Double amputee war hero who inspired Prince Harry to start Invictus 'disagrees' with Duke's claim British press did not cover stories of wounded in Afghanistan as Colonel says his popularity is dwindling with veterans

[MamoruHisaishi]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12466191/Afghanistan-war-hero-prince-harry-british-soldiers.html

don't know what you're on about, why not post on the relevant thread? I was referring to this thread when you responded to me.

No. I was responding to the general point that posters feel they are being told what they can and can’t post.

you and your cabal what does that mean??

just ignore it @Samcro

You responded to my comment here, and I am simply saying I was referring to this thread where people and OP have said that. Only MNHQ make decisions on what can stay and what can't, which they have on both threads.

Yes, I know that. I was referring to other posters who seem to want to dictate what other people can or cannot post, even when within guidelines. That definitely happened. It happened to me once when I was told that something that I was feeling was not valid. But I don’t want to break guidelines by talking about what happened elsewhere so I’ll leave it now.

I think I read a report somewhere that mentioned about the Invictus games, that although it did a good job in highlighting the veterans plight, in the long run it didn’t have much of an impact or could even be somewhat detrimental for the vets involved. I can’t remember the reasons they came up with for their conclusions. I can try to find the report, it was an interesting read.

Could you please share this report? It seems a little strange to me that such a report would be written when so many of the veterans have been speaking to the positive impact they say Invictus have had on their physical and mental health, and their families have too.

This year, Invictus welcomed new teams, including from Nigeria, which I am thrilled about as it opens the path to other teams from Africa taking part. Invictus seems to be growing and thriving unlike, for instance the troubled and hugely expensive Commonwealth Games, so it would be interesting to read this report when you do find it.

Thank you.

@Lilacanemone

It said a lot when someone admitted to supporting Meghan because she was non-white, and by extension, Harry. If that is their reason, it doesn’t say much for Meghan and Harry or them.

That was me. It was a statement not an admission. I said that I support black, brown and mixed race women who are under attack in the media and from the public for things that white women are given a pass for, and who are subjected to racialised negative stereotypes.

I said I support them because there is a history of media stereotypes of such women. I gave several examples at the time, eg, I have supported Serena and Venus since they exploded on the tennis scene to a lot of racialised media coverage. For as long as racism exists in the world, I will take the side of those who are its victims.

There is also a lot of "unconscious bias" here on Mumsnet on race and I have no plans to stop calling it out. This post alone will get lots of "but why are you bring race into things", when it is you who have brought it in, and done it by misquoting me, and, more egregiously, by using an appalling term that shows your unconscious bias.

Calling Meghan "non-white", means that you see being white as the norm, and everyone else, including Meghan, as the "other" who falls out of the norm. I last heard the term "non-whites" to describe the black, native born population of apartheid South Africa and it is simply not acceptable.

People here would be up in arms if I called a white person "non-black".

This is not the thread to discuss race and racism, but when micro aggressions like calling people "non-white" pop up on threads, then yes, I will challenge it. Thanks.

I have to say, I disagree with Harry's recollection that the media ignored the struggles of veterans. I do feel like there was a lot of coverage but I can believe it didn't translate into concrete action. I suspect that kind of media coverage would motivate your average person to donate to the major charities but I remember watching a Sky news report about how little the British Legion (as an example) supported veterans of the most recent wars. It really made me question donating to the big charities. I think too often people support big charities without knowing where the money actually goes.

Disabled people are often othered it’s a fact. So I am not surprised that veterans have not been supported.
i tend to avoid things like invitus and the para Olympics because they make it seem that being disabled is not a barrier. The media always find a happy talking disabled person to show.
the one good thing this thread shows is that being disabled does not mean you think the same as every other disabled person.
sorry if I am rambling, but veterans are called heroes, they have access to help that people like my adult dc could only dream of. It rankles

sorry if I am rambling, but veterans are called heroes, they have access to help that people like my adult dc could only dream of. It rankles

Hi Samcro, While watching the series (which was wonderful and the Vets were amazing), I was also thought of those people who, while struggling with disabilities and disabling illnesses, don’t have access to organisations and communities were they can get help, support and friendship.

For some people with disabilities or disabling illnesses there is no community. It seems that people just receive the message to pull up their socks and get on with it. It seems that there is a certain level of medical support, at best, but beyond that bubkis.

