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Hero Prince Harry rescued underfire
comrades in Afghanistan by calling in bomber jets using the anonymous call sign
Widow Six-Seven, The Sun can reveal.
Acting as an emergency air controller, Harry helped crush a Taliban attack and
kill about 30 enemy fanatics. The young prince also saw off an enemy raid on
his tiny lookout post by leaping on to a heavy machine gun and blasting the
rebels away. It was the first time he had ever used the fearsome weapon. Harry
sent bursts of fire across 550 yards of no-man’s land - with only distant
puffs of smoke from enemy rifles to serve as his target.
- The Sun, February 29, 2008
Australia
Day (January 26th) was marked by several events in London in 2008. New Britain staged their traditional
ceremony at the bust of Admiral Arthur Phillip (the founder of Sydney and the
first Governor of Australia) in the City of London, where a floral tribute was
laid by Mr. Dennis Delderfield, the National Chairman of the organisation. The
Australian National Anthem was then sung, before a march headed by an
Australian flag-bearer set off for the near-by St.Katherine Cree Church where a special service
to mark Australia Day was held. Throughout the day special Australia Day
celebrations were also held at the Australian-themed Walkabout pub near Temple which was attended by an
estimated 2000 people - most adorned with the REAL Australian flag! The
Australian National Anthem was constantly played throughout the evening - as
well as the New Zealand National Anthem at the end of the night! Apart from
masses of expat Australians and New Zealanders and the inevitable
“Pommies”, there were also a number of South Africans and at least
one South-West African present at this crowded event - thus confirming the
continuing friendship and unity between the pan-British people around the
globe.
Pictures [from left to right]: a
few of the people attending New Britain’s
ceremony at the bust of Admiral Arthur Phillip; Mr. Dennis Delderfield laying
the floral tribute at the bust; revellers at the Walkabout Australia Day celebrations later during the evening.
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A battalion of
soldiers received a heroes' welcome last night after a six-month tour of duty
in Iraq. Their
families cheered as the 160 men from the 1Bn Royal Horse Artillery arrived at
Tidworth Camp, Wiltshire. Lance Bombardier Chris Sweeney, 25, hugged his wife
Abbie, 30, and their 18-month old twins Bethany and Sophia. L/Bdr Sweeney,
from Nuneaton, Warks, said: "We were
guarding the guns 24/7 and sometimes it was up to fifty degrees. It was
awful, but that's the job we are doing." Half the battalion performed
strike and search operations south of Basra, while the
rest of the troops were sent to Az Zubayr in southern Iraq. Alex Gray,
the captain, said: "We killed 18 insurgents without losing one of our
own. The younger lads did very well. They did their jobs and were very
brave."
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- Daily Telegraph, November 29, 2007
A recent disclosure by a former
British chief of the defence staff about discussions concerning a possible
military intervention in Zimbabwe with Tony Blair has been taken up by the
Zimbabwean regime as 'proof' of 'British sinister motives'. General Sir Charles
Guthrie, who served between 1997 and 2001 and was later ennobled, mentioned
such a discussion and said his advice to the former British Prime Minister was
to "hold hard, you'll make it worse". Now George Charamba, President
Robert Mugabe's spokesman, claimed that Zimbabwe had deployed troops to combat a possible British
"invasion" and also accused Gordon Brown of trying to assassinate key
members of the regime. He added that only Britain's fear of the firepower of
Mugabe's forces had averted the invasion 'because of the combat power of our
army, drawn "from the finest elements of different military
traditions"......Observers have pointed out that Zimbabwe's
hyperinflation has left the Mugabe regime unable to feed its troops, let alone
deploy them in battle. One pilot who fled to South Africa told how Zimbabwe's once effective air force is all but grounded.
- Southern Cross Africa News, November 25, 2007
According to Mark Gevisser, the
latest biographer of “new” South African president Thabo Mbeki, the
ANC leader and his agents are actively canvassing support for him to win yet
another term as party chief. Asked why Mbeki seemed so desperate to cling to
the ANC's leadership, Gevisser said: "Why? I can only speculate. Firstly,
[because] he doesn't believe his work is done; and then, he has actually been
in control for 15 years. That doesn't mean that he thinks the country is his
personal property. But 15 years is a very long time, combined with a certain
power. Not necessarily to abuse, but the power to change things. Thirdly, and I
think perhaps the most important, is that he and the people in his circle who
are insisting that he should make himself available as president, honestly
believe that a Zuma presidency would turn South Africa into another
neo-colonial African basket case."
