SOS - Support Our Soldiers

for those who gave their all their bravery and courage lives on

If you'd like to send a poem

or tribute we'd be honoured

to include it here

'Remember Us'

Submitted by Marie

The young dead soldiers

do not speak.
Nevertheless, they are heard

in the still houses:
who has not heard them?
They have a silence that

speaks for them at night
and when the clock counts.
They say: We were young.

We have died.
Remember us.
They say: We have done

what we could
but until it is finished

it is not done.
They say: We have given

our lives but until it is finished
no one can know

what our lives gave.
They say: Our deaths are not ours: they are yours,
they will mean what

you make them.
They say: Whether our lives

and our deaths were for
peace and a new hope or for nothing we cannot say,
it is you who must say this.
We leave you our deaths.

Give them their meaning.
We were young, they say.

We have died; remember us.
by Archibald MacLeish,
1892-1982, American Poet

'Forever'

written by David Godfrey

in memory of his grandson

Rifleman Daniel Lee Coffey

Died 27th February 2007

Forever I'll walk in my garden
Seek solace in the cool

of its shade
Forever I'll walk in my Garden
Tis all the good Lord has made.

Forever I'll walk in my garden
Sowing seeds of

kindness and trust
Forever I'll walk in my garden
I love you forever, I must.

Forever I'll walk in my Garden
Filled with flowers of

beauty to share
Watered with tears of kindness
to blossom forth with

GODS tender care.

Dont cry in your heart for

I'm gone now
My spirit with you I shall leave
Think of me as you walk in my garden
For tis you that have

filled all my needs.

'The Life That I Have'

Submitted by Ros

The life that I have
Is all that I have
And the life that

I have Is yours

The love that I have
Of the life that I have
Is yours and

yours and yours.

A sleep I shall have
A rest I shall have
Yet death will be

but a pause

For the peace of my years
In the long green grass
Will be yours and

yours and yours.
Leo Marks

They shall not grow old

As we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them,

Nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun

And in the morning

We will remember them...

Laurence Binyon

When You Go Home,

Tell Them Of Us And Say,
For Their Tomorrow,

We Gave Our Today

For the people in Iraq all of our brave lads did,

and it should be important that their young children know that.

Exemplo Ducemus
(By example we lead)

Craig Badley
Royal Military Police

'To Six friends'
When I see a red hat
above the crowd,
I think, to be one of you,
I''m proud,
For little reward you
work so hard,
Your uniform always tidy
and smart,
You are always prepared to
follow a call,
To keep the peace for
one and all,
Away from home in
another land,
I can turn to you for a
helping hand,
Your justice is fair, your
advice is free,
What should we do
without RMP,
Your cap badge shall
unite us all,
Together we stand,
Together we fall.

To HJ, Si, Paul, Russ, Ben,Tom
RIP from Des RMP Hohne

Submitted by Natalie

in memory of

Lance Corporal

James Cartwright

Died 16th June 2007

It broke ourhearts to lose you,
But you did not go alone.
A part of us went with you,
The day God took you home.

A million times we'll miss you.
A million times we'll cry.
If love could have saved you,
You never would have died.

Now to your grave we travel
The flowers are placed with care.
No one knows the heart ache,
As we turn and leave you there.

No fare wells were spoken,
No time to say good-bye.
You were gone before we knew it,
And only God Knows why.

If tears could bulid a stairway,
And heartaches make a lane,
we'd walk the path to heaven,
And bring you back again.

Always
As the sun starts to rise,
I'm with you
When you hear a bird sing,
I'm there
For each raindrop that falls,
think of me
And the love that we'll
always share

In the rush of the wind
feel my touch
In the quiet of night
hear my voice
If you start to stumble
take my hand
And know that it was
my choice

When tears start to fall

feel my comfort
If you feel low

share my pride
Don't ever think that

you've lost me
For I will always be

there by your side

K. Webster 2003

Ode to a Military Man

The average age of the military man is 19 years.

He is a short haired,
tight-muscled kid who,

under normal circumstances is considered by society as
half man, half boy.

Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a

beer,but old enough to

die for his country.

He never really cared much for work and he would

rather wax his own car

than wash his father's;

but he has never collected unemployment either.

He's fresh out of school; he was probably an average student, pursued some

form of sport activities,

drives a ten year old jalopy,
and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to

be waiting when he returns from half a world away.

He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and 155mm howitzer.

He is 10 or 15 pounds

lighter now than when

he was at home because

he is working or fighting

from before dawn to well

after dusk.

He has trouble spelling,

thus letter writing is a

pain for him, but he can

field strip a rifle

in 30 seconds and reassemble

it in less time in the dark.

He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine

gun or grenade launcher
and use either one

effectively if he must.

He digs foxholes and

latrines and can apply first

aid like a professional.

He can march until he is

told to stop or stop until

he is told to march.

He obeys orders instantly

and without hesitation,

but he is not without spirit
or individual dignity.

He is self-sufficient. He has

two sets of fatigues:
he washes one and

wears the other.

He keeps his canteens full

and his feet dry.

He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never

to clean his rifle.

He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes,

and fix his own hurts.

If you're thirsty, he'll share

his water with you;

if you are hungry, his food.
He'll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low.

He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands.

He can save your life -

or take it, because

that is his job.

He will often do twice the

work of a civilian, draw half the pay and still find
ironic humour in it all.

He has seen more suffering and death then he should
have in his short lifetime.

He has stood atop mountains of dead bodies, and
helped to create them.

He has wept in public and

in private, for friends who
have fallen in combat

and is unashamed.

He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at

rigid attention, while tempering the burning

desire to 'square-away'

those around him who

haven't bothered to
stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking.

In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful.

Just as did his Father,
Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying

the price for our freedom.
Beardless or not,

he is not a boy.

He is the British, Australian, Canadian, New Zealander or American Fighting Man
that has kept his country

free for over 200 years.

He has asked nothing in
return, except our friendship and understanding. Remember him, always,

for he has earned our

respect and admiration

with his blood.

Now we even have women
over there in danger, doing their part in this tradition of going to War when
our nation calls us to do so.

As you go to bed tonight, please offer this short prayer:.

"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them

as they protect us.
Bless them and their families for the selfless acts

they perform for us
in our time of need. Amen."

In Memory of LCPL Cory Ryan Geurin

You donned your uniform and shined your boots
Proud to be U.S. recruits
Raised your hand and took the oath
To serve your country you were not loathe
They sent you to a foreign land
And courage with you made your stand

Strength and heart is the American Way
From our purpose we will not stray
Willing to fight in the name of Freedom
For the rights of all Mankind, not just some
Support our country in their belief
That every nation should have relief
From the oppression and misery of entire lands
By the likes of the Regimes and the Talibans

For those who fought we cannot know
The pain in your eyes and what hurts you so
Only with your comrades will you fully share
What is behind the Thousand Yard Stare
We can only support you and know that it’s true
You will receive the respect that is your due…

No more Vietnam for the Red, White and Blue.

'Eternal Soldier'

By Ann-Marie Spittle

I am the Eternal Soldier

Though my body breaks

My soul goes on

Through the jungles and

the deserts

Across the mountains

and the seas

Whither I am called I go

Steadfast, reliable

Though my mouth moans

And my body aches

I push on

Until the objective is done

The opposers disperse

Or I am called elsewhere

As one battle ends

Another begins

Always with myself

The battle is the greatest

While you break, I bend

When you fall, I walk on

Always expected

to be courageous

Always expected

to be brave

Always the first to charge

While others stand behind me Like fearful children

Hoping I will kill the

big bad wolf

I am the eternal soldier

Our heart beats as one

Though my body is many

Brothers are we in

blood and bone

While around us separation

Takes hold of the individual

Hold my hand

And I will guide you through

For I am Michael,

soldier of Angels

My heart is true

To the cause of my country

That others may not suffer

The horrors of the past

Walk with me if you dare

For mine is not a path

lightly taken

Brave heart, brave feet

Brave voice, brave action

These are our creed

And our battle cry

'Sea of Faces'

By Ann-Marie Spittle

See us!

