Wednesday 3 December 2008

One more statistic

Just before I went into the Cabinet meeting last night I received a phone call from Will, my son who is serving with 45 Royal Marine Commando in Helmand Province. He sounded pretty shook up, having just witnessed his first casualty in battle.

During November, five Royal Marine Commandos were killed in Afghanistan. Yesterday, Will's sargeant, who he was out on patrol with, had a leg blown off. Will was about 100 metres away at the time. Will's patrol group got this lad airlifted out, and then went in search of the Taliban forces who had attacked the patrol. It seems they got two of them, though, as is usually the case, the rest just disappeared.

My mind really wasn't on local politics after that conversation. But then, such is the nature of modern warfare, this afternoon came another phone call from Will. It seems his gran had sent him some tinned fish (!), but as everyone knows, you can't eat tuna without mayonnaise, so I have to head off to Sainsbury's to buy some mayo in a plastic bottle to send out! He also wants tinned mackerel, some Doritos and Nobby's Nuts, whatever they are.

It's just so surreal.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mike
When does his tour finish?
I kind of know how you feel as we have had our own share of tragedy in Afganistan this year.
You must be increcibly proud of him.
Gill

Anonymous said...

As you sit in your little global warming alarmist eu government fanatical insular anti DFC contemptuous "bunker", perhaps you should take time to read the comments in response to your pathetic drivel in the Nothern Echo letters page. Try thinking for yourself, and don't be so utterly offensive when trying to articulate your opinion.

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/features/letters/3949235.Climate_change/

Anonymous said...

"Climate change is caused by man. That is a fact". Please explain how it changed before mankind was on the planet then. Mug.

Anonymous said...

I wondered why you were such a muppet but then I saw that you're a Lib Dem. Oh, and if you find this offensive, stop being offensive to people in regional newspapers based on political opinion, you small minded insular intellectually challenged Berkshire mug.

Mike Barker said...

Dear Anonymous, your three posts tell us all we need to know about global warming and the problems we face in dealing with this issue. It's such a shame that there aren't more people like you around. We need your considered and balanced view on these matters.
Or maybe what I think is that posting anonymously - and three times, to make us think there's not just one of you flat-earthers out there - is the act of a coward.

Mike said...

Not just posting anonymously, but posting anonymously on this particular blog post. Oh dear.

Anonymous said...

I think that the anonymous poster must consider the nature of this particular blog entry and treat such a topic with respect.
I cannot imagine what Mike feels like with a son in such an area and I sincerely hope that Mikes son and all other service personnel are back home very soon safe and well.

Anonymous said...

Where have all the good guys gone I wonder?
If people don't like your version of events in the paper then write their version and contest yours in a like manner.
I way raised staunch labour but that means nothing these days with the old labour principles having been thrown out and sold out by Blair and his cronies under the mis-nomer 'new labour'
Therefore I am thinking about joining the loony party (can'tquite bring myself to join lib-dems or conservatives!)
I may never agree with you on politics, Mike, but at least you are big enough and ugly enough (your own words to me on another forum) to stand up and take what life throws at you AND apologise if proven wrong.The sign of a fine political mind. just don't loose sight of that.
By the way i'm posting anon simply because my password appears to have gone awol read disgusted of darlo for my i.d. or , on another forum disgustedcabby.
Finally good luck to your son serving overseas at this perilous time.

Anonymous said...

NOT THE GUY WHO POSTED THE FIRST THREE ANON BY THE WAY