- Southern Cross Africa News, November 19, 2007
Iraqi army
officers in Basra are preparing
to make a desperate plea for the return of British troops to patrolling the
city to stem rising sectarian killings and political violence. Up to 40 people
are being killed each day in Iraq's second
city, say officers who have set a two-week deadline for security to be improved
before they approach the British for help. The Iraqis say that unless the rate
of killings can be curtailed, they will have no choice but to call in British
forces, at present confined to an airfield on the outskirts of Basra, to resume
their previous role. "We can't control Basra any
more," said one Iraqi colonel, who disclosed that political divisions were
leading to bloodshed even within the ranks of the army. "Our forces in the
streets don't obey us - they obey their parties." He described a recent
outbreak of fighting at a checkpoint manned by troops from rival Shia political
factions. One of the soldiers was shot. Neighbourhoods in Basra have been
divided between the two factions and another Shia grouping, the Al Fadila
party, according to the officer, who also pointed to continuing sectarian
killings of Sunnis, a minority group in the south. He and his colleagues
resolved last week to seek British help if the violence continued unabated.
"We stand between two fires," he said. "The first is the shame
of telling the British that we need help, because the people will consider us
as losers. The second is the number of the dead people? We have drawn up a plan
to try to make the situation good in two weeks. If we can't do it we will ask
for help from the British before another 1,000 soldiers leave Iraq. If there are
no British left, we will be executed by the militias." Sunni Muslims in Basra are also
mourning the absence of British patrols. Ahmed al-Dulaimy, a member of the
Sunni Islamic party, told of more than 50 people killed by Shia militiamen in
Al Zubair city and Abu Al Khaseeb after being kidnapped at checkpoints manned
by Iraqi security forces. "The British were watching the checkpoints to
stop the kidnapping and killings, but now the Shia militia do what they want to
do and no one can stop them," he said. Major Mike Shearer, the British
military spokesman in Basra, insisted
that the security situation in the city was showing signs of improvement.
"We don't patrol in the city but we still use it as a transit route to
other operations," he said. "We have done this without any shots
being fired at us." Asked if British forces would countenance returning to
the centre of Basra if asked to
do so by Iraqi security forces, he said: "We will go into the centre of Basra if we are
invited to do so, and if we feel it is necessary. We are still responsible for
the security in Basra but we don't
really need an invitation."
- Sunday Telegraph, October 7, 2007
Argentina has reacted furiously to plans by Britain to lay claim to vast new tracts of potentially oil and
gas-rich territories in the seas off the Falklands. In a
move likely to add new heat to the long-running diplomatic dispute, British
officials are preparing to submit a bid to the United Nations to prove that
thousands of extra square miles of the surrounding ocean floor are geographically
part of the islands. The claim follows a new approach in international law
which holds that a nation's legitimately-held territory can extend up to 350
miles from its coast, if it can verify that it is part of the shoreline's
underlying continental shelf. In the case of the Falklands, that
could extend the zone of British exploration rights on the seabed well beyond
its existing 200-mile boundary. Britain's application is being filed to the UN Commission on the
Limits of the Continental Shelf, that has asked for all such claims to be
submitted for consideration by May 2009. Downing Street is
also putting in bids for territories around Ascension Island
in the mid-Atlantic, and Rockall, a tiny pinnacle more than 200 miles west of
the Hebrides. The bid on the Falklands has been prompted by British interest in the possibility of
huge oil, gas and mineral deposits thought to lie deep beneath the South Atlantic.
Last night the Foreign Office insisted there was no certainty that the bid,
being prepared by the UK Hydrographic Office, would go ahead. "We are
considering the possibility of making a submission to the UN Commission on the
Limits of the Continental Shelf, but no firm decision has been taken yet,"
said a spokesman. However, Mike Summers, spokesman for the Falkland Islands
Legislative Council, told The Sunday
Telegraph that the studies had been under way for several years.
