN COUNTS OF MANSLAUGHTER
A former RAF pilot
accused of killing 11
men when his vintage
jet crashed on a dual
carriageway during the
Shoreham Airshow
today indicated he
would deny manslaughter
charges at trial.
Andrew Hill, 54, was performing
a loop when his
1955 Hawker Hunter
came down on the A27 in
August 2015. Eleven
men, including motorists
and air show fans, died
and 13 people were
injured. Hill, who was
badly injured when he
was thrown free, has
been charged with 11
counts of gross negligence
manslaughter and
endangering an aircraft.
He indicated not guilty
pleas to all charges at
Westminster magistrates’
court. Prosecutor Simon
Ringrose said: “The aircraft
failed to achieve sufficient
height and speed
to complete the downward
part of the loop, and the
aircraft impacted on the
dual carriageway, causing
11 fatalities.”Chief magistrate
Emma Arbuthnot
freed Hill of Buntingford,
Hertfordshire, on unconditional
bail until a plea
hearing at the Old Bailey
on May 17 when a date
for the trial will be set.
| 4 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

NEWS
THE VETERANS’ MAGAzINE
SBT newS May Edition info@sandbagtimes.com
UK Cautious Reaction To North Korean
Vow To Halt Nuclear Missile Testing
Britain has given a cautionary
response to North Korea’s
historic announcement to halt
its nuclear and missile tests.
The government said in a
statement: “A long term
commitment from Kim Jung Un to
The Harry S. Truman Carrier
Strike Group (HSTCSG)
entered the US 6th Fleet area of
operations yesterday as part of
what the US Navy call a
‘routine deployment in support
of NATO allies, European and
African partner nations,
coalition partners, and US
national security interests in
Europe and Africa.’ The
presence of the HSTCSG, they
halt all nuclear tests and ICBM
launches would be a positive step.
“We hope this indicates an effort
to negotiate in good faith. "We
remain committed to working
with our international partners to
bring about our goal of a
complete, verifiable and
US Naval Fleet Enters European Waters
RN Frigate Escorts Russian Warship Through Channel
A Royal Navy frigate from
Portsmouth escorted a
Russian warship through
the English Channel and
Dover Strait. The Type 23
frigate HMS St Albans
escorted the Yaroslav
Mudry (named after
Yaroslav the Wise from
Ukraine) round the UK
coastline. HMS St Albans
is the current Fleet Ready
Escort – and is therefore
charged with protecting
UK waters. The navy was
reacting to the Russian
warship sailing close to
the UK coastline.
Commander John Cromie,
Commanding Officer of
HMS St Albans, said: ‘As
the Royal Navy’s high
readiness unit in UK
waters, we are the first
responders to any potential
incursion into UK
irreversible denuclearisation of
the Korean peninsula, and to do so
through peaceful means.” The
reaction comes after the country’s
state news agency stunned the
world when it said: "From 21
April, North Korea will stop
nuclear tests and launches of
intercontinental ballistic
missiles.” The North Korean
leader said the country didn’t need
to continue testing its nuclear
capabilities because they have
been “verified”. In response, the
European Union's foreign affairs
chief said North Korea's
announcement to stop nuclear
tests was a positive step and called
for an "irreversible
denuclearisation" of the Asian
country. Read More Here
say, demonstrates the multimission
capability of the US
Navy’s globally deployed force
and is part of an ongoing
rotation of forward-deployed
forces to support maritime
security operations in the US
6th Fleet area of operations.
The HSTCSG includes the
Nimitz-class aircraft carrier
USS Harry S. Truman,
Ticonderoga-class guidedmissile
cruiser USS Normandy;
Arleigh Burke-class guidedmissile
destroyers USS
Farragut. Read more here.
waters and are highly
trained in this role. ‘Our
activation today in
response to the passage
of a Russian warship close
to the UK resulted in a
cordial interaction between
professional sailors based
on the recognised conventions
at sea. ‘We are
always standing ready, as
is the rest of the fleet, to
defend UK waters.
Young RAF Stewardess
Dies of Cancer, aged 25
A Royal Air Force worker who
lived long enough to fulfil her
bucket list dream of going to New
York City has succumbed to ovarian
cancer aged just 25. Emily
Kendrick, who served as a stewardess
for the RAF and spent time
in Afghanistan, was surrounded
by her family and friends when
she died on Friday. The young
woman, from Ystrad Mynach,
Wales, was just 23 when she
found a lump in her belly button
and surgery revealed it was ovarian
cancer. Due to generosity of
friends, family and strangers,
Emily was able to take her dream
trip to New York City with her
mother, sister and grandmother.
Now Emily's mother Sonia has
spoken of her pride at the way her
daughter lived her life since her
terminal diagnosis. Her family
were desperate to help her achieve
her dreams and strangers from
around the world donated more
than £7,000 to help them do just
that. Read More Here
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 5 |