We are not just pictures

Pieces of a tableau

Or parts of a mosaic

To make you weep

We lived and breathed

Held children in our arms

Hugged family before we left

And many only have that memory

Think only of us as we were

Not this two dimensional nothingness

That has no depth of us

Your memories will add that

Remember

We are not the coffins

you see

The flag draped

Or the stone calved

with a name

We are your heart

If pictures make pictures

Then know this

The picture we would make is of the Union Flag

And the map of this

United Kingdom

Corporal Russell Aston

In Loving Memory of Russell Aston

'Next To You'

Submitted by Lisa Aston

You cannot see

or touch us

But we're standing

next to you

Your tears can

only hurt us

Your sadness

makes us blue

Be brave and

show a smiling face

Let not your grief

show through

We love you from

a different place

Yet we're standing

next to you

Operation Telic

Roll of Honour

Please also view Operation Herrick for details of those lost whilst serving in Afghanistan

----

Since March 2003 a total of 176 British Troops

have died whilst serving on Operation Telic

May they rest in peace

----

26th March 2008

British Soldier

----

29th February 2008

Sergeant Duane Barwood

903 Expeditionary Air Wing, RAF

----

13 December 2007

Guardsman Stephen Ferguson

1st Battalion Scots Guards

----

20 November 2007

Two service personnel

killed in RAF Puma helicopter crash

----

14 October 2007

Lance Corporal Sarah Holmes

29 Postal Courier and Movement Regiment attached to 3 Logistic Support Regiment

----

21 September 2007

Sergeant Mark Stansfield

32 Close Support Squadron, UK Logistic Bttn

----

5 September 2007

Sergeant Eddie Collins

Parachute Regiment

----

9th August 2007

Lance Sergeant Chris Casey

1st Battallion Irish Guards

----

9th August 2007

Lance Corporal Kirk Redpath

1st Battallion Irish Guards

----

7th August 2007

Leading Aircraftsman Martin Beard

No 1 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment

----

6th August 2007

Private Craig Barber

2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh

----

31st July 2007

Corporal Steve Edwards

2nd Royal Tank Regiment

----

21st July 2007

Lance Corporal Timothy Flowers

Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

----

19th July 2007

Senior Aircraftsman Peter McFerran

----

19th July 2007

Senior Aircraftsman Christopher Dunsmore

----

19th July 2007

Senior Aircraftsman Matthew Caulwell

----

7th July 2007

Corporal Christopher Read

158 Provost Company,

3rd Regiment Royal Military Police

----

7th July 2007

Lance Corporal Ryan Francis

2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh

----

6th July 2007

Rifleman Edward Vakabua

4th Battalion The Rifles

----

28th June 2007

Corporal Paul Joszko

2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh

(The Royal Regiment of Wales)

----

28th June 2007

Private Scott Kennedy

The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion

the Royal Regiment of Scotland

----

28th June 2007

Private Jamie Kerr

The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion

the Royal Regiment of Scotland

----

22nd June 2007

Corporal John Rigby

4th Battalion The Rifles

----

20th June 2007

Major Paul Harding

4th Battalion The Rifles

----

16th June 2007

Lance Corporal James Cartwright

Badger Squadron, 2nd Royal Tank Regiment

----

7th June 2007

Corporal Rodney Wilson

4th Battalion The Rifles

----

21st May 2007

Corporal Jeremy Brookes

4th Battalion The Rifles

----

6th May 2007

Private Kevin Thompson

19 Combat Service Support Battalion

----

1st May 2007

Major Nick Bateson

Royal Corps of Signals

----

29th April 2007

Rifleman Paul Donnachie

2nd Battalion The Rifles (2 RIFLES)