- Sunday Telegraph, September 23, 2007
Greeted by hundreds of admirers and
bouquets of flowers, Queen Elizabeth II strolled past thatched-roof houses in
historic Jamestown Friday in a visit that evoked both the U.S. colonial past and the early years of her own reign. The
monarch's visit marked the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown by English settlers who sailed for five months across the Atlantic in
search of gold and silver. Despite travails including a scarcity of food and
clean water, the colonists established the first permanent British settlement
in North America and named it after King James I. The Queen, wearing a teal
coat and matching hat, was joined by Vice-President Dick Cheney as she toured
houses and a church created as replicas of buildings from 1607 settlement. The
Queen also viewed rusted armor and other original items at an archeological
site. For some Virginians old enough to have been in the area in 1957, the
excitement around the visit brought a sense of deja vu. Queen Elizabeth, then a
young mother who had assumed the throne just five years earlier, came to Jamestown for its 350th anniversary as well. "Everyone thought
she was so beautiful and charming," said Sarah Watkins Williams, who was
12 at the time. But she added, "I think it's even more exciting to see her
this time." Williams, 62, and Hugh DeSemper, 80, watched Thursday evening
as a horse-drawn carriage took the queen through the historic area of Williamsburg, Virginia. Both saw her go by in a similar procession when the Queen
was just 31. But one difference they noticed was the much higher level of
security. While many of the events 50 years ago were open to the public, the
Queen's audiences this time have been much more restricted-a limitation that
annoyed some tourists who hoped to see Queen Elizabeth in person. Bob Buettner,
55, and his wife and daughter did not get to see the carriage ride despite
waiting for two hours. "We kept asking people when she was going to arrive
but no one would give us a straight answer. I think because of security they were
so secretive about it," said Buettner. In addition to Cheney and retired
Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the Jamestown visit included volunteers for the settlement's historic
society and several reporters. Virginia held a lottery to pick members of the public who could join
the Queen on her walk around the state capitol building in Richmond Thursday, although people were allowed to sit on the lawn on
blankets and watch from afar. Many were not deterred by the tight security and
long waits, including
11-year-old Tristan Terrell, who was visiting Williamsburg on a tour organized by her school in Alabama. "She's got a million outfits," Terrell said,
adding it was "really cool" that Queen Elizabeth had travelled so
far. The school group was on its way to try to see the Queen at the
Williamsburg Governor's Palace, a reconstruction of a colonial-era building
where Thomas Jefferson once lived. The Queen said later said she was moved by
the Jamestown archeological site that allowed her to imagine
"something of the experience of those early settlers when they first made
landfall on the James River."
- report sent by Bob Vinnicombe, Sydney, Australia, May 5, 2007
Veterans
of the Falklands Islands Defence Force march through Port Stanley to commemorate their role in the
Falklands War after a ceremony on 2nd April 2007.
- Daily Telegraph, April
3, 2007
As unlikely as it sounds, the people
of Yaohnanen and surrounding villages worship 85-year-old Prince Philip as a
God. They believe him to be the son of an ancient spirit who inhabits a nearby
mountain, on the island of Tanna. Despite worshipping the Prince for half a century, the
villagers - all of whom are illiterate - only learnt recently that his birthday
falls on June 10. Ambitious plans are now underway to celebrate the occasion
this year. There will be dancing and a feast. Chief Jack Naiva has acquired an
immaculate Union Flag, which will be run up a flagpole and saluted. But the
celebrations will only really be complete if Prince Philip himself turns up,
say the tribe’s people. "You must tell King Philip that I'm getting
old and I want him to come and visit me before I die," said the
white-haired chief, who thinks he is about 80. "If he can't come perhaps
he could send us something: a Land Rover, bags of rice or a little money."
Determining exactly how these people came to believe in the Prince's divinity
is very difficult. It appears that at some point in the 1950s, they melded
Christian beliefs in a returning messiah with the respect accorded His Royal
Highness by the British authorities in what was then the colony of New Hebrides.
Their veneration of the Prince fitted comfortably with an ancient prophecy that
a Tanna man would venture far away in search of a powerful woman to marry. The
Prince's cult-like status received a boost when he paid a state visit to the New Hebrides in
1971, resplendent in a white naval uniform as he and the Queen steamed into the
capital, Port Vila. It continued to flourish even after “Vanuatu” was granted independence by Britain and France in 1980. The Prince is well aware that he is the subject of
distant adoration. He has allowed his framed portraits to be sent to Chief Jack
and the band of believers. The first, a black and white print now badly damaged
by damp, appears to date from the early 1960s. The second, which shows the
Prince holding a traditional "nal-nal" club, is dated 1980, while the
most recent was sent in 2000. Correspondence from Buckingham Palace was also highly prized by the tribe, but humidity and
nibbling mice have long since destroyed it. London may be half a world away from this obscure corner of Melanesia, but
villagers say the spirit of Prince Philip is close. "We can't see him, but
sometimes we hear his voice," said Chief Jack. He knows that Prince Philip
is, like him, in the twilight of his life, but Chief Jack is unfazed, believing
the Prince may be immortal. If not, the villagers might switch their allegiance
to Prince Charles or his sons. "We don't know where England is but we know he lives there and he has four children:
Charlie, Andrew, Edward and Anna [sic]," said Jimmy Nipil, a tribe member
in his thirties. "We believe England is a very special place."