KERRy DEDMAN
work in coalition but it is important to see
them as separate areas of expertise.
CV Writer:
CV Writer, Coach and Mentor
Opening the door for serving and ex-military
personnel.
Personal Background
I come from a military background; my father
and brother were both Naval Officers. I have
worked as a civilian instructor for the Army
and the RAF. My work with the military
began in earnest two years ago when I was
contacted on Linkedin and asked for support.
Since late 2016, my personalised
coaching and mentoring support for the military
has achieved remarkable results. They
I have reviewed over 300,000 CVs in my professional
life. My first job after University
required me to review in peak periods over
1,000 CVs a day. This was a steep learning
curve experience that has stayed with me. I
explain to my clients that you have to make
a positive impression in under 8 seconds.
Every employment sector have problems
that need to be resolved. The person looking
at your CV must see immediately that
you understand their problems and will
resolve them. You are the ‘aspirin that will
take away their headache’. I explain to my
clients that their CV has to be clear and concise.
I am delighted that since January
2017 my mil/ex mil CV clients have had job
interviews every week – without fail. Over
95% of my military clients have progressed.
Every week I post updates on Linkedin.
These include reporting the number of job
interviews, job offers and so on. For example
in April 2018, 40 1st and 2nd round interviews
took place which led to 12 job offers
and to date 7 job starts.
Coach first, everything else second:
What does that mean? Quite simply it is the
premise of how I do my work. The ‘second’
covers the gambit of education, training and
management. I have over 30 years’ professional
experience. This knowledge of working
in a variety of training sectors has given
me a wide skill set. My motivational ‘Self
Discovery’ workshops have been delivered
across different parts of England and Wales.
I am qualified to MBA level and have taught
my degree subject of English across the
academic spectrum. I love being a ‘wordsmith’
and using language that educates and
entertains in equal measure. My coaching
support includes assisting clients with the
correct use of formal English. [I have taught
English at an Army Education Centre].
Mentor:
My clients know they have support from me
beyond the crafting of a new CV. I provide a
range of advice and guidance which helps
support their individual journey.
Finally, many years ago a client referred to
the support he achieved: ‘For the first time in
my life I am a person, not a number.’ Coach
first, everything else second.
How to contact me
Linkedin: https:www.linkedin.com/in/kerrydedman-ba-pgce-48750810
Email: Kerry@opendoortraining.co.uk
| 6 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 7 |

The Historical Tommy Atkins
Seven Pillars of Wisdom
Written By
Peter Macey
On 13th May 1935 a 1000cc Borough Superior
motorcycle whilst being ridden at speed along
a back road near Bovington Camp in Dorset
had an altercation with two school boys on
bicycles who had been out looking for birds
eggs. One was knocked off his bike during the
collision but not injured. The rider, a Colonel
in the British Army, as well as being an
archaeologist, author and diplomat died at the
scene of the crash. The Colonel’s body along
with the motorcycle were hurriedly removed
from the crash scene and taken to a secret
location. The whole area was sealed off by
local police and within hours men from a
mysterious and little known-about organisation
at the time called MI5 appeared and took
control. In the lead up to the first Gulf War
following the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq forces
a number of high level military meetings took
place in Washington as plans were put in place
with a view to the liberation of the Gulf State
by coalition forces. At one such meeting one
of the senior US General’s mentioned a book
he had been studying which despite having
been written in 1922 discussed tactics for
fighting in the Arab States and went into detail
of how a method of guerrilla warfare had been
developed and used to great effect during the
First World War between the Arab Nation and
Ottoman Empire (now known as Turkey). The
book was an autobiographical account by a
British Army Colonel who had been involved
in the Arab conflict and was called the Seven
Pillars of Wisdom. The man who died in the
crash in 1935 was one of the greatest military
strategists of his time and although he had been
withdrawn from public life since 1922, he was
well known in that part of the world by the
name Lawrence. The author of the book that
would be referred to in great detail over fifty
years later was Thomas Edward Lawrence CB
DSO. Better known by most as the almost
legendary Lawrence of Arabia.
Lawrence started his career with the
Government in January 1914 when as an
archaeologist who had trained at Oxford he
was co-opted by the British Army. Under the
guise of archaeology he was sent to the Negev
Desert to carry out a secret survey on behalf of
and funded by the Palestinian Exploration
Fund. The plan was that he and another would
map the desert area in terms of strategic
importance. Following the outbreak of war in
August 1914 Lawrence held back from
enlisting until October when he took a
commission and was summoned later that year
to discuss his thoughts on the issues affecting
the Arab Nations. There was an uprising in the
Arab nationalist movement within the Arab
speaking Ottoman nation. During 1915
Lawrence prepared maps and strategic data for
the British Government and continued to tour
the Arab nation as part of his intelligence work.
Then in June 1916 he was sent to meet three
possible leaders for the Palestinian revolt, all
sons of the head of the nation and selected one,
Faisal as the best to lead any revolt. In
November and December of the same year due
to there being no one more qualified to
properly support any uprising Lawrence was
sent directly to liaise with Faisal. He
immediately repositioned the Arab forces, who
were heavily outnumbered by the Ottomans.
Strategic target areas such as the Syrian railway
had to be protected and as well as that, there
was a long borderline between the opposing
forces with the Arabs having fewer men.
Faisal insisted when Lawrence was going to be
replaced by a more senior officer that he would
only work with Lawrence who remained by his
side until August 1918. Lawrence saw that the
only way to create issues with a small force
against a larger one would be to create small
teams who would attack small pockets along a
line, create havoc and quickly withdraw, thus
creating what would appear to be a major
attack. And these were carried out on specific
highly strategic targets, such as bridges,
railway lines and logistical targets. Designed
to be short, sharp and coordinated. This was
not a new tactic, the likes of which had been
developed in part by the Romans, centuries
earlier, but this was new to modern warfare,
thus creating a guerrilla style offensive that was
to prove to be highly effective. Lawrence took
part in a number of major battles alongside
Faisal and led some including Tafileh, a region
south east of the Dead Sea early in 1918. The
battle was a defensive engagement but due to
the effective fighting and strategies used it
developed into an offensive rout. In official
history records this battle was described as a
brilliant feat of arms under the direct leadership
of Lawrence. Despite being outnumbered the
Arabs took around 400 lives and 200 Turkish
prisoners. Lawrence was awarded the DSO
and promoted to Lt Col. Lawrence, who now
wore the typical Arab clothing instead of the
British military uniform, continued to liaise
between Faisal and the British intelligence.
The Arab nations finally captured Damascus,
their main objective, just prior to the end of the
War. There were many in Britain who did not
like Lawrence, due to the Arabic leanings. And
he was said to be hated in France due to his
involvement of allegedly trying to stir a revolt
of Syrian forces against the French occupying
nation. Following his departure from the Arab
States at the end of the war he was troubled
man. In 1922, having written his
autobiography of the Arab conflict, Lawrence
joined the RAF as an aircraftsmen, under a
false name, John Ross. But within months his
true identity was exposed and he left. He
changed his name this time to T E Shaw and
joined as a Private into the Tank Corps before
moving back to the RAF years later. He was
posted in 1926 to India with the RAF but due
to alleged espionage activities he was supposed
to have been involved with returned to Britain.
He finally left the Service in March 1935 and
died two months later.
David Lean’s 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia
starring Peter O’Toole which brought the story
of this remarkable man to life for most people
was nominated for ten Oscars and won seven
including Best Picture.
The reason Seven Pillars of Wisdom was called
into question in the lead up to the Gulf War
was because the same tactics that had been
developed and used during the First World War
and Arab Uprising, were, and are still being
used by Arab forces in the middle east and by
terrorists around the world even to this day.
And the world has Lawrence, in part, to thank
for that.
Were any of your relatives involved in the Arab
uprising in 1916 – 1918? Or do you have
thoughts about this remarkable man? If so we
would like to hear from you. Contact us at
SBT or let us know at Forgotten Veterans UK.
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 9 |