So, basically, murdoch media et al have accused Harry of (1) not acknowledging that the media did report on the returning Veterans, and (2) making it all about himself.

In doing so, the media has failed to (1) acknowledge the Vets and Invictus Games, and (2) made it all about Harry.

My DH was in the army (Infantry so he was on the frontline). He said that most lads he knew he went in the Army (around the same time as Harry) were working class lads who took the job because it’s bed and board and and often they had relationship breakdowns with parents, had no home otherwise, came from foster homes etc. the class divide between infantry and higher ranks was very distinct. Many he served with have committed suicide since leaving, some turned to crime. Because you can’t be trained 24/7 to be a killer and then leave one day and be ready for civilian life!

DH left the army around the same time Harry did. No MH support whatsoever was offered to him or any colleagues (I believe this has now changed).

So I’m afraid when I think about the lads who went in with nothing and no one, and came out broken men with no support still and no homes, I’m afraid hearing a billionaire moan that he couldn’t access any support really fucking boils my blood. Harry is an insensitive arsehole who had every last resource available to him, and has done all his life. To whinge that this wasn’t enough is utterly fucking offensive to the men and women who are traumatised too but had not even one family member to talk to about it.

Cannot stand the prick

the army (Infantry so he was on the frontline). He said that most lads he knew he went in the Army (around the same time as Harry) were working class lads who took the job because it’s bed and board and and often they had relationship breakdowns with parents, had no home otherwise, came from foster homes etc.

Harry said similar in his book Spare. “The Army were looking for lads like me….Parent’s divorced? Mum’s dead? Unresolved grief or psychological trauma?” That they were welcomed in.

Some people on the royal family threads really objected to Harry’s take on this. Said it was untrue. And unfair to cast aspersions on the families of the men and women, and the men and women themselves, who signed up.

I do agree that Harry had many more physical comforts in life - he didn’t have to worry about where he was going to lay his head at night, or when he’d next eat.

I’m not from the UK so class divides are less of a thing. It’s Interesting that in the UK they are still so strong, in the armed forces, in this century.

There are so many different views.

Some British Journalists wre killed covering the war in Afghanistan so PH is wrong.

I think you're making a bit of a strained point there.

The Commonwealth Games is a totally different thing to IG. Second only to the Olympics in size, and held 4-yearly, it's really very little like a biennial Games with 10 sports and therefore far fewer participants. The scale of organisation required for events of such wildly different scope and size doesn't lend itself well to direct comparison. They simply don't need the same management structures, or find the same level of facilities or accommodation. If they were not considerably nimbler, something would be very badly wrong.

I’m afraid hearing a billionaire moan that he couldn’t access any support really fucking boils my blood.

It boils my blood that people are so class obsessed they don't think someone who is wealthy deserves support or is allowed to talk about their struggles. All of the veterans do.

@MrsMaxDeWinter thank you for once again addressing the racism that is so often ignored, the term is offensive and nobody in this day and age should be using it.

so true. you only have to look at Britney and Kanye to see that being rich and famous does not mean you don't struggle.

It's interesting to hear from someone who has actually been in the army. I think the armed forces need to more actively support those who have served in going back into civilian life. They've gained so many skills and have shown great discipline and they often struggle to find satisfactory roles in civilian life. We are wasting a great resource and I can understand how ex servicepeople would struggle mentally.

I agree, DH left a long time ago when there was NO support but I do think people leaving the Army now get plenty of support. He can also access services and charities for veterans - but won’t. It was drilled into him in the army that seeking help was a weakness so he hasn’t always been willing to seek support

Please don’t misquote me. I didn’t say he didn’t deserve support did I? I said it was perfectly possible for him to get support and he could access so much more than others.

Losing a parent, being in a war zone etc and experiencing tragedies are terrible for everyone. But - and I’ll die on this hill - anything in life is easier to cope with when you’re wealthy than if you’re poor/homeless

I didn’t read Spare but it seems PH’s biggest PE failure is the bizarre notion that he believes he’s like everyone else. He’s not.

But he's not allowed to talk about it? same thing to me. You have no idea if the right support was available to him. How would you like it if I said that to you about your DH? Go and get it, its out there. Its about the appropriate support network. If you watch the series its clear that includes other veterans and a network with each other. You're wrong about what wealth buys you, completely and utterly wrong.