- Daily Telegraph, February 19, 2007
A UK soldier killed in an explosion in southern Afghanistan has been named as Lance Bombardier James Dwyer of 29
Commando Regiment, Royal Artillery. The 22-year-old was killed on Wednesday
when his vehicle hit an anti-tank mine during a reconnaissance mission in
desert south of Garmsir, Helmand. Another serviceman was seriously hurt while two sustained
minor injuries. The seriously injured man had been operated on and was
"doing well", a Royal Marines spokesman said. Lance Bombardier Dwyer,
born and raised in South Africa, was described as a "professionally outstanding
soldier". Known as "Doobs" to his friends and colleagues, he
joined the Army in July 2003, and joined the 29 Regiment in June 2004. The MoD
described him as a "bright and intelligent young man with an infectious
sense of humour". It added he has a "passion for travel" and was
an "enthusiastic sportsman". "Very much a family man, he spoke
often of home and was especially close to his sister, also a serving soldier in
the British Army," it said. "He had proven himself a versatile and
dedicated soldier whilst deployed on exercises both in the UK and Norway, as well as on operations in Afghanistan." Lance Bombardier Dwyer's commanding officer,
Lieutenant Colonel Neil Wilson, said he "displayed all the characteristics
of a commando soldier". "He was extremely popular within the regiment
and undoubtedly would have progressed through the ranks rapidly. "James
will be missed sorely by all members of 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery,
and our thoughts and condolences go to his family and friends at this very
difficult time," he said. The Plymouth-based 29 regiment is the Close
Support Artillery Regiment that supports 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines.
- report sent by DDN, Arizona, USA, January 6, 2007
British troops
carried out a dramatic three-pronged attack on insurgents in Basra yesterday in
the biggest strike operation since the invasion of Iraq. Five
top-level terrorists were arrested, and a number of bombs - just 48 hours away
from being planted - were found in the dawn swoop. In a set-piece assault, more
than 1,000 soldiers in tanks, armoured vehicles and boats carried out
simultaneous raids into one of the toughest areas of Basra at 3am. The assault into the densely populated Al
Harthah district was launched when an "armoured fist" of 28 Warrior
armoured vehicles carrying nearly 300 troops of the Duke of Lancaster's
Regiment and 14 Challenger 2 main battle tanks stormed across the Qamart Ali
bridge. As soon as the Iraqis heard the armour approaching they opened fire
from the narrow alleyways and two-storey mud brick houses that honeycomb the
area, which is bordered on two sides by wide rivers. A barrage of rocket-propelled
grenades, hand grenades and small-arms fire rained down on the tank column as
it stormed across the bridge. American F15 fighter jets were called in by RAF
co-ordinators to conduct a low and fast fly-past of the Iraqi position as a
show of strength. Troops then returned fire with the tanks of Egypt Squadron, 2
Royal Tank Regiment using their chain guns, and the soldiers using machineguns
and SA80 assault rifles to put down fire. "All the way over the bridge we
took incoming rounds but we punched our way through and got to the other side
without casualties," said an officer. "When we went in there we knew
they would be well protected but we did have the element of surprise so they
could not bring anything heavier to fire at us." As the tanks provided
heavy covering fire, the Warriors crossed the bridge with half of them sweeping
right and the other to the left. Confronted by the narrow alleyways and
darkness, the troops, equipped with night-vision goggles, leapt out of the back
of the Warriors to accompany specialist search teams from the Royal Engineers.
The troops entered two homes where they found AK47s, 12.7mm heavy machineguns,
which can penetrate light armour, and a number of artillery shells strung
together with detonator cable that are used to make deadly roadside bombs. They
also found 66mm rockets and RPGs. The two arrested gang leaders were
handcuffed, placed in the back of the Warriors and driven back for questioning
at the main British base in Basra Air Station, eight miles outside the city. As
the tanks fought their way across the bridge a flotilla of high-speed landing
craft carrying a company of infantry conducted a daring amphibious raid on
another corner of the district known for its tribal fighting and criminality.
More than 100 soldiers from the Staffordshire Regiment were taken up the Shatt al Arab river in
eight rigid raiders and two offshore raiding craft. As the high-speed boats hit
land the troops, while under sporadic fire, waded ashore. They rapidly made
their way to houses where another two insurgents were detained. Inside the
homes the troops discovered arms and a number of "useful" documents.
The suspects were handcuffed and taken by boat back to the base at the Shatt al Arab hotel, close
to the spot where terrorists murdered four troops last month. As the raids from
the south- west and south-east took place, a large force of Scottish troops
accompanied by Danes attacked from the north. The company of 110 men from the
Black Watch in 20 armoured snatch Land Rovers with 250 men from the Danish
battalion in lightly armoured vehicles drove at speed into al Harthah. Without
a shot being fired they grabbed the fifth and final insurgent to be arrested.
