Maurice Mitford Blackburn's letter published today in The Sunday Telegraph has delighted a number of readers not least Mr Blackburn, a retired commercial airline pilot.
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The letter about General Sir Richard Dannatt MC, KCB (God's top general) is the United Kingdom's military head of all the Armed services. The published letter was slightly shortened. The full version is below:
The letter about General Sir Richard Dannatt MC, KCB (God's top general) is the United Kingdom's military head of all the Armed services. The published letter was slightly shortened. The full version is below:.
Sir,
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You report that Gen. Sir Richard Dannatt, Chief of the General Staff, believes that on numerous occasions he has been protected by God. The General says he has been in mortal danger on at least four occasions. Each time the Almighty intervened to save him, at the price of a dozen or so colleague's lives. He and the Good Lord were able to chat about it afterwards.
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Many years ago I was rostered to take a flight to Madeira. Another skipper asked me to swap with him. After take-off from Southampton Water the aircraft lost two engines and crashed into the Isle of Wight, killing all the crew. I was told I had a guardian angel. I was disgusted by the idea that I had been saved at someone else's expense.
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I wonder if Gen. Dannatt's troops are happy to know their leader is one of God's chosen ones; the Bible mentions only one Chosen One.
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Maurice Mitford Blackburn, Thames Ditton, Surrey.
Well indeed, the General was highlighted in the nation's press last month when he gave an interview to Sarah Sands, the former Editor of The Sunday Telegraph and now a columnist in the Daily Mail. General Dannet's comment's on a desirable exit strategy from Iraq were considered to be controversial in that his remarks were viewed by many press commentators as contradicting government policy. Actually, the General was reinforcing Blair's previous recent and reasonable statements on the future of the coalition forces in the troubled region (for the record that is the third time in nine years the editor of this blog as supported Tony Blair).
What, however, was controversial and without doubt unacceptable was the fact that General Dannet held a press conference on the steps of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in uniform (and without head-dress). Military staff of all ranks do not attend the MOD in uniform; it is quite simply not British.
I raised this uniform concern this morning with an expert (he hates the term) on all things military, political and many other subjects. My friendly expepert apreciated my concern but asked me to consider who would be brave enough to actually tell Britain's armed service chief that he was inappropriately and incorrectly dressed ? Well this is a blog with attitude !
Well indeed, the General was highlighted in the nation's press last month when he gave an interview to Sarah Sands, the former Editor of The Sunday Telegraph and now a columnist in the Daily Mail. General Dannet's comment's on a desirable exit strategy from Iraq were considered to be controversial in that his remarks were viewed by many press commentators as contradicting government policy. Actually, the General was reinforcing Blair's previous recent and reasonable statements on the future of the coalition forces in the troubled region (for the record that is the third time in nine years the editor of this blog as supported Tony Blair).
What, however, was controversial and without doubt unacceptable was the fact that General Dannet held a press conference on the steps of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in uniform (and without head-dress). Military staff of all ranks do not attend the MOD in uniform; it is quite simply not British.
I raised this uniform concern this morning with an expert (he hates the term) on all things military, political and many other subjects. My friendly expepert apreciated my concern but asked me to consider who would be brave enough to actually tell Britain's armed service chief that he was inappropriately and incorrectly dressed ? Well this is a blog with attitude !
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