Problems with comments on Facebook

Somebody posted some interesting photos of the Falklands from 82 on our Regimental Face book group. He made a comment about the terrible conditions those poor Argentinian lads had to live in. He was with our sister battery that took over from us after the War. I made a jokey comment saying “It wasn't too cushy for us lads either,” Someone else jumped in and escalated everything by casting doubts on how many aircraft we hit, saying maybe we should have taken photographs to prove our kills. Nowhere was anything said disrespectful towards our sister battery, I have no doubt that if hostilities has continued that they would have continued the air defence of the Falklands with utmost professionalism. I think this proves how things said on Face book can be taken the wrong way. If that soldier was recounting his time in the Falklands in a bar with me, and I said the same thing, with a smile on my face, we would have laughed and got the next round and continued the crack. I am used to other Regiments and know it all civilians attacking our Record in the War, but when it comes from someone in the same Regiment it is harder to take. While I am on a rant I might as well continue. Someone put a photograph on the 12 Regt group of my Rapier showing Mickey Quinn, who is no longer with us, on the anniversary of the attack on the Galahad. You can tell how many people had seen the image it was over 80. only one person commented. Now if someone puts a photograph of a big breakfast, there are dozens of comments. I was extremely saddened by this. I know some people in the Regiment don’t like me, but that is no excuse for not respecting one of our own. That is the difference between a Royal Artillery Battery like ours compared to say a Facebook group of the Parachute Regiment, where a photo of a fallen Para would rightly so have received hundreds of comments. The truth is the camaraderie and brotherhood is far stronger in the Para’s the Marines and other infantry Regiments. (Above is the photo of Mickey Quinn R.I.P. )Well that’s how I see things anyway. That gentleman concludes my thoughts for today.

Dedication to Mickey Quinn.

I wanted to make a tribute to a comrade and fellow soldier that served with me on my Rapier missile system in the Falklands War called Mickey Quinn, I asked a friend who is very good at this type of work    Spud Jock Milne   and he made the fabulous tribute to Mickey who was sadly taken early from us all by his PTSD, thank you Spud and Mickey if your looking down from that big Gun Park in the sky , I hope you like it, “We Will Remember you “

I FOUND A PHOTO OF MY BROTHER IN ARMS ON THE NET.

Whilst surfing the internet yesterday looking for photos of Rapier missiles, I found a photograph of two brother soldiers that I served with in the 1982 Falklands War. Sergeant Bob Pearson (Right)  and Gunner  Mickey Quinn    (Left) R.I.P. When I went back to the Islands in 2007 I made a 2007 Pilgrimage to Bluff cove where I was to witness the biggest loss of life to British service since World War two when the RFA Galahad was hit by Argentine aircraft. Anyone who is not familiar with what happened on that terrible day can read about it in my book Watching Men Burn  about the Air Defence War in the Falklands.