Brig Tim Evans, the overall commander of the raid, deliberately deployed four times
the number of troops usually used for a strike operation to ensure that none of
the suspects got away. "If you strike at just one person another four or
five will disappear for months, so we decided to go in all at one go,"
said Major Charlie Burbridge, the British military spokesman.
- Daily Telegraph, December 9, 2006
There was a
vivid moment a couple of years ago during the first stage of the British intervention
to support the struggling government of Sierra Leone. Its prime
minister asked a visiting British politician, in the presence of journalists,
if it might be possible for his country to become part of the British
Empire again. Most of those present believed that the Sierra Leonese
leader was serious. The problems of African societies are so huge, so
deep-rooted, that the few honest and decent politicians despair. They grasp at
any straw to rescue their countries. It is a tragic spectacle and few experts
see a way out. When the West does intervene in any African society, it is
essential to stay for at least 10 years or more to have any hope of making
lasting progress. The Americans failed miserably in Somalia a decade ago,
because they treated it as a short term problem. The British Army training team
in Sierra Leone has done a
good job, but the lasting need is for civil assistance - to teach people to
collect taxes, administer courts and run infrastructure projects. We are
talking, of course, about something embarrassingly close to neo-colonialism.
Many Africans would be delighted if there was more of it about.
- Daily Mail, November 22, 2006
The
Rock of Gibraltar, home to 500 footballers and 160 Barbary apes, is heading into
next season’s UEFA Cup and eventual inclusion in qualifying for Euro
2012, following a landmark ruling in Lausanne. Not since the
Gibraltarian national side drew 2-2 with Real Madrid in 1949 have the people of
the Rock celebrated such an extraordinary result as the one just achieved in a
courtroom, a victory that paves the way to become the 53rd member of
UEFA. Gibraltar is one of the world’s oldest footballing countries,
boasting a national side formed 105 years ago and the planet’s sixth most
ancient FA (offices open every Monday to Friday, from 6-7pm) It is also tiny,
affiliated to Great Britain (and the FA) and coveted by Spain. Backed by the UK
Government, and bitterly resisted by the Spanish, Gibraltar appealed to the Court of
Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that UEFA had no right to deny their application to
sit at European football’s high table. The CAS agreed.
- Daily Telegraph, September 7, 2006
The
Falkland
Islands are bidding to become a holiday “hot spot” with the
introduction of direct civilian flights from Britain. The service is to be
brought in to break an air blockade imposed by Argentina in an effort to bring
diplomatic pressure on the islands. The new air link to Britain is expected to create a
huge boost for the Falklands’ tourism sector, which is
built around the islands’ abundance of wildlife, their unspoilt
landscapes and their position as a setting-off point for ships cruising Antarctica.
- Sunday Telegraph, August 13, 2006
In 2000 Jeff Rense published an article
by an American, Gordon Frisch, who has travelled and lived extensively in Africa. He
suggested using mercenaries to stabilise Africa and for
African nations to then invite back the former colonial powers in a new
semi-colonial arrangement. Cliff Saunders explained that in his travels across Africa he is
convinced that re-colonisation is the ONLY solution to the mess in which Africa is now in.
He explained that the infrastructure of Africa which was
inherited after colonial rule has been totally destroyed.
- Weekly African Crisis Report, April 30, 2006
Allegations
made against White farmers and safari operators, who are supposed to have been
plotting to undermine President Levy Mwanawasa in the country's upcoming
elections, have been taken seriously by the Zambian government and are
officially being ‘investigated’. The president's office has accused
the White farmers and safari operators of working with an opposition party to
cause artificial food shortages ahead of elections later this year. Farmers and
safari operators rejected the accusations and threatened to take legal action
against Alfred Chipoya, a Mwanawasa aide who allegedly ‘unearthed’
the plot. According to a letter, dated April 3 and signed by Chipoya, four
White commercial farmers and safari operators attended a meeting organised by
the opposition Patriotic Front (PF).
At the meeting they resolved to mobilise the White community against
Mwanawasa.
- Southern Cross Africa News, April 29, 2006
Solomon Islanders, resentful of
Chinese influence in government, have raised much of Honiara's Chinatown to the ground, burning
down shops and forcing some families to jump from burning buildings. Violent
protests erupted on Tuesday after parliament elected a new Prime Minister,
Snyder Rini - whose opponents accuse him of corruption and of favouring Chinese
businessmen. In the aftermath Australia and New Zealand are sending extra troops to the nominally independent
islands to help restore peace. Some 280 Australian police are already in the country as part of a
regional force sent to restore peace in 2003.
