On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th
month
We Will Remember you!!!
Mr Spring told me of the time that Colonel Dick Pedder rallied his men around before the Litani River raid in Syria, where over 120 men gave their lives needlessly due to a mix up with a map.
Colonel Dick Pedder
said to his men as he formed them into the 11th Scottish Commandos “you must be ready to
fight against all tyrants and oppressors”.
Tyrant meaning: -
absolute ruler who uses powers cruelly and unjustly, an exerciser of
authority.
Oppressor meaning: -
dominate harshly or cruelly, to be a source of worry, stress or trouble to
somebody.
Those words are as
poignant, true and rousing as they were when he stood in front of his men in the
Second World War, and just before he died fighting for those words. Mr Spring would say that you did not have to be fighting a war against tyrants or oppressors, as they walk amongst us. Over the
years I have thought back on Colonel Dick Pedder’s chosen words.
There will always be
tyrants and oppressors of countries and governments, local authorities, in our
work place and around us in our everyday life; it is a frailty of human nature.
It is up to us all, to ask questions and to strive to have humanity in our
societies. That humanity is hard fought for and guarded by a few who pay the
ultimate price.
History in general
and Europe’s History in-particular,
shows us what can happen if one group of people believe that they are more
intelligent, or more worthy than any other. Disrespect of others breeds War,
greed, pain and suffering.
No one human has an
absolute right over another. Against the frailty of human nature democracy is
all we have. But democracy comes at a very high price and is hard to keep. So on this day on the
11th hour I will remember
every child, woman and man, civilian or soldier, who has or is striving to hold onto
humanity through the adversity and give thanks for their bravery, grit and
determination.
This year 2016 more than any other in my life, Mr
Springs story of Colonel Dick Pedder gathered more meaning, and never
have I truly understood what this could mean. It is a very strange
time to be a woman, and a mother and it is not just Donald Trump we fight. It is
the injustice done to those who fight to support those less fortunate, the ill
and infirm, those that are left to fend for themselves while our tick box
society, leaves their morals in rhetoric and justify their actions by sanctions. When the powers of government,
establishment and media, that think they can hoodwink us, make us fight each
other on all sides of a tangled web of lies. We are braver than that,
we are stronger than that!
I will ask questions, I will strive for justice and humanity and I will
remember you!