Round Two: Donnington Park
Matt & Dan Both in The Points As The FK8
Has It’s First Chance To Stretch Its Legs
tricky out there, and it didn’t play out in my favour. We were
quick in races one and three and the car felt really good.
There was plenty of chaos kicking off, but we managed to
avoid it all to come through the field for a couple of solid
points-scoring results. In race two, I made a good start but
got a bit hung out to dry around the opening laps as I tried to
steer clear of the carnage, and on the hard-compound tyres, it
was always going to be difficult to fight back from that. Still, it
was a much more positive outcome than at Brands Hatch and
we remain light going next to Thruxton, which has traditionally
been a happy hunting ground for us and will be an important
weekend as both Honda and Yuasa’s home circuit.”
Well, we improved from Brands Hatch! Dan did fantastically
well to qualify P4 – which he turned into a race 1 second
place finish after jumping up the inside at the old chicane on
lap 1 and holding out for the rest of the race.
Matt couldn’t quite hook it up in qualifying and lined up in P17
for Race 1, the pace in the car showed though as a typical
Matt Neal surge saw him in P6 at the chequered flag.
Burdened with 66KG ballast in Race 2, Dan did incredibly well
to take the lead and hold out until mid-race – at which point
his tyres started to drop off. Dan bravely held on for the second
half of the race and was P4 at the flag, his hard-tyre
struggles were not as evident as Matt’s though as he crossed
the line in P16.
True to form, Matt battled back in Race 3 with a surge through
the pack to finish sixth, if it wasn’t for Tom Ingram putting up
the most resolute of defences – Matt’s pace was easily
enough to get him on the podium. Dan unfortunately punctured
in Race 3 after contact with Chris Smiley – I’m sure he’s
grown more accustomed to the ups and down of touring cars
after this weekend!
Matt Neal on Donnington
“Unfortunately, my weekend began on the wrong foot in lining
up 17th on the grid, which left me with a lot of work to do in
the races. We are still learning with the new Civic Type R and
it’s not totally dialled-in yet in those conditions, which meant
qualifying was almost akin to a test session for us. It was
Dan Cammish on Donnington
“It’s been a good weekend – almost a very good weekend.
We showed our speed in free practice and qualified well in
what were very difficult, greasy conditions. It was obviously
fantastic for both the team and myself to achieve our first
podium of the season in race one, although I would say as a
performance, race two was arguably even better, with 66kg of
ballast on-board and the harder tyres. I tried to get away as
fast as I could, but it was inevitable that the guys behind
would catch up eventually and we were over-the-moon to lead
for so long and still finish as high as fourth – the car balance
felt really good and the Civic Type R handled extremely well.
What happened in race three was just very unfortunate; it was
only the lightest of touches, but it caused my wheel rim to
shatter and that in-turn punctured the tyre. We were on for at
least another top five result, but we can nonetheless go away
feeling happy. People were asking pre-season if I would get
properly stuck in and get my elbows out in the BTCC, and I
think I’ve proven here that I can do that as well as anybody
else.”
| 10 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

THE TOMMy ATKINS TRUST
The Tommy Atkins Centre...
Tommy Atkins Centre May
We’ve had a busy month here at The Tommy Atkins Centre.
Combat Stress have been running a 7 week course on
Thursdays, and it’s been a pleasure to meet all those enrolled
on it. Hopefully they will all come back and meet up after their
course finishes, and maybe have a day out together. It’s so
wonderful to see the new friendships struck up on these
courses.
The Royal British Legion have also been to see us with a view
to running a new drop in centre from our building on Tuesdays
from 1000 – 1500. This will be starting within the next few
weeks, and we are very much looking forwards to having them
here with us all, and we’ve also had a visit from The Poppy
Factory with a view to something similar for them also here with
us.
Marie and I have been busy updating contact lists and chatting
with veterans who call in for a cuppa and a natter. And we’re
also currently working on putting together a presentation for
some of our local Councilor’s and hopefully our Forces
Covenant representative too to give them a good insight to our
aims for the future of the centre and our veteran community,
and to hopefully secure some future funding to help us along
the way.
Here’s looking forwards to a bit of sunshine over the coming
few weeks, it’ll be lovely to be able to sit outside for a while
instead of watching the raindrops on the window panes. Until
next time, enjoy the sun if finally get any, and stay safe and
healthy.
Jane & Marie. x
www.thetommyatkinstrust.co.uk
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 11 |