- Southern Cross Africa News, April 20, 2006
Gibraltar is in talks to create its own stock exchange. The
exchange, which would be called GibEx,
was dreamt up by local law firm Hassans
and Austrian-based bank Medici. They
are outlining plans to the authorities and the business community to create a
trading platform. Although the proposals are still at an early stage, it is
hoped that the Gibraltar Stock Exchange would attract primary and secondary
listings, and particularly the listing of mutual and investment funds. Other
areas that could be developed are for debt instruments, e-commerce and
mezzanine financing. Forty-nine insurance businesses are licensed in Gibraltar, including Admiral - the motor insurer quoted on
the London Stock Exchange in the FTSE 250. It has also become the registered
home of major gaming operators such as blue-chip giant PartyGaming, 888 Holdings
and 32 Red, and 18 banks are licensed
there. Marcus Killick, chairman of the Financial Services Commission, said
“This is an exciting prospect for Gibraltar. We have been working
with the interested parties to ensure that an exchange, if it does happen, is
in line with international standards.” Guy Canessa, a spokesman from the
Gibraltarian government’s Finance Centre Department said that there was
government backing for the project.
- Daily Telegraph, April 10, 2006
The Queen
has been welcomed by cheering crowds in Australia after arriving for a five-day
tour, during which she will open the Commonwealth Games. Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Governor-General
Michael Jeffery - the Queen's representative in Australia - met her as she flew into Canberra. About 300 people shouted "God save the Queen" to
greet her and Prince Philip. The monarch's visit will include meeting
volunteers who fought bush fires in Canberra in 2003. The crowds at Fairbairn airport stood against crash
barriers and took pictures of the pair after they arrived in a British Airways
777 plane at 09.00 hrs local time on Sunday. The Queen, who wore a white
jacket, yellow skirt and matching hat, collected bouquets from well-wishers and
spoke to others. The Duke of Edinburgh also exchanged words with the crowd. The
centre-piece of the tour will be the opening of the Commonwealth Games in front
of thousands in Melbourne. During the ceremony, the Queen will read out her message of
welcome to the athletes, which has travelled to all 71 nations of the
Commonwealth Games Federation during the past 12 months.
- BBC.co.uk, March 12, 2006
British
soldiers are expected to be sent to the tiny state of Djibouti [formerly French
Somaliland] in the Horn of Africa for the first time to help America’s anti-terrorist
Operation Enduring Freedom. Defence officials and diplomats are said to be in
the advanced stages if discussions with the authorities in Djibouti, at the southern end of
the Red
Sea. The strategically vital enclave [next to the former British Somaliland].is the site of America’s only base on
African soil, with 1,500 soldiers based at headquarters in a former French
Foreign Legion base.
- Daily Telegraph, December 24, 2005
Racial
violence flared in Sydney yesterday in apparent
retaliation for earlier clashes in which a mob of 5,000 White youths chanted
abuse and attacked people of Middle Eastern origin. Anti-Muslim feeling has
been exacerbated by the Bali bombings, a series of gang rapes of
White women by men of Pakistani and Lebanese background and last month’s
counter-terrorism raids on Islamic militants in Melbourne and Sydney. White
youths accuse Lebanese men of looking for trouble in beach areas, intimidating
women in bikinis and picking fights. The violence was concentrated on Cronulla,
a southern suburb where rioting on Sunday led to more than 30 injuries and 16
arrests. Cronulla, a staunchly Anglo-Keltic area, attracts thousands of
trippers from the less salubrious western suburbs, a stronghold of the Middle
Eastern and Muslim communities, which number 300,000 out of the national
population of 20 million. On Sunday thousands of White youths congregated on
the beachfront to protest against an incident last week in which two lifeguards
– the epitome of White Australian culture – were beaten up by men
of Lebanese origin. Although peaceful at first, the demonstration was tinged
with racism from the start – one man had scrawled on his chest
“Mohammed was a camel-raping faggot”. The crowd chanted “No
more Lebs [Lebanese]” and sang Waltzing
Matilda.
- Daily Telegraph, December 13, 2005
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Representatives
from the Springbok Club and the London Swinton Circle about to lay
their wreaths at the Trafalgar Cemetery on the 200th anniversary
of the Battle of Trafalgar (21st October 2005).
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Mr. Denis King speaking about the historical significance of the Battle of Trafalgar at the beating retreat
ceremony at Parson’s Lodge Battery.
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The band of the Royal Gibraltar
Regiment beating retreat on the parade ground at Rosia
Bay on the 200th
anniversary of the Battle
of Trafalgar.
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The sea off Cape
Trafalgar on the 200th anniversary plus one
day of the Battle
of Trafalgar (22nd
October 2005).
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Members of the Friends of Gibraltar Heritage Society visiting
the Convent (the official residence of the Governor).
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On the balcony of the
Convent – including: the Marchioness de Lendinez (left) and Mr. Denis
King (second from right).
