“Why We Hate the British”


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Colly0410

I was an officer and I assure you that I was no hooray Henry. I am from Hyson Green!.

I almost always asked my soldiers to do what I wanted, rather than ordered. I always counselled the NCOs for ther views. Sometimes I admit I did go against their advice, but I considered myself to be the decision maker in the team. Anyone could have input but the decisions were mine and I held complete responsibility for it.

I led many really good teams who were well disciplined and efficient soldiers. Some of whom could not be bettered. It was an honour to command them. I remain to this day immensely proud of the times when the NCOs said" The Boss wants this. Get on with it"

My OP team captain sounded like you, he'd say "I think it would be a good idea if you did that young man, or, would you send this message to so & so call-sign for me! We would have walked over red hot coals for him. When we were on compo rations he'd pay for fresh grub for us out of his own pocket. We were the best OP team in 25 field regt & usually got our rounds on target with the least number of corrections. As for some of the other officers, oh dear..

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I had read somewhere that Lincoln owned slaves but according to Mr. Google he did not. Apparently George Washington and Thomas Jefferson did own slaves, however.

Whatever the ultimate reasons in some cases especially like Tennessee which were borderline states it ended up with brother fighting brother. My wife's ancestors fought for both sides. Sad business no matter how you look at it.

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As a sabre troop sergeant and regimental gunner instructor in the RAC I used to get most new officer's for their initial 6 months after joining the regiment. My remit from the squadron leader was to keep them safe as they learnt about working with fast moving armour and keeping out the way of motors on the tank park. In 12 years I only had one bad one and he was more silly than nasty, he just didn't see the dangers that armour present.

The greatest accolade for any young officer was to attain the title of 'skipper', from then on 'Sir' was only used in the presence of other officers.

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The film Shenendoh gives a fair representation of family conflict during the Civil War.

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Barrettkeller, once again I agree with your latest post, but I would point out apart that from some New England and Kansas regiments

the Northern soldier fought to preserve the union, Following Lincoln's emancipation speech a few months after the battle of

Sharpsburg (Antietam), hundreds of northern soldiers of the western armies changed sides or deserted. That speech was a

successful attempt to make out that the war was about slavery, this was to embarrass the European governments who were

supporting the south.

On another point more relevant to the subject of this forum, the Confederate commerce raiders were crewed by English sailors and

marines, and the last Confederate surrender was the CSS Shenandoah in November 1865. They surrendered in England after

sinking most of the Union whaling fleet, so you must admit that they at least did some good. BTW the last surrender on land was

Brig. General's Stand Watie's 1st Indian Brigade on June 23rd 1865, Gen. Lee had surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia on

April 9th 1865.

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The South will rise again! ..... Hopefully !

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Lincoln’s speech broadening the base of the war from defending the union to the wider cause of freedom for all men may well have been politically motivated, but it did not reframe the issue already in the balance:

The Confederacy was defending a way of life that was inextricably bonded with slave ownership. Many of the secessionist states mentioned in their ordinances, the suffering of, ‘slaveholding states’ caused by the actions of abolitionists in the North, or blamed the abolitionist movement for challenging the ‘constitutional right’ to slaveholding. Whilst it may be a spurious argument that the North was solely fighting for the emancipation of slaves, the view of the Confederacy fighting to preserve a society with laudable values is equally specious.

As far as Britain‘s involvement is concerned, the commerce raiders appear to have had little impact upon the eventual outcome of the war and blockade-running was certainly not universally supported in Britain- as in the case of workers in Lancashire, who had more reason than most to resent the hiatus in the supply of cotton. In my view, of greater significance is the clear reluctance of the British government to provide any substantial aid in terms of financial or material support to the South.

By the way, you will see in #48, that I referred to the ‘formal ending’ of the war: ‘proclaimed to be at an end by the aforesaid proclamation of the 2nd day of April, 1866,’ clearing the way to begin the legislative process.

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Newbasfordlad

Skipper in my time was for captains or much more often, sergeants. Nothing other than those two ranks. I dont know why.

Of course the other ranks are trying you out when you first go into a unit. The initial sarcasm of "Youre the boss" tends to take on some commitment when you have earned the respect of the lads (and lasses I must admit) Eventually you hear boss being given as a mark of respect.

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In my regiment the 'Boss' was the squadron leader if he was a good one and they usually were. Other wise he was the 'Squabbling Bleeder'.

I was in most of the 70s early 80s so we didn't have 'lasses' I am glad to say ......don't how I would have gone for a dump in the turret accompanied by a lady. LOL

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Would have been nice, back in the day during NBC 'lock down' it was plastic bag in a 76mm shell case. We would of course buy air freshener but even that started to fail after 24 hours.

Then 77/78 we changed to 30mm Rarden and had to come up with something, the usual alternative was a folding camp stool with the legs cut down and the centre of the canvass seat removed.

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Once again BK what you say is essentially correct, but if we are to apply today's moral values to the 1860's, you must agree with me that the North was guilty of horrendous war crimes, particularly Sherman who used murder, arson, rape, theft and mass deportation of civilians as weapons of war.

The Lancashire cotton workers had far harder lives than many slaves. This was not because of the altruism of the slaveholders but slaves had monetary value and it was in the interest of the planters to feed, house and treat the illnesses of their 'property'. If a job was dangerous, such as loading or unloading dangerous cargo at the docks, day labourers were used, these free men (white and black) had no value and were therefore expendable, just like the cotton workers, and today's wage slaves.

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