Loss of Military Life - 2 hours on the front page then relegated

[GLOC]

I noticed with much sadness that we have lost another 2 servicemen and injured 2 more in a helicopter crash in Bagdhad yesterday on the BBC News Page at 09:49.

I have been back to the site again and seen that the story has been relegated to a second level story within 2 hours.

I know that Joe public isn't that bothered (or so it appears) about what goes on out in Iraq and Afghanistan and therefore the media companies don't write or promote the stories accordingly, but to see that the French Militants damaging the TGV lines or the 2 stupid girls who went to Ghana on a 'free holiday' have been found guilty, take precedence on the front page of the BBC News site, really pisses me off. Also to rename the article " Two dead in Iraq helicopter crash" takes away the fact that it was UK troops/servicemen that were killed and not just a 'normal' helicopter crash.

RIP guys and get well the injured...

And relax...

[stevechesh]

Unfortunately Gareth, it's just not that newsworthy. French trains being sabotaged is obviously more important. The same happened when my friends died after their Lynx helicopter was shot down over Basra. . . .

I received this in an email today. . . . . .

IT’S CHRISTMAS DAY ALL IS SECURE

It was the night before Christmas
He lived all alone
In a one bedroom house made of plaster and stone
I had come down the chimney with presents to give
And to see just who in this home did live

I looked all about
A strange sight i did see
No tinsel no presents not even a tree
No stocking by the mantle, just boots filled with sand
On the wall hung pictures of far distant lands
With medals and badges, awards of all kinds
A sober thought came through my mind

For this house was different it was dark and dreary
I found the home of a soldier, once I could see clearly
The soldier lay sleeping silent alone curled up on the floor
In this one bedroom home

The face was so gentle the room in such disorder
Not how I pictured a lone British soldier
Was this the hero of whom I'd just read
Curled up on a poncho, the floor for a bed?

I realised the families that I saw this night
Owed their lives to these soldiers who were willing to fight
Soon round the world the children would play
And grownups would celebrate a bright Christmas day

They all enjoy freedom each month of the year
Because of the soldiers like the one lying here
I couldn't help wonder how many alone
On a cold Christmas eve in a land far from home

The very thought brought a tear to my eye
I dropped to my knees and started to cry
The soldier awakened and I heard a rough voice
“Santa don't cry, this life is my choice. I fight for freedom
I don't ask for more, my life is my god, my country, my Corps”

The soldier rolled over and drifted to sleep
I couldn't control it, I continued to weep

I kept watch for hours so silent and still
And we both sat and shivered from the cold nights chill
I didn't want to leave on that cold dark night
This guardian of honour so willing to fight

Then the soldier rolled over with a voice soft and pure
Whispered “carry on Santa it’s Christmas day, all is secure”
One look at my watch and I knew he was right
“Merry Christmas my friend and to all a good night”


This poem was written by a peace keeping soldier stationed overseas the following is his request I think it is reasonable.

Please would you do me the kind favour of sending this to as many people as you can

Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our British service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities.
Lets try in this small way to pay a tiny bit back of what we owe!

[GLOC]

Originally Posted by stevechesh

I received this in an email today. . . . . .
snip...Excellent poem...

Me too, already on its way around cyberspace.

[chrisch]

Its not big news because its not unexpected. Service people get killed in the line of duty as it is an integral part of the job. I don't think its that no-one cares TBH. I feel genuinely sad these people have lost their lives even though I don't think they have any business out there in the first place.

Chris

[CatB]

I throughly agree with you.

In addition to the lack of respect it shows those men, those of us who have friends or family serving (or who have / will serve) out there, often use the BBC news to keep track of these things.

Yes, NOK will have been informed but that doesn't mean it will have filtered down to everyone who cares about those men. I would much rather discover via the news that there was an incident that may have involved someone I care about so I could at least get in touch with them / their family to check, than not know for weeks or months that my letters were being re-routed to a military hospital (or worse).

I know that the MOD has it's own news website but far more people will see the BBC news.

RIP guys and a speedy recovery to the injured.

[stevechesh]

Originally Posted by chrisch

Its not big news because its not unexpected. Service people get killed in the line of duty as it is an integral part of the job. I don't think its that no-one cares TBH. I feel genuinely sad these people have lost their lives even though I don't think they have any business out there in the first place.

Chris

Actually it's not an integral part of the job. The idea is to stay alive and kill the others. . . . .

[milldog]

It's a sad state that we have soldiers in this situation with little or no plan to extract them. i had to speak to a commanding officer yesterday and as we were talking the subject turned to the sand pit

his unit had come back from a three month tour with 9 deaths and over 80 battle casualty's 16 life changing

they give up so much for little credit

thanks for the poem very good and off to cyberspace lets take some time this year to remember those who are not with there family's and don't complain

Graham

[dry suit diver]

yes it is terrible that soldiers are getting killed on tours of duty,(especially when they go sent there by a spineless wonker and haven't been pulled out yet by an even more spineless wonker) but they are in the army and a hazard of the job.

I dont want to take the thread away from the original post but whats more disturbing is the fact that every week in the UK on average 2 construction operatives die yet we hear nothing in the news about this or calls from the press for safer sites etc.

on site here we have 3 guys whom have sons in afghanistan and all have been injured but even they are saying that their sons accept the risk of being in an operational theatre and that sometimes yes you don't make it home from duty.


just my 2c, and for what its worth i thinkm the boys in Iraq and afghanistan are doing a cracking job under extreme pressure from a government that isn't supplying them properly with equipment/protection and in some cases not enough ammunition.

[StevenSeagull]

I have to say myself and alot of my mates felt massivly undervalued when we came back from afghanistan this year. the fact that out of a company of 80 or so blokes operating on our own in the deep south, 12 got injured and 2 good friends got killed, none of which was mentioned in the papers.

One close friend was killed in the assault on Jugroom fort, of which the infamous Apache rescue mission was launched to recover his body. Not only was the tiny segment of media coverage devoted entirly to the Apaches (which is an awesome bit of kit and got us out the shit uncountable times) but no mention at all was made to the 80 of us who all fought on the ground that day, and although the piolets were awarded well deserved military crosses, the 3 Royal Marines of Zulu that hung on the sides of the helo's recieved nothing whatsoever.

I'm not expecting a fanfair through the streets, but to come home after spilling your guts for 7 months and finding everyone bitching about it being an illegal war and more concerned about 'big brother' then the men and women fighting for their country is certainly not a pleasent experience. Regardless of the point of the war, our blokes are out there and deserve support and above all, just a little bit of respect. I confess i no longer read newspapers, because i don't care about 99% of the stories in them being more concerned with 'real news' and whats happening to my collegues in Her Majesty's Armed Forces

[Cussy]

This is a BBC online thing.

The news of the loss of soldiers was the second story on the lunchtime news, second only to the loss of a couple of CDs, ahead of the really surprising story that the French are on strike, the "stupid girls" and even Princess Diana.
Rob