----

23rd April 2007

Kingsman Alan Joseph Jones

2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment

19th April 2007

Corporal Ben Leaning

The Queen's Royal Lancers Battle Group

19th April 2007

Trooper Kristen Turton

The Queen's Royal Lancers Battle Group

16th April 2007

Colour Sergeant Mark L Powell

RAF

16th April 2007

Sergeant Mark J McLaren

Parachute Regiment

5th April 2007

Second Lieutenant Joanna Yorke Dyer

Intelligence Corps attached to

2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment

5th April 2007

Corporal Kris O'Neill

Royal Army Medical Corps

5th April 2007

Private Eleanor Dlugosz

Royal Army Medical Corps

5th April 2007

Kingsman Adam James Smith

2nd Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment

2nd April 2007

Rifleman Aaron Lincoln

2nd Battalion, The Rifles

1st April 2007

Kingsman Danny John Wilson

2nd Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment

4th March 2007

Private Johnathon Dany Wysoczan

4 Platoon, B Company, First Battalion

The Staffordshire Regiment

27th February 2007

Rifleman Daniel Lee Coffey

10 Platoon, C Company, Second Battalion The Rifles

9th February 2007

Private Luke Daniel Simpson

1st Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment

5th February 2007

Second Lieutenant Jonathan Carlos Bracho-Cooke

2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment

21st January 2007

Private Michael Tench

2nd Battalion The Light Infantry

13th January 2007

Kingsman Alex Green

2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment

7th January 2007

Sergeant Wayne Rees

19 Light Brigade The Queen's Royal Lancers

28th December 2006

Sergeant Graham Hesketh

2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment

24th November 2006

Sergeant Jonathan Hollingsworth

Parachute Regiment

12th November 2006

Warrant Officer Class 2 Lee Hopkins

Royal Corps of Signals

12th November 2006

Staff Sergeant Sharron Elliott

Intelligence Corps

12th November 2006

Corporal Ben Nowak

45 Commando Royal Marines

12th November 2006

Marine Jason Hylton

539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines

6th November 2006

Kingsman Jamie Hancock

The 2nd Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment

27th October 2006

Lieutenant Tom Tanswell

58 (Eyre’s) Battery, 12 Regiment Royal Artillery

1st October 2006

Lance Corporal Dennis Brady

Royal Army Medical Corps Regular Reservist

7th September 2006

Gunner Lee Thornton

58 (Eyre’s) Battery, 12 Regiment Royal Artillery

4th September 2006

Gunner Samuela Vanua

58 (Eyre’s) Battery, 12 Regiment Royal Artillery

4th September 2006

Gunner Stephen Robert Wright

58 (Eyre’s) Battery, 12 Regiment Royal Artillery

1st August 2006

Corporal Matthew Cornish

1st Battalion The Light Infantry

16th July 2006

Corporal John Johnston Cosby

1st Battalion The Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry

28th May 2006

Lieutenant Tom Mildenhall

1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards

28th May 2006

Lance Corporal Paul Farrelly

1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards

13th May 2006

Private Adam Morris

2nd Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment

13th May 2006

Private Joseva Lewaicei

2nd Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment

6th May 2006

Wing Commander John Coxen

Royal Air Force Benson

6th May 2006

Lieutenant Commander Darren Chapman

847 Naval Air Squadron

6th May 2006

Captain David Dobson

Army Air Corps

6th May 2006

Flight Lieutenant Sarah-Jayne Mulvihill

Royal Air Force Benson

6th May 2006

Marine Paul Collins

847 Naval Air Squadron

15th April 2006

Lieutenant Richard Palmer

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards

28th February 2006

Captain Richard John Holmes

2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment

28th February 2006

Private Lee Ellis

2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment

2nd February 2006

Trooper Carl Smith,

9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's)

31st January 2006

Corporal Gordon Alexander Pritchard,

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards

30th January 2006

Lance Corporal Allan Douglas, The Highlanders

(Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons)

21st November 2005

Sergeant John Jones, 1st Battalion

The Royal Regiment of Fusliliers

18th October 2005
Sergeant Chris Hickey, 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards

--

15th October 2005
Captain Ken Masters, Officer Commanding 61 Section, Special Investigation
Branch, Royal Military Police