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11th December 2011, 07:02 AM
#51
Thank you Tony,
Youve said it all, You have stepped up to the Mark.
Let us hope that The Parliementarian who by his own choice was critical in the Worst way possible of the Heroe,s of the Murmansk run, or the Road to Russia.
I thank you for writing your Letter, even after all these years These so called representatives in Parliament do not have a clue on the Terrible Toll of the Murmansk Run and what all those men had to endure. my very best Glenn Baker
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11th December 2011, 12:54 PM
#52
On Page 31 of The Mail on Sunday, Peter Hitchens has written an excellent reply to The Right Hon. Andrew Robathan comments on the Arctic Medal.
Sorry, but I dont know how to put the link on here but someone will be able to I'm sure.
I'm still searching my computer for his reply to my email some days ago without result.
In his reply to, I think the QM 's email he stated he would only reply to his constituants requests directly ( Parliamentary Cop Out jargon) other requests with be forwarded to "His Office"
As his reply has vanished from my computer it has crossed my mind that someone from "His Office" has been in it and deleted it. Heaven Forbid or perhaps I'm getting paranoid
John Albert Evans
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11th December 2011, 01:49 PM
#53
Mr HITCHENS comments are here, Albert.................
.
.
.The Arctic was full of risk, Mr Robathan - as my father knew well My late father spent two years on the Arctic convoys during the Second World War.
He would talk only about one moment - Boxing Day 1943, when his cruiser, HMS Jamaica, helped to sink the German raider Scharnhorst off North Cape. Otherwise he would not speak about it, suggesting various books that I might read if I really wanted to know.
Like most of his comrades on those convoys, he did not live to hear the words of Defence Minister Andrew Robathan on the subject.
I don’t think he would have been surprised, or would have wasted much anger on such a person. His generation of Servicemen were more restrained than we can imagine, and he had personally experienced the endless ingratitude of governments to fighting men, in many different ways.
But I am not so ready to let the slight pass. Mr Robathan, pictured, has suggested that a decoration for the remaining Arctic veterans would be comparable to the sort of joke medals issued by Colonel Gaddafi. He added that medals should be awarded only for campaigns involving 'risk and rigour', implying that these things weren’t involved on the Murmansk run.
Now he says he didn’t mean to cause offence. Doesn’t he know the old saying that a gentleman never insults anyone unintentionally?
Well, I wouldn’t myself be surprised, or specially grieved, were Mr Robathan to be upset by what follows. How is it that a man with a history degree and an apparently distinguished Service background should know so little about history, and even less about warfare? Maybe he has been concentrating too hard on claiming his rather generous expenses. Maybe he is too anxious to please the smooth civil servants who find the whole Arctic medals business a tiresome nuisance.
Let’s hope Mr Robathan isn’t ever awarded any decorations for the rest of his life, let alone a knighthood (Whitehall toadies quite often get such things), or some of us might remember that bit about 'risk and rigour'.
*
PETER HITCHENS.
Last edited by Captain Kong; 11th December 2011 at 01:52 PM.
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11th December 2011, 07:33 PM
#54
The ScottishHousing and TransportMinister has written to the UK Governmentdemanding that they keep there promise to honour Veterans of the Arctic Convoyswith a medal. as reported in the Sunday Post today Dec 11th. on page 13. On page 15 of the same issue, Ted Brocklebank had 2 full columns, including a photo of 91 year old Eddie Grenfell, the leader of the Arctic Medal Campaign. I imagine it will be possible to find these items on the internet. I personally will be sending a complaint to Herr Robathan, it seems one of his Medals was for running a campfor prisoners in Iraq!
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11th December 2011, 08:49 PM
#55
Sorry Bob Fairly
As I said many times" If you have half the brain to be an MP, that's all you need."!!!
This country will never get better while we have brainless people next door who told me they voted for a tory lad, Because he was better looking than the SNP lad. What crazy people live in thia country.
The best comment I read this week was about a young kid asking his father " Is it true that we have more pandas in scotland than tory mp's ??.
This mp should be sent graze on a lonly isle some where off greenland.
I wonder if any other MP's agree with him or as usual keep their head down. What an ASS!!
Remember the alamo next election.
Me I am realy P*****d off . I still think of our member who passed over the bar, who was on PQ17 and he never talked about the time or blamed anyone. As he was doing his bit..
All I can say "Sorry Bob the british public have let you down again"
Is there any way we can support this cause.
Ron the batcave
Last edited by Ron B Manderson; 11th December 2011 at 08:52 PM.
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11th December 2011, 09:59 PM
#56
Thats right Ron,
Bob died unrecognised by these Bastards.He was a giant amongst Men. Not like the slime in Parliament.
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11th December 2011, 10:34 PM
#57
Minister apologises:
Minister apologises to Arctic Convoy veterans he compared to Gaddafi lackeys
Read more: Minister apologises to Arctic Convoy veterans he compared to Gaddafi lackeys - mirror.co.uk
Commander Eddie Grenfell, 91, who is leading the veterans’ fight, refused to accept the apology, saying: “It’s not the first time this man has insulted us.”
K.
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11th December 2011, 11:06 PM
#58
Please consider not only writing the the Ministers office but also to the Prime ministers Office complaining about the Behaviour of his minister, This man should not be able to get away from this in anyway what-so-ever. When the Elections take place in his area make sure people in his Electorate know what he thinks about our Arctic heroe,s.
You can even get on his electorate and vote him out. all the best Glenn Baker Australia
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12th December 2011, 01:59 AM
#59
MR Andrew Robathan Conservative M.P.
An m.p.who employs a family member and claims there salary from the uk tax payer, Claimed the maximum £24,006 for a second home on his parliamentary expences, Was criticized by fellow M.P.s For claiming expences for trivial books and journals which cost a few pounds.August 2009 was criticized by fellow M.P.s for calling for M.P.s wages to be increased to £110,000 a year without the new constituency of south leicester being created would not be an M.P.ex OXFORD Chappie.Voted very strongly against equal gay rights a real gem. The Merchant Seaman who sailed in the Atlantic convoys would never have dreamt of taking a family member onboard, Never gave much thought about wages just a prayer that they would return home, Were lucky to get time to read a book or a journal, 1,000s of Convoy seaman's familys were put on 30 day survivors pay when there ship went down and basically had there pay stopped because very few survived. If any seaman on the Atlantic convoy run was lucky enough to be saved by any comrade gay or otherwise he would embrace him and thank the lord. MR Andrew Robathan mp you are a disgrace to your country and the seaman who endured and gave the ultimate sacrifice in Atlantic Convoys. Terry. name and address supplied in this email i sent him today. Lest we and you forget.
Last edited by Red Lead Ted; 12th December 2011 at 02:10 AM.
{terry scouse}
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12th December 2011, 05:14 AM
#60
Digressing slightly from the core of this subject if I may?
I have read the details of the latest EU agreement on the financial situation in EU.
Your PM has refused to join saying there is no benifit for UK.
I think I may be right in sayiing that since WW he is only one of a very few who on the face of it have put UK first!
Is this the begining of a new UK, will he attempt to put the Great back into GB?
If so then just maybe ministers such as the one in question will at last be made to answer to the elctorate.


Happy daze John in Oz.
Life is too short to blend in.
John Strange R737787
World Traveller

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