A Guide to Medical Welfare Services
for Health Care Professionals, Organisations
and Support Workers
Caring For Those Who Serve – Frontline To Recovery
| 12 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

AIRSHOWS 2018
AIRSHOWS 2018
It’s That Time Of The year
Again. Let’s See What’s
Flying And Where
Oh, I love this time of the year. Of course, for
the Sandbag Times it is more of a work day
than a swan. Yeah, really! I love heading
towards the shows, picnic in the boot. Camera
ready, Maybe even a beer or two if I can convince
someone else to drive. All I need then is
blue skies and nice sunshine and my
day is complete.
pay tribute to Jonathan.
Other usual suspects will be there too, BBMF,
the Wingwalkers (totally bonkers), the Chinnok
etc. This year we also see the welcome return
of an RAF Tornado GR4, always a crowd pleaser
and a good one for setting off all of the car
alarms. We have a Typhoon showing off as
well as one of my old WW2 favs the Blenheim
Bomber. What a graceful bird that is.
I must put out a public warning though. You
will get sick to the sight of the Jaguar jets.
They are absolutely everywhere. Don’t get me
wrong, I love them when they fly but Cosford is
a bit of a Jaguar dumping ground. Mark my
words, you will have
had enough of
them by
the
time the
displays finish.
So, to start
this year we head to RAF Cosford. This, by far,
is my favourite show. Not only because of the
great flying displays but also the museum. On
any other day, the RAF Cosford Museum if
open free of charge to enjoy and, I must
say it is up there in my top ten of
places to go in the UK. Four hangers
of aircraft to dream over, with just
about every British aircraft you can
think of. But the
real head turner
is the Cold War
museum.
ONG, a real
treat.
Anyway, to
get back on
subject, lets
talk about
the airshow
there for this
year. Much to my
delight, we will be
seeing the Mig 29 Fulcrum.
Never seen one before and
feeling very excited. Also
on display are the Reds.
Even though they experienced
a tragedy just a short
while ago with the death of
one of their ‘Circus’ engineers,
Cpl Jonathan Bayliss,
the show must go on. And what a way to
So, what else have
we got? I suppose we
need to talk about the big
one. The Royal International Air
Tattoo. (RIAT) promises to
be yet another awesome
event. There are a serios
amount of fighter jets flying including the
F35B, F/A 18 Hornet, F16 Falcon, GR4 Tornado
SU22, to name but a few. I have no idea how
they get so many displays in there. Pop over
to their website and take a look at the full
round up. I think the only besier airspace in
the country will be Heathrow Airport.
If you are going to be unable to afford
the delights of these airfields, worry not
as there are a few free airshows
around that are just as good. To start
with, one of my old
favourites,
Airbourne. Set on Eastbourne beach
front, the whole airshow package
rocks up to the public
arena. For those who
do not live in
the South east there is also
Bournemouth, Blackpool and
Weston Super-Mare. Where ever you
are in the UK, you can be sure there will be
an Airshow close to you. Grab the kids, dog
and picnic and go enjoy those magnificent
men in their flying machines.
| 14 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

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SUBBy
I supported a mutual friend; Royal Marine
Commando Garry Curtis is bringing is life
story to fruition and getting it published. This
project was a real eye opener, with no military
background the lack of understanding of what
these men and women sacrifice, sometimes
the ultimate sacrifice. I really wanted to bring
something to life through Subby that is special:
James Gilbert Taps Into A Very Effective And Resourceful
Workforce For The Construction Sector. The Veteran
One of the great things about our
Veterans world are the amount of companies,
charities, organisation etc that
are willing to go the extra mile to help our
country’s ex-Armed Forces. Over the past few
months we have looked at a few companies
that combine the civilian world of industry to
utilise the best workforce in the world.
The veteran’s initiative simply is a fully funded
program to get veterans into construction:
• Fully funded construction courses
o Plastering
o Painting
o Wall and Floor Tiling
o Bricklaying
o CSCS Card Testing
o Building Maintenance
o Motor Vehicle
It is quickly becoming apparent that Veterans
provide a vast set of skills which can be used
in a huge variety of areas across the board.
When you think of our Armed Forces, one can
imagine a well motivated, hard working, trustworthy
and physically fit individual.
James Gilbert, who readers of The Sandbag
Times may remember, featured an article
about his friend Garry Curtis with his
book’Incoming’ which if you haven’t read yet,
you are missing out. Now James has turned
his own skills into a way of combining our
Veterans into the Construction industry. So
let’s hear all about it from James himself on
his new venture, Subby.
James Gilbert
Where did it all start? I can’t tell you that for
sure but I can give you a little background on
me. I have 10 years’ experience in construction
and carpentry. As for most Veterans, it
can be worrying time when you need to look
for your next job.
We live in a world where just about every
industry has some sort of dedicated job app
apart from construction. Construction comes
second to last for technology being used in
the industry, one place above agriculture and
farming!
This is how Subby started, creating a platform
just for construction and the people working
within it, to find work.
Text SBT to
“The Veterans Initiative” – There are a lot of
areas of life that we all take for granted and as
I’ve learnt over the past 3 years. The Armed
Forces is definitely one of them.
| 16 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

