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March 22, 2005
Another bit of history consigned to the rubbish heap ....
Monday of this week marked the anniversary of the Battle of Alexandria in 1801. It was a key battle in history, one of those strange "skirmishes" on the broad pallette of history that changes the course of history and which, if it had gone another way, may have changed the course of the world we live in. It followed the more famous and probably better known "Battle of the Nile" (which was actually fought in Aboukir Bay!) in which Nelson destroyed the superior French Fleet and saw the turning point in a campaign launched by Napoleon and the French to cut Britian off from the Empire in India. Had the Battle of Alexandria been lost, the way would have been open for the French to continue their advance through North Africa and into the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. A move which would have threatened British trade interests in the Near and Far East seriously.
The Battle of Alexandria was won by a remarkable action fought by one of Britian's oldest and proudest Regiments, the Glosters. Based in Gloucestershire, the Regiment has a long and proud history, and a unique distinction. They are the only Regiment in the world to wear a badge on the front of their caps and on the back. This "Back Badge" is worn in recognition of the fact that the Regiment saved the expeditionary force from the French Cavalry at the Battle of Alexandria when, drawn up in a two rank formation, the rear rank was reversed and fired volley after volley at a French Cavalry formation which had succeeded in getting behind the British forces.
At the time, it was thought by most commanders that it was impossible to reverse a rank in this way on a battlefield and maintain discipline. The Glosters proved that the impossible was possible - and that the rate of fire they could maintain like this in both directions could be deadly! Their action broke the cavalry charge and saved the expeditionary force which went on to drive the French out of Egypt.
Now the Regiment, already merged, in an earlier "Defence Review" carried out by the Whitehall Parasites, in a "cut the military and create more useless penpusher posts" exercise, into the Berkshire, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire Regiment (Usually referred to as the M4M5 Regiment!) with the Back Badge retained, is facing its worst enemy yet. The new enemy is this shower of complete garbage we call a government and the usual Whitehall Warriors who never go to sea, to war, or defend this nation from anything.
It is to be broken up and merged again into another "Regiment of the South West"! Another exercise in creating more posts for worthless papershufflers, while binning all of the glorious history of this nation. Anything that we can or should be proud of is immediately denigrated or trashed by this shower of cretins who value nothing except their own enrichment and entrenched power.
Definitely time for a major cull of Whitehall jobs and of the politicians who are so lacking in understanding or values of any sort!
Posted by The Gray Monk at March 22, 2005 11:10 AM