On September 9th 1975 I began my army career, I was 16 yrs old and proud to be there though incredibly apprehensive despite having grown up an army brat.

I remember one of the training sessions in a classroom of the education block in Bovington, Dorset and being told about the https://twitter.com/tomlondon6/status/1309015280304218112
Geneva Convention. I was told British troops never breached that convention and in my nativity I believed that to be so, at that time. As a bandsman I had all the basic training of any other soldier but we were told to justify our peace time position we would train as medics for
war time. Basically we were trained to be glorified stretcher beaters able to patch up the wounded long enough to get casualties to a field hospital.

We were told that as medics on a field of conflict the Red Cross we would wear would mean we were protected from enemy fire and
that was dependent on us and our fighters observing the convention. As a medic I could only return fire to protect a casualty and if my life was truly threatened and British soldiers observed the no kill policy of enemy medics.

It was impressed on us that whatever dirty tricks
or breaking of international law from the enemy British troops rise above it and observed the conventions of war.

Later in my career rumours following Bloody Sunday began to filter through that indeed wrong doing and murder had taken place. Those para’s involved had, in my
opinion ‘let the British army down’

Seems it was all a lie, British troops are as dirty as any other army and its always been with the blessing of those we elect to lead us.

On the past it’s been kept from us this week they have rubbed it in our faces and the public are silent
The shame I feel for my country today that those who voted against this bill are now viewed as extremists.

If another racist, another ‘patriot’ tells me i don’t love my country I’ll set them straight on just how right they are.

We elect a liar, a cheat, a thief and a feckless
father of goodness knows how many kids as our PM knowing his record......and I am supposed to be a proud Englishman?

B****** to that
#OverseasOperationsBill is wrong, it’s flawed, it does little to protect our soldiers as we’re led to believe it will.

Solidarity with those MP’s who voted against it, they are on the right side of history.

This veteran thanks them
You can follow @BillyJWells.
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