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Massive
celebrations took place in Gibraltar throughout the period from 21st
to 30th October 2005 in order to mark the 200th
anniversary of the British victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. Both a joint London Swinton Circle and Springbok Club delegation and a party
from the Friends of Gibraltar Heritage
Society visited the Rock during this period, and participated in several
events commemorating this most important victory, which were orchestrated by
the Gibraltar Heritage Trust. On
Friday 21st October (the actual 200th anniversary of the
Battle of Trafalgar) representatives from the London Swinton Circle and the Springbok
Club laid wreaths at the graves of Capt. Thomas Norman and Lieut. William
Forster (the only two combatants from the Battle to be buried in marked
graves at the Trafalgar Cemetery in Gibraltar). Later during the day
the band of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment staged a Beating Retreat ceremony on
the parade ground at Rosia Bay, which was witnessed by specially invited guests
viewing from the ramparts of the over-looking Parson’s Lodge Battery,
which included the Governor of Gibraltar, Sir Francis Richards, military and
naval dignitaries, and representatives from the Gibraltar Heritage Trust, the London
Swinton Circle and the Springbok Club.
A short talk about the history of the build-up to the Battle of Trafalgar was
given at this ceremony by Mr. Denis King, and afterwards the Gibraltar Heritage Trust staged a
special Bicentenary Dinner at Parson’s Lodge. The following day, Saturday
22nd October, the Gibraltar
Heritage Trust organised a trip to Cape Trafalgar in Spain, again including
representatives from the London Swinton
Circle and the Springbok Club.
During the journey Mr. Denis King and Mr. Joe Desoisa gave expert commentaries
about the history of the rise of British naval power and the victory at
Trafalgar 200 years previously, before due respects were paid at Cape Trafalgar itself. On Monday 24th
October an official party of officials and members from the Friends of Gibraltar Heritage Society
arrived on the Rock, and after receiving an official welcome from Cdr. Joe
Ballantine and Mr. David Eveson of the Gibraltar
Heritage Trust, and enjoying a rendition of the Gibraltar national anthem
and other appropriate songs from Mr. Robin Willow of the London Swinton Circle (who had earlier sung at both the
wreath-laying ceremony and the Bicentenary Dinner) were treated to a riveting
talk by Mr. Richard Garcia about the development of regular maritime links
between Gibraltar and Great Britain in the aftermath of the Battle of
Trafalgar. The following day, Tuesday 25th October, a small party of
members of the Friends of Gibraltar
Heritage Society were most honoured to be given a conducted tour around the
Convent, the official residence of the Governor of Gibraltar. After
refreshments and a most elegant welcoming speech by Lady Richards (the wife of
the Governor), Mr. Denis King conducted a highly informative tour around the
Convent itself, its gardens, and the near-by King’s Chapel. On Wednesday 26th
October members of the Friends of
Gibraltar Heritage Society laid wreaths at the Trafalgar Cemetery, before
visiting the Casemates Maritime Exhibition with Prof. Clive Finlayson and
enjoying a special Admiral Lord Nelson dinner at the Gibraltar International Casino.
On Friday 28th October a statue to Horatio Nelson was unveiled at
the Trafalgar Cemetery, and on Saturday 29th
October a Freedom of the City of Gibraltar parade was staged by the
Royal Navy. Finally, on Sunday 30th October, a special Battle of
Trafalgar Remembrance Service was conducted at the Trafalgar Cemetery, before the Royal Marines
Band performed a special concert at the St.Michael’s Caves.
The Duchess of Cornwall
arrived at Buckingham Palace last night wearing her
first royal tiara. The diamond head-piece, loaned to her by the Queen, was the
tiara previously worn by Queen Mary for the Delhi Durbar to celebrate the
coronation of King George V. It was last worn in 1947 by the Queen Mother for
an official visit to South Africa. The circle of
brilliant-cut diamonds mounted in gold and set in platinum was made by Garrards in 1911 and Queen Mary wore it
in Delhi to mark the start of King
George V's reign as King and Emperor of India. It was lent to the Queen Mother
for her visit to South Africa and remained with her,
but she is not believed to have worn it subsequently.
- Daily Telegraph, October 26, 2005
Muslims
who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia, as the government targeted
radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks. Prime Minister John
Howard and his ministers made it clear that extremists would face a crackdown.
Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told reporters that Muslims who did not
want to accept local values should “clear off”.
“Basically, people who don’t want to be Australians, and they
don’t want to live by Australian values and understand them, well then
they can basically clear off,” he said. Separately, Howard angered some
Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spies monitoring the
nation’s mosques.
