Bikers pay tribute to soldiers killed in Afghanistan

[Bangyai]

Around 15,000 bikers roared through Wootton Bassett to honour troops killed in Afghanistan in the biggest ride of its kind.


Published: 12:02PM GMT 14 Mar 2010

Previous
1 of 2 Images
Next



Some of the 10,000 bikers expected to ride support of the armed forces serving in Afghanistan pass along the High Street Photo: GETTY

The ride aims to raise £50,000 for Afghan Heroes charity Photo: GETTY


The town in Wiltshire has come to represent the nation in paying respect to fallen soldiers as they are repatriated back to the UK.
Hundreds line the high street in silence for each funeral cortege that passes through the town on its way from RAF Lyneham to the coroner in Oxford.


Today's crowds gathered along the High Street to hear the roar of over 10,000 motor bikers with about 5,000 pillion passengers pass the war memorial on route.
The ride, believed to the biggest of its kind, has raised more than £100,000 so far for the charity Afghan Heroes.
Wootton Bassett Mayor Steve Bucknell said: ''The vast majority of the people of the town fully support what the bikers are doing today.
''Too many times the town has had to stand still in silence but today is all about noise and movement.''
Laurence Phillips from Afghan Heroes said the event gathered pace after being posted on social networking site Facebook.
''It's quite a staggering spectacle and an unbelievable show of support for the troops in Afghanistan and a mark of respect for the town of Wootton Bassett,'' he said.
''I would imagine it is the biggest bike ride of its kind.
''The bikes have been coming in since 8am this morning.''
The bikers set off from Hullavington Airfield, Wiltshire in waves of 500 along the A429, B4042, Callow Hill to White Hill Lane and the A3102 to Wootton Bassett.
The police, Ministry of Defence and local authorities joined forces to make sure it passed smoothly.
Opera singer Tim Pitman performed Fields of Green, a song written for Afghan Heroes.
Each biker paid £5 to take part, with some raising more including one biker who handed over £750.

Bikers pay tribute to soldiers killed in Afghanistan - Telegraph

[Bangyai]

Nice gesture.

[chassamui]

i think one of the aims of the parade was also to pay tribute to the people of Wootton Bassett.
Quite right too.

[Shrek]

A very nice gesture by the bikers and the people of Wootton Bassett.

[dirtydog]

That is a nice gesture, I assume the money will be going to Afghan civilians who have been maimed by bombs from UK USA etc.

[Moonraker]

That's the kind of stuff that can bring a lump to the throat.

Good on them.

[chassamui]

That is a nice gesture, I assume the money will be going to Afghan civilians who have been maimed by bombs from UK USA etc.

i believe this is the intended charity:

http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/

[dirtydog]

^aahh, you mean the illegal invaders who went to afghanistan willingly to kill people, those heroes.

[The Fresh Prince]

The soldiers are just doing their job, they don't care about politics which is what most wars are about. I am much more in favor of this kind of celebration. That minute silence bolox is very last century.

Good on you bikers, maximum respect!

[dirtydog]

The soldiers are just doing their job

Quite right, they are just doing their job, heroes though? there dead, sure it must be a lot of consolation for their families knowing that some people consider their dead ones as heroes.

[Minty4Thai]

I think it was last week we lost 7 blokes in the space of 8 days,

And well done the Bikers.

[dirtydog]

Wouldn't it be better and cheaper just to pull out of afghan, then impose sanctions like no afghans allowed into any civilised country at all, no buying anything from civilised countries at all, hell, they got plenty of dirt and sand to eat, let erm have it all.

[Minty4Thai]

I believe we have to defend our homes from further afield, We need to annihilate there training camps. Win back the ground they have over ran in there own countries. And help the locals out. Its a shame we are out in such places in the first place, But what grips my pooh is that the likes of France etc who refuse point blank to go in there and help out, Will get a big slice of the oil... The french are in Kosovo doing next to nothing.

Would i be going off on one if i said we have to get those preachers out of our country to. Londistan...

[blackgang]

That is a nice gesture, I assume the money will be going to Afghan civilians who have been maimed by bombs from UK USA etc.

Quite right, they are just doing their job, heroes though? there dead, sure it must be a lot of consolation for their families knowing that some people consider their dead ones as heroes.

And just think, I used to consider this drunker fuck a kind of hero for the open way things are done here by folks with at least some intelligence.. wonder what happen to him???

[Rural Surin]

That is a nice gesture, I assume the money will be going to Afghan civilians who have been maimed by bombs from UK USA etc.

Oh.....sure it will.

[chassamui]

The resisdents of Wootton Bassett, the bikers and others who turn out to pay their resects every time another body is shipped home, are doing what comes naturally.
A simple show of respect for those who have died, rightly or wrongly, at the behest of their government.
i find it unfortunate that anyone should try to make political capital out of this.

[Perota]

^
And what about those who didn't die? The thousands of veterans nobody gives a shit about ?
I once had a good friend, an officer in the Legion Etrangere. He told me we teach those people two things, to fight and to obey orders. Then (when they retire) we let them loose and we wonder why they get into trouble.

[barbaro]

If Westerners get killed in Afghanistan it's by their choice.

Too bad it happened, but there shouldn't be any special events for them.

Personally, I feel people in Afghanistan are fairly foolish for being there.

[Bangyai]

If Westerners get killed in Afghanistan it's by their choice.

Too bad it happened, but there shouldn't be any special events for them.

Personally, I feel people in Afghanistan are fairly foolish for being there.

Yep, the smart ones are queing up at Calais.

[Bangyai]

Should foreign troops be in Afghanistan ? In the gulf war the Wests main concern was stabalising oil supply. They had a financial interest in getting involved. This is not the case with Afghanistan. Many Afghans were very happy to see the back of the Taliban and who wouldn't be. The Taliban do not represent the adverage Afghan. Their ranks are packed out with fanatical muslims from Pakistan and Pashtuns, who's territory straddles the border. They had gained control of the govournment through tactics of terror and intimidation and assinated Afghanistans most promising leader, Ahmed Shah Massoud, in a sneaky suicide bomb attack. Unchecked, Afghanistan would have become a large terrorist training camp for any muslim with an axe to grind whilst the adverage citizen would have had no say in the matter.
IMO, Afghanistan is a worthy cause and I wish our troops every success. However, in reality, as soon as western forces pull out the likelhood is that things will just slide back into anarchy. In that sense , maybe we are pissing into the wind. Time will tell.

[Perota]

Should foreign troops be in Afghanistan ?

... In that sense , maybe we are pissing into the wind. Time will tell.

Yeah , you're pissing in the wind. And it's acid rain.

[Mid]

i find it unfortunate that anyone should try to make political capital out of this.

ffs the whole fokin shitebox is political

[Minty4Thai]

They don't deserve such occasions!!! For every life we have lost in either Afghan or Iraq we have saved thousands over. These guys and there families deserve all the praise and remembrance and financial support the deserve. We are far from pissing in the wind my friend.

[chassamui]

^
And what about those who didn't die? The thousands of veterans nobody gives a shit about ? Another issue for another thread perhaps. Those who return injured have recently been thrust into the public perception of war and the responsibility carried on their behalf by british Armed forces.
I once had a good friend, an officer in the Legion Etrangere. He told me we teach those people two things, to fight and to obey orders. Then (when they retire) we let them loose and we wonder why they get into trouble.

Been going on for years, anyone who spends time in military service, especially those involved in active service, will always be institutionalised to some extent. it