[Stoat]

Each cross a name, each name a life lost in war: This was the scene yesterday at Westminster Abbey where a sea of 30,000 crosses covered the Field of Remembrance

In 1998, Mr Miller was a standard bearer for the Queen Mother at a centenary celebration for the RAMC at the Abbey. He was honoured by the Queen in 2002 for the voluntary work he does with his wife Ann for the St John Ambulance Brigade. He plans
to attend the service, but will stand with the public to pay his respects.
 

An Army spokesman said RAMC officials felt that Mr Miller appeared a little frail carrying at the Abbey last year. He added: 'The regimental secretary of the RAMC has told Mr Miller he must stand down because of a problem with insurance.'

[Stoat]

[2ndDivisionVet]

He looks awful fit for a man aged 88 to me! I've seen 60 year olds that are much more frail. This is just a slap in the face to the WWII generation that kept Hitler, Mussolini and Tojo from taking over the world!

[MathDoc]

Mr Miller said: 'I understand someone dropped their banner and it injured someone at an event in the North recently. I suppose my regiment was concerned that it didn't happen again. 'Really this is another example of health and safety madness.

This war hero faced the Nazi army, and some nanny state liberal or predatory lawyer has decided to stop him from representing his heroic brothers in arms? Disgusting. It's time for this generation's heroes to defend his country and ours against the nanny state activists and against the frivolous lawsuits that some loser is scared of.

The right answer is to let this hero decide whether he wants to carry the flag. A close to right answer is to give him an honor guard - let him carry the flag while flanked by one of the regiment's youngest soldiers. Tell the young guy what this hero did and that it's his job to catch the colors if necessary and otherwise to stand by the side of a soldier from the generation that faced Hitler. That should satisfy the advocates for "health and safety madness".

[ought-six]

If Mr. Miller is not careful they will be harvesting his organs while he’s still alive.

[Daffynition]

This is the same nation that supports Gurkhas who have served so valiantly for 200 years, eh?

[Tainan]

Someone usually posts a Kipling on threads like this. It might as well be meself.

Tommy

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!"

-- Rudyard Kipling