Supporting Service Personnel
On 9th March Bob, together with Chris Phillips Conservative candidate for Lewisham West and Penge and Colin Bloom, Conservative candidate for Erith and Thamesmead, led a group, wanting to get better treatment for wounded ex-service personnel, in to see Shadow Defence Secretary, Dr Liam Fox. Bob is President of Action for Armed Forces a pressure group which campaigns for the rights of junior ranks in all three armed services.
Co-founders of Action for Armed Forces Ricky Clitheroe (ex -1 PARA), George Kay (ex-SAS) as well as its Director Damian Thompson (ex-Queens), all from the South London area, were also present. George Kay, 89, is without doubt a living legend. He joined the Army in 1936, was at Dunkirk in 1940, jumped with 3 PARA at Arnhem, was captured twice and escaped twice in occupied Europe, joined the French Foreign Legion when he met them in France, returned to the SAS and ended his service career as Regimental Sergeant Major of South African Special Forces at 58 years of age. Ricky Clitheroe, 74, did National Service in the Far East and then served with 1 PARA in the Middle East. For his part Damian Thompson, 33, currently Director of the charity, served in Northern Ireland, where he was wounded, and also Bosnia and Rwanda.
Tuesday 9 March 2010