Another 3 soldiers.  Where will it all end?

I got so upset tonight, over men that I don't even know.  Does anyone else get emotional over this pointless waste of life?

There was something tonight - the huge crowd waiting for hours in this extreme cold to pay their respects......  The population there certainly have made this ritual one that the press cannot ignore and brings it right home to all of us. 

I watch it as well will it ever end? it never has war seems to be a man made problem that keeps on going.
I do feel great sadness but I balance it with the loss in Iraq of about 100,000 people.
We reap what we sow!
In the recent interviews in the commons it would appear we went to war on wrong information, our politicians were aware there were no weapons, why are we still there?

Politicians have blood on their hands. I admire the people of Wooton Bassett so much they are our countries conscience.

As a mother of two 22 & 24 I weep to see lives that are just beginning ended.

>   The population there certainly have made this ritual one that the press cannot ignore and brings it right home to all of us. 

My sister lives in Wootton Bassett and she says that since all the publicity, the "tributes" don't seem to be the same - bigwigs come flocking in, the police start telling people where they can and can't stand along the route - so that officials can stand at the front ....

She says that she still says a prayer every time the bell starts tolling, and always stands still - but it doesn't now have the feeling of a little town saying thank you, god bless you and your families to these young men coming home - it's official now :(

We often see the hearses going to the John Radcliffe as that is where they bring them for the autopsies. The streets are normally lined with people. It is very moving to see them, such a sad end to their lives. :-(

>My sister lives in Wootton Bassett and she says that since all the publicity, the "tributes" don't seem to be the same - bigwigs come flocking in, the police start telling people where they can and can't stand along the route - so that officials can stand at the front ....

That's the impression we get too; it seems to have been turned into a media circus - almost a day out ("Let's go along and see if we can be photographed looking sad"), rather than the respectful tribute it was originally.

Politicians have blood on their hands.
My Father was badly burned with a phosphorous bomb in London and his comment is that the man who did it to him didn't want to do it - he was just doing what the politicians told him to do.  He always says rather than have wars, we should shut all the politicians involved in a room and let them sort it out!

It's shockingly sad and I fill up every time I see something on the news.  I feel so sorry for those fallen heroes and their families.  So many losses; when will it all end?

It is a very sad time when a soldier is killed on tour.

I served 5 yrs in the RMP, & have lost 3 colleagues - 2 in the past few months. But at the end of the day, we signed up to serve queen & country, we knew the risks involved, & deaths are inevitable in a war zone no matter how many helicopters, or top of the range equipment you have.

My thoughts are with the families, friends & comrades...

My son joins up in September
he knows the risks, he watches the news, he reads the papers, but nothing will get in his way of serving ...
he makes me proud..and he is only 15....x

You must be very proud indeed. Good on him! Training was one of my favourite times in the Army - i'm sure he'll really enjoy too! Sending my luck to him :-)

we live in Nuneaton but he will go to Harrogate and i will move back home to Cheshire
my fella was in the Signals and he still has alll his friends from recruit troup (the time of his life he reckoned)
none of them have grown up lol

Desperately sad and usually they are all SO YOUNG.

The whole thing is now just a media circus with a public out pouring of grief.

I don't wish to take anything away from the young men who sign and serve, but the fact is the British Army has no conscripts only volunteers, as I was when I joined at 16 and went on to have a hugely enjoyable and satisfying career, despite being put in harms way on more then a few occasions.

In balance we should also think about the hundreds of young men killed each year work, whether that is in farming, building or just travelling to work, I have had friends killed on duty in Northern Ireland, Falklands and in accidents, I have also had a friends killed at work digging a tench on a farm and a friend killed on a building site, a friend on his way to work hit on his bike by a car, a neighbour on his way home from work knocked off his bike by a drunk and lost his right leg and arm, in fact a young man is more likely to be killed in a civilian job then he is on active service.

Having said that my thoughts are with all those apart at Christmas, I hope they're God keeps them safe where ever they are.

Well said

I agree.
What began as a polite Royal British Legion act of respect has become a media attraction. Although people stand along much of the route from Wootton Bassett to Oxford, most of these are members of the public who happen to be driving by (no tv crews there). I live just a 5 min walk from part of the route and have seen three of these sad events. It seems to me that many in the crowd in Wootton Bassett are there to be seen. However, it won't be too long before repatriations move back to RAF Brize Norton and with the John Radcliffe Hospital not too far away I think there will be less interest from tv/papers etc.
My husband is in the military (away at the moment actually). He's always said that if something happens to him then he does not want the publicity that many of these men get.......and I certainly wouldn't want my grief to be played out on Sky News.

I see it is becoming a little more of media event however if I lived near there and this was happening I would stand as a mark of respect. I think showing respect for a few brief minutes is the very least I could do to show my support of the armed services. 

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Christmas day and a healthy and happy 2010.