• Subby will not charge employers to hire
veterans whether it is on a temporary or permanent
basis.
• The “Subby Approved” and “Subby Pro”
features for trades normally cost £49.99/
£99.99 this will be free to veterans.
• Currently 120,000 veterans unemployed,
the construction industry has a skills shortage
of 240,000.
Subby currently has some fantastic launch
offers such as £100 worth of Screwfix vouchers,
free usage for 6 months for employers. So
sign up today at:
http://bit.ly/sjveterans
From a local builder to national construction
companies, Subby will give everyone the ability
to find labour when and where they need it!
To Find Out More About Subby:
Web: www.subby-jobs.co.uk
Email: contact@subby-jobs.co.uk
www.facebook.com/subbyjobs
twitter.com/@SubbyJobs
linkedin.com/company/subby-jobs
SIGN UP
To Win £100
Screwfix Vouchers
88802
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 17 |

CANADA CALLING
Canada Calling
The Canuck Connection
Greetings from Scotland. What a month
previous? Tit for Tat between Trump and Kim,
an alleged Chemical attack in SYRIA, retaliation
by the US, UK and France, with the support of
Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many
more countries. The missiles flew the Jets
attacked and what ? ? ?
Threats of Retaliation by the Russians?
I do honestly believe that the Cold War has begun once
again? This is indeed sad times especially as the 2 Koreas,
are in joint talks of PEACE.
Meanwhile Canada is supposed to be providing UN troops in
Mali, however a date has yet to be determined.
Canada is still "several months" away from deploying
peacekeepers to Mali in support of a UN mission, an official
said Thursday, rejecting a UN envoy's call to accelerate its
plans.
"Details regarding the final structure and chain of command of
the Canadian mission in Mali are still to be determined," Byrne
Furlong, spokeswoman for Canada's defense minister, told
AFP.
Questions over who will command or oversee the Canadian
troops and military equipment and other mission details "will
be addressed during upcoming reconnaissance and
negotiations with the United Nations," she said.
"It is important to keep in mind that preparing for a mission
can take several months," she added.
Ottawa said in March that it would send an infantry unit,
military trainers and six tactical and transport helicopters to
Mali in August.
But UN envoy to Mali Mahamat Saleh Annadif said this week
the helicopters are needed in June, when Germany pulls out
of the mission.
He urged that Canada speed things up or that Germany delay
its departure in order to avoid a vacuum.
The UN envoy also asked Canada to reconsider its objections
to having Canadian soldiers join a rapid response force in the
region, where conflict has claimed the lives of seven UN
peacekeepers this year alone.
However, he said he has not received a reply.
The number of troops and the skill sets to be brought to the
mission "will be determined as a result of the planning
process and engagement with the UN, partners and the host
nation," said Furlong.
In the most recent Commonwealth Games, Canada Placed
4th overall. Well done to ALL Competitors of all Nations.
The BBC neglected to add Canada in their table of Medals,
despite the pact CANUCKS earned a respectable total of 82
Medals ……Just Saying.
This bit of Humour is for a RCEME
pal of mine Dave Davies.
next month stay safe and HAPPY.
Nil Sine Labore
Robby
| 18 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

HAVE FAITH
Try and Try Again..
If courage is grace under pressure, perseverance is its cousin.
Perseverance is the virtue of trying again, and then trying
again, and again, until we achieve our goal.
Nothing great was ever accomplished without perseverance.
Some people have marvelous natural gifts and are capable of
wonderful things. But they lack staying power. When they
meet something that doesn't come easily to them they lack the
patience to master it. They are outdone by people who will
carefully and painfully devote themselves to learning the skill
they need.
People who persevere aren't always the ones who make the
headlines. They don't necessarily shine and glitter. But they
find money to keep the Veteran Centre open. It has been
very difficult, full of rejections, lots of frustration and our
patience has been stretched to the limit. Finally, we did it.
We finally got our local councils to listen and dip in to their
funds to support the great work the staff at the centre are
doing. But there was many times when we wanted to throw
the towel in and give up. Those moments never lasted too
long but we did truly feel tested.
One thing that kept driving me forward was the thought of
what state I was in a few years ago. The thought that I would
be giving up on people in the same position was too strong. I
couldn’t let people down.
Maybe there is a moral to that story in finding a reason to go
on. Not rocket science but if, when life is getting on top of
you, you can remember how life was like, good or bad and
use that to drive forward.
If life was good, try to reach it again. Try to remember there is
an end to everything, including bad times. Just keep trying.
If times were bad then try to imagine just how experienced in
life you are and how you can use your experiences to help
others. This magazine and the Tommy Atkins Centre have
been created on this premis alone.
have worth, because they know what's of value in this world
and they're prepared to work for it.
Most of all, just remember however hard life is, or however
hard your challenge is just keep trying and you will succeed.
If you still haven’t succeeded, maybe the time just hasn’t been
right or you haven’t been ready to succeed. But it will come,
Just keep trying and don’t give up.
Perseverance is a Christian virtue. The apostle Paul writes
about it: he was tempted to give up his missionary work
because it was so hard, but he kept going. Without his
perseverance, you would not be reading this.
As veterans, it is quite often the case where we feel like giving
up. We no longer have the strength to continue fighting. But
thankfully, for the very large majority, they find that bit of
soldier/ airman or sailor deep down inside that manages to
bring forward the surivial instinct.
Just recently, I, or should I say we, have been challenged to
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 19 |

