I have only last night watched this tale and am not grateful that the end came as it did.
My emotions are such that if I was standing in a mass grave area I would dehydrate at the thought of so much loss to so many families. We were being presented with the side that 'soldiers' are not there to question the rights and wrongs. If they could then perhaps we could not be involved in much of what we have found ourselves. Generally the candidates are wanting to do good for somewhere. That is why we have Engineers and the likes. Medics today must be considered very brave since they never used to be in the actual combat areas that much in my days. Field ambulance groups went on exercise but the exercising units had personal medics from the units who were full time medics in barracks on exercise and on patrol. Times have changed now and perhaps over time a new breed of medic has come through over the last 25-30 years. Well done to them.
Were we not being made privy to that letter from the grave that was confidential? Or were we being told what she felt deep down about her family and that his awful thing would be around for some time. My thought and my emotions were telling me she had done her DUTY.
Realistically I doubt if this letter from the grave is written at such a stage although my time was 34 years ago. I only ever remember once being involved with filling in the back of my pay book when going to Cyprus in 1974. I dont think I even did it for my times in N.I. I feel that it is a renewable on deployment part of a soldiers preparation.
I did have some nostalgia [a sadness in this case]. The military in general is a very good family but hopefully this does not behaving badly on behalf of or wrongly as Stacey's father displayed.
The Pirbright scenes with real recruit soldiering going on was a treat to see with some showing learners marching noon skills. Lacey herself did carry out the few moments with realism and seemed confident enough during what we saw of her.
How we know her EE character is indeed the one we have to see taken down a peg or two. It is not always fully managed as the saying goes you can take the.... outof but you cant .....etc. It sometime rises to the surface.
I see also complaints that this is a form of advertising and recruitment. Perhaps it was but not a bad thing. It puts out there many of the things the military do wish to have and might want not to even waste time even a long weekend sorting. The NCOs were shown as human and I know that all Corporals are not b......s. The forces do try to ensure that a certain make of person gets this most important of jobs. Unlike teachers for egample if they do not do well they get moved on.
Seeing all the variations of badges and headdress and in some cases colored trousers and pullovers was nostalgic. Hearing the voice of a Scottish instructor presenter at the early part of the induction and later the Northern Irish Sgt from the Royal Irish at first giving Molly a tongue lashing for her sloppy kit carrying in expected typical form and then the almost tender lines on other occasions.
The smile at the beginning of the torture about felling being in movie would be real for any one having seen 'Officer and a Gentleman'. Something we cannot get away from.
Viewers should also realise that all the Interviewers were not being shown as fawning over the recruitment of new cannon fodder.
That we did see other than the normal items of uniform on so many individuals led me to think that some real military were playing parts for our benefit.
If any of you do have an inkling to see a wonderful portrayal of a Senior NCO showing all those things we seem to love or hate do try and see 'Guns at Batasi'. This stars Richard Attenborough from 1964. It shows quite often on UK main channels [probably 4 or 5] or do whatever to see it although not very many people seem to wish to share it. I have always thought his portrayal was a work of wonderful observation.
All in all although much was stereotypical, family, London, drunks, islamic 'adherents' who drink and cheat this was for me a genuinely a piece of emotional nostalgia looking back at my [only 13] years in that family.
Now every work related injury for those coming off long incapacity might be looked into.
Were we being fed a little 'in' joke when Molly speeds down to see her mum on the regimental bike. Mind you I dont know what Keogh Barracks is like today right enough but it was sprawl in my younger days 72 for a longish course so that mode of transport could be a bonus instead of doing everything at a trot.
Do not wish to be unkind to Molly's friend. Laura???. I think she would have lost a few pounds after 14 weeks. Over skinny people put weight on of course.
My training period was longer than that mentioned as we had basic followed by trade then the pass out if we did indeed pass. It now seems that all basic training probably 8 weeks is done under one roof so as to speak and then passing out to the various arms within the military for the trade training.
My old unit is in Catterick at the moment training new 'tankies' but still managing full time commitment in the 'middle east'. I constantly think of those people I do not know and the draped coffins coming back always break my heart.
I can no longer watch the poppy's drom at the end of the British Legion remembrance evening.
I do however force myself to watch anything about the Holocaust in a form of self flagellation. I know that but for the grace of something or other Britain just missed going down that road.
Hopefully this does make a few of our younger population think about the military as an honest way of life if not a full career it may make them very useful to the nation in ways. Remember the military has a higher standard now than in my day. I doubt if I would have got in under the requirements today. So I do salute everyone of them and hope they do the job honestly and protect each other as they have tried to do for so many years. I do see that the military can have a use in building countries. My father was involved in building roads and bridges in Kenya 1953-55. This was happening while the MAU MAU were at work. We had building going on in Sudan for many years. Our field hospitals could do much work in nearby troubled areas giving much training to the Molly's etc and other types of trades personnel.
Sorry that was so long. If I was ever having to write a 'letter from the grave' The conflict I was going to would be over.
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