- report sent by Nick Maine, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, October 19, 2005
Major
Colin Risso and Major John Perez MBE of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment have both
received awards in the latest Operational Honours List, published on 9
September, for their presence of mind whilst serving on operations last year.
Major Risso, Officer Commanding G Company, has been awarded the Military Cross
for the actions he took when his convoy came under attack in Afghanistan. Major Perez has been
awarded the American Bronze Star award for meritorious service on a high
intensity combat zone during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Major Colin Risso was
serving as the Plans Officer in the Combined Joint Task Force in Bagram, Afghanistan, when the convoy he was
travelling in came under heavy attack in a narrow wadi. Upon hearing that he
had been awarded the Military Cross Major Risso said “I am absolutely
overwhelmed at being awarded the Military Cross. It is good news for the Royal
Gibraltar Regiment and Gibraltar as well. I enjoyed working alongside
US forces and Afghanistan is a beautiful country.
However, the best reward has been the birth of my second child the day after I
arrived back home.” Major John Perez, Second in Command of the Royal
Gibraltar Regiment, has been awarded an American Bronze Star Award for his
outstanding service as a forward operator alongside American Forces in Iraq. He was the Officer
Commanding a 300-strong Coalition Military Advisory Team in a training camp North of Baghdad, under the constant
threat of bombardment and hostile action against Coalition forces who were
supporting the new Iraqi Army against the insurgency.
- MoD Press Release, September 9, 2005
The
Duke of York paid a surprise morale-boosting visit yesterday to British forces
serving in Iraq. He flew into Basra and travelled to Maysan
to meet troops from 1 Bn, the Staffordshire Regiment, and to visit memorials to
soldiers killed on their tour of duty. Later he visited a small contingent of
Royal Navy and Royal Marine reserves based at Umm Qasr.
- Sunday Telegraph, August 21, 2005
It
was a pivotal moment for the Allies, yet for more than 60 years no national
memorial existed in Britain to commemorate the Siege
of Malta. Today that will be rectified on the anniversary of Operation
Pedestal, the epic and ultimately successful attempt to run more than 80 Allied
ships past Axis bombers, u-boats and minefields to bring vital fuel and food to
the Mediterranean island under siege for three years, one of the most important
British victories of the Second World War. Prince Philip will lay a wreath at a
simple memorial, hewn from the granite of Gozo, the small island off Malta’s coast, donated by
Malta’s government to
commemorate the anniversary. Malta was strategically
critical, lying alone in a hostile Mediterranean, 800 miles from Gibraltar and Alexandria. If it fell, North Africa was likely to follow. For
three years it was the fulcrum on which the fate of the war balanced. More than
7,000 civilians and servicemen and women died during the siege, which saw Malta sustain some of the worst
bombing of the war. In Malta, those lost defending the
island are commemorated by the Siege Bell, a granite memorial unveiled by the
Queen in 1992. Yet despite the numbers of British military involved, no
national memorial had been erected in Britain until now. The memorial,
which stands outside All Hallows church near the Tower of London, was the idea of Fred
Jewett, now 82, who served as an able seaman in the destroyer Ashanti, escorting the supply
ships on Operation Pedestal. Serving alongside him was a young
lieutenant-commander, Terence Lewin, later Admiral of the Fleet and Chief of
the Defence Staff, Lord Lewin, who masterminded Britain’s victory in the Falklands conflict. Their
friendship survived the war and, in part, bought about the creation of the
memorial.
- Daily Telegraph, August 15, 2005
A
highly successful visit by Prince William, a good-humoured tour de force from
British Lions rugby fans, and the London bombings have rekindled
in New Zealand a sense of kindred with
“the mother country” unlike anything seen for years. A poll shows
that support for the monarchy has soared, a campaign to remove the Union Flag
from the national ensign is floundering, and the big spending rugby-following
Barmy Army gave the economy a huge mid-winter fillip. Only 27% now believe New Zealand should become a republic,
an opinion poll published this week showed. Although Helen Clark, the current
Labour prime minister, holds republican sympathies, she admitted that, like the
rest of the nation, she found Prince William utterly charming when he visited.
New Zealanders have felt a special affection for the prince since his first
visit with his parents at the age of nine months. They were flattered that it
was to be in their country that, on July 10, he carried out his first solo
official duties. When he bowed his head before Auckland’s war memorial to
lay a wreath in memory of New Zealand’s war dead, there
was an unspoken understanding that the nation was sharing his grief for those
who perished in the London bombings.
- news.telegraph, July 23, 2005
England wickets tumbled yesterday
in the other Ashes battle that began in the Iraqi desert. The first officially
backed encounter between an Australian and British regiment got under way in a
draining 55C at the Al Muthanna cricket ground, three