WORCESTER CyCLE RIDE
Local man commemorates sacrifice made by the
people of Worcestershire during World War One
• Local man, David Waite, to
commemorate the Centenary
of the Armistice with a bike
ride across the County.
• David Waite hopes to cycle
to every free-standing war
memorial in the County.
• Follow David’s journey and
find out about the soldiers the
memorials remember via
www.ww1worcestershire.co.uk
Local Worcestershire man David Waite is
commemorating the Centenary of the
Armistice (effectively the end of World War
One) with a bike ride taking in most freestanding
War Memorial across the County.
Paying a personal tribute to those who fell.
David will follow 5 distinct routes on 1, 3, 5,
7, 9 May covering an estimated 350 miles
and clocking up an anticipated 30 hours in
the saddle.
Part of the Worcestershire World War One
Hundred programme the Worcestershire War
Memorial Bike Rides are supported by Ikonic
Design and Echelon Cycles. In addition to
sharing the stories of some of the men
whom the war memorials remember, David
also hopes to raise money for two local charities;
The Tommy Atkins Centre and
Remember the Fallen.
David Waite, retired soldier and road cyclist
said: “This year is the centenary of the
Armistice and I want to pay a personal tribute
to all those Worcestershire men and
women who gave their lives during World
War One. I have decided to ride to as many
of the free-standing War Memorials as these
are our last visible link we have between us
living today and those who lost their lives;
but who were born, lived and worked in
Worcestershire.
“As well as this I plan to photograph each of
these Memorials to create a photographic
legacy for the County and hope that those
choosing to support these rides through the
Just Giving page will in turn support two
local charities who work to support injured
veterans (The Tommy Atkins Centre) and
archive the stories of soldiers (Remember
The Fallen) for future generations.”
Adrian Gregson, Worcestershire World War
One Hundred Project Director said: “What a
way to remember the soldiers from
Worcestershire who gave their lives for the
Great War. We often travel to the battlefields
to visit memorials and remember those who
gave their lives so it seems fitting that David
has chosen to do this on home ground and
visit the 127 memorials right here in
Worcestershire. I look forward to following
David’s journey and hearing more about the
soldiers commemorated on our County War
Memorials.”
The routes are as follows, a full breakdown
of each can be found on www.ww1worcestershire.co.uk:
1 May 2018 – Tommy Atkins Route, 78.5
miles.
Starts Honeybourne, ends Inkberrow.
3 May 2018 – Ikonic Design Route, 51.9
miles.
Starts Elmley Castle, ends Great Malvern.
5 May 2018 – Echelon Cycles Route, 61.7
miles.
Starts Worcester, ends Hanley Castle.
7 May 2018 – Remember the Fallen Route,
110 miles
Starts Redditch & Bromsgrove, ends
Kidderminster.
9 May 2018 – Worcestershire World War One
Hundred Route, 51 miles
Starts Stourport-on-Severn, ends Bockleton.
To support the War Memorial Bike Rides
please visit;
The Tommy Atkins Centre Just Giving page:
https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/tommyatkinscentre
and
Remember the Fallen: http://www.rememberthefallen.co.uk/donate%20now/
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

Welcome, and thank you for taking time to read this
short introduction.
They say that the "Pen is mightier than the sword"
they also say Radio is "Intimate, it's direct and it's
human"
So what do you think might happen
when you combine the fastest growing
Online British Veterans
Magazines with the Biggest, most
established British Veterans Online
Radio station?
The Sandbag Times (SBT) and
Veterans Radio Net (VRN) are now
working as one, with the staff of the
SBT, most of whom are Veterans,
bringing you the news, stories and facts
that are important to UK Veterans
and their families.
In turn VRN mixes great music, great banter and
the added human touch of presenters, most of
whom are Veterans, reading out the stories, conducting
Interviews, both Live and recorded. They
cover Issues like Combat PTSD, homelessness
amongst Veterans, the community covenant and
lots more. We can also reach those who, for one
reason or another find themselves cut off from the
outside world. This is because we fully understand
what you are going through or have
been through, sometimes with little or
no support.
This Collaboration of both Pen and
Microphone is able not only to
Inform and entertain our Veteran
Family but bring it closer together
via the Live chat boards you can
find on both of our websites.
In short, the SBT and VRN are set to
become the only place Veterans will
have to go to when looking for
help or just looking for some of
the comradeship and great banter
lots of us miss after Service life.
The SBT and VRN "Our Time, Our Place, Our Voice"
| 22 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
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.
| 24 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

Veterans Breakfast Clubs
Lichfield VBC
Another great turnout at Lichfield this morning,
with 42 breakfast and a lot of newbies this morning,
it is very pleasing to see a lot of old friends
reminiscing, a great atmosphere and great company,
looking forward to next month already........
Ramsgate AFVBC
26 today at Ramsgate Wetherspoons.
Launched today
Norfolk AFVBC
About 38 at the Norfolk breakfast club.
Mansfield & Ashfield AFVBC
32 yesterday at Mansfield and Ashfield veterans
breakfast club tainted by the sad
news we received this morning about the
passing away of 1of our WW2 veterans
Roger Maywood
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 25 |

