[jambutty]

Please spare a few seconds on Saturday to remember the men and women who answered the call to arms in the country’s hour/s of need.

There were many who paid the ultimate price or came back damaged or were virtually abandoned by the government of the day after being given a demob suit and a railway ticket home.

And then to add insult to injury the Quango set up to administer the scheme refused to allow the Veteran’s Award to be awarded posthumously. And to really rub it in, the lapel badge was made in China and it was badly made with two dents in it. The accompanying certificate was anonymous too.

My father served in WW1, was wounded and then spent the bulk of WW2 in a prisoner of war camp in Germany and died in 1948.

In spite of the government’s best efforts to insult the veterans I have amended the certificate to make it more personal and made my own tribute to my dad at http://uk.geocities.com/dqmcxh@btinternet.com/last.html You will need your speakers turned on.

The Last Post is beautifully played by Steven Fletcher (Ex Royal Artillery Band).