Information
A word from the Ed
Plenty going on in the Ivory
Tower this month. Apart from
juggling with magazines and
newspapers, I am also supporting
a mammoth cycle ride by our
good friend David Waite. David
is cycling around Worcestershire
over a period of two weeks
visiting every War Memorial
within the county. Let me tell
you all, there are hundreds of
them. I’m doing a little support
for him , taking pics etc. All
proceeds will be going to two
very worthy causes which you
can read about in this mag. So
what else is going on? Ah yes,
we had a great meeting this month
with Dr Jonathan Leach, the NHS
Veteran Lead England in which
we spoke about the brand new
care system for Veterans. I must
say, I am impressed. He spoke
about the system in great detail
and gave us a hoof load of info to
spread about the masses. That we
will be doing from next month. I
do have to say though, the big
thing that did impress me was the
fact that veterans can now selfrefer
using the direct contacts.
Time from start to treatment is
also greatly improved with a two
week window to be first assessed
and then just two weeks later for
further treatment. I will be
watching with much interest.
Also hot on the SBT front is the
amalgamation of Veterans Radio
Net with SBT. They have now
fully taken over the Radio duties
while Jimbo has now become our
news anchorman. You may have
noticed on the site that there is
now a video news update every
day produced by him. Big move
forward for us. The radio is in
the same place as it always has
been but there is now a full
dedicated team running it. There
is loads more going on but having
the fried brain that I’m using
doesn’t bode well. Suffice to say
we are doing extremely well, we
are very well supported by all of
you. That’s it, take care all, 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
| 26 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

SPONSORED BY:
Information
Secrets of the Spitfire
By Lance Cole
This book tells the
tale of the brilliant
aerodynamicist
Beverley Shenstone
MASc, HonFRAes,
FAIAA,AFIAS, FCASI,
HonOSTIV. As R.J.
Mitchells chief
aerodynamicist, it was Shenstone who
designed the Spitfires wing the wing that
gave the Spitfire it crucial advantage in the
Battle of Britain and beyond. A quiet man,
Shenstone never sought glory for his
work, yet in recent years he has been
credited as the man who persuaded
Mitchell to adopt the ellipse a modified
ellipse that was unique in its shape and
its combined use of two integrated
aerofoil sections. Shenstones knife-edge
shape reached far back into early
aeronautics for its inspiration. This book
also names the other forgotten Spitfire
design contributors who were Mitchells
men Mr Faddy, Mr Fear, Mr Fenner, Mr
Shirvall, a Prof Howland and others.
Black Coffee
Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa
Here’s one for my old mate Vinny. A pair of
Blues legends performing live in an absolute
belter of an album. If you like Blues, you’ll
love this.
Kelly’s Heroes
Clint Eastwood
Telly Savalas
Donald Sutherland
Yes, we’ve all seen it but what a
way to spend your bank
holiday. Probably one of my
fav war movies and certainly one of the
funniest. Go on, take a trip down TV
memory lane with this classic.
Back issues of The Sandbag Times are available to download here
!!
" ! ! ! !!
# ! ! $
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 27|

MRS FOX GOES TO WAR
Mrs Fox Goes
To War...
The Chronicles of Little Hope
1939 - 1945
Villager of the month:
Commander Codrington Shagg-Pyle, RN.
Younger brother to Little Hope’s very own Lord
Horatio Shagg-Pyle, Codrington – as a second son –
decided at an early age that it was to be a life on the
ocean wave for him and shot off to sea at the earliest
opportunity like, as they say in t’north ‘a ferret up
a drainpipe.’ Having exchanged his drainpipe for a
hornpipe, Codrington set to with a will swabbing the
decks and sampling lots of grog until he found 17
that he liked and stuck with them religiously thereafter.
Having been up there with the best of them
under Admiral Salmon and Sir John Fisher,
Codrington went on to positively distinguish himself
under Lord Jellico at Jutland. Returning a hero and
sporting an eye patch (occasionally, he still had a
right eye, it just liked to sleep more than the left one)
Codrington went on to command His Majesty’s ships
Cauldron and Rum-Runner before hopping onto the
poop deck of HMS Nancy in early 1940. There had
been no news of the Nancy for a while, her last position
having been reported as ‘going like buggery
after the blighters’ near the Bay of Biscay, until one
night...
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.
Dearest Hilda,
I am of the family Swallocks of Swaledale,
recently moved into Little Hope due to unforeseen
family circumstances. My late husband
passed on active service but due to his penchant
for gambling, well, suffice to say, one had to
downsize to pay his debts.
It seemed that village rumour was correct and that
Codrington hadn't gone down with the Nancy after
all. Lord Shagg-Pyle was as surprised as anyone to
see his younger brother appear outside the ancestral
home that evening, accompanied by a fine sea
mist and the faint aroma of ships biscuits. Lady
Shagg-Pyle just hoped he'd remembered to bring the
banana he'd promised her...
My daughter Belinda recently started working in
“the factory”, doing her bit for the war effort,
and has become rather friendly with a Miss Muff
Hawker who apparently hails from nearby and
lives on licensed premises.
Now I have nothing against people in that trade,
being partial to a small libation myself, but I do
fear Belinda’s innocence may be becoming compromised.
I just happened to be walking past a
certain licenced premises one evening, having
| 28 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk

THE CHRONICLES OF LITTLE HOPE
been taking tea with a friend who lives nearby, when I
overheard a partial conversation between two girls, I
recognised my daughter’s voice and young Miss Muff
Hawker, emanating from a darkened alleyway adjacent
to said premises. I have to say, I was rather
shocked when I heard Miss Muff Hawker say to my
daughter “Take it from me Bel, policemen have bigger
balls than firemen”, well I was even more shocked
when my daughter asked her about the difference
between policemen’s balls and firemen’s balls, so
shocked I didn’t stay to hear the answer.
So, in a nutshell, what am I to say to my daughter on
the subject of policemans balls, let alone firemen’s
balls?
Yours in shock,
Betty Swallocks
Dear Mrs Swallocks (late of Swaledale),
First of all, might I take the opportunity to welcome
you to Little Hope and to offer my deepest condolences
on the death of your husband? In these troubled
times I fear that the fate of all of us is determined
by the roll of a heavenly dice, a thought which
– given your late spouse’s penchant for gambling –
may give you some comfort.
Now that we’ve got the obligatory commiserations /
pleasantries out of the way, on to the subject in hand
– balls.
Now, as I’m sure that you’re aware, aside from one or
two slight indiscretions in my youth (six, to be precise)
I have to say that I’ve generally only ever come across
officers’ balls, and quite a few of those occasions
have been under duress if I’m to be entirely honest. I
have lost count of the times Colonel Ffinch has asked
me if I fancy holding a ball of an evening, but frankly
if I am unprepared and already engrossed in a game
of backgammon then it’s not going to happen.
In my comparative experience however – leaving
policemen and firemen aside - cavalrymen’s balls tend
to be the biggest (given that so many members of the
aristocracy are fond of a bit of horseplay, as it were)
but not the best, as there is obviously a downside to
spending twelve hours a day in the saddle, a drawback
which no amount of Ascot After-Shave lotion
can take the edge off. Infantrymen’s balls tend to be
slightly smaller but do have ‘a lot of go’ in them given
that those fine fellows are used to physical exercise in
the field and can keep it up for hours at a time. The
Gordon Highlanders’ balls are a little too gay for my
liking, I’ve never been one for fannying about and
can’t abide all that leaping up and down above
unsheathed weapons, far too dangerous given that
even a small prick can ladder one’s stockings or even
sever an artery if delivered at high speed. The
Intelligence Corps’ balls tend to be the smallest of the
lot (positively miniscule by comparison) and they like
to keep everything under wraps lest one opens one’s
mouth and inadvertently lets it all out. I won’t even
mention the Royal Lancers.
Now I am familiar with the Muff-Hawkers and should
warn you that the hostelry to which you allude is not
the most salubrious of establishments. That said, I
believe that Mrs Edith Muff-Hawker, the mother of
your daughter’s friend, has held a couple of policemans
balls there which, obviously, are going to be
quite a bit smaller than the ones I’ve occasionally held
for Colonel Ffinch and his regiment.
Firemens balls are a mystery to me, I have to admit,
never having held one, but I would imagine that they
might be deemed rather dangerous given the extreme
length of the average fireman’s hose, at least one of
which is bound to crop up and be waved about for all
and sundry to see during the course of the evening.
My advice to you, therefore, would be to take your
daughter to one side and gently explain that although
all balls are similar, the better bred the giver the bigger
the balls are likely to be and the experience is likely
to last for an infinitely longer period of time for the
receiver (of the invitation).
I do hope that this information is helpful.
Yours,
Hilda Ffinch
The Bird With All The Answers
P.S. Although new to the village, you will undoubtedly
receive an invite to the joint Police / Firemen’s dance
on Friday week at the village hall. Unfortunately I
won’t be there as Colonel Ffinch will be home on leave
and I’ve finally agreed to hold a ball for him. Have a
nice evening anyway.
H Ff.
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/hildafinch-agony-aunt
to subject your personal crisis to her
(reasonably) 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.
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 29 |

Poetry Corner
EARLY DOORS
This was when to catch him in good spirits
before the mid-evening rush and jostle,
before the calling for another bottle,
another pint, with hardly time to fill it.
Now he had the time to pass the time of day.
While the unwatched clock cut him some slack
he smoked, talked and joked as he topped up black
patient porter. Liffey water, some would say.
Don knew better, ignored their ignorance
of the Wicklow mountain source. What is true
doesn’t always go down well. Circumstance
dictates that knowledge benefits the few.
He set his clock – ten minutes ahead. Dead
on eleven he’d call time. Enough said.
Introducing Michael Woods
Michael Woods has two
poetry collections published
by Templar Poetry:
Absence Notes and
Algebra. His next, Opening
Time, will be launched in
September 2018 at The
Lamb and Flag in
Worcester and uses the
sonnet form throughout.
Three of these appear
here.
Books available here: www.michaeljwoods.me.uk
Instagram: michaelwoods_poet
CELLAR
All is ordered, ship-shape and clinical
down here – smacks something of Guernsey’s German
underground hospital. We’re learning an
unexpected lesson. Rabbinical,
Garry shows us how to reach the pinnacle
of cellar care, knows when to turn on taps
that mix the gas, can tell with just a slap
how much is in a barrel: finical.
Draymen drop depth-charge beer kegs through the hatch;
they hit the crash mat with a dead-weight thud
but don’t explode. Imagination’s match
is lit - this vault blows up and starts to flood,
becomes the Kursk with no-one left alive;
all this stricken sub can do is dive, dive, dive.
SEISIÚN – I
Ollie Roche is in his early seat,
session leader every Monday night.
Settled on the green bench-end he sips a pint
of bitter, anticipates the craic - the beat
and banter of the lads, who now he greets
as they arrive, tune up, sit in, on song:
Mark, Ally, Helen, Rupert, Beth and John.
Suddenly, the unspoken makes complete
sense as conversation turns to music -
magically, magisterially
in the alembic of charged air. The ludic
night plays on, out – immaterially
able through what’s transmuted and past change
to sing its own condition, find its range.
OPTICS
On my left, Adrian, salmon bandit
and bookies’ favourite. On my right, Steve -
red-braced (Bunter), belted FTSE pundit:
both about to do what no one would believe.
In those days Don sold Packet Ploughman’s Lunch,
a snack of crackers, silverskins and cheese.
Well, Adrian often bought a stack of these
to share with Steve, and that day said to him mid-munch:
Will you have a Powers with me? Gravitation
was defied by optics. Two bottles later, unbroken,
in words that signalled faith in levitation,
Newton’s laws reduced there to mere token,
straight-faced, drunk, Adrian turned to drink Steve’s
health:
Would you like to join me? The top shelf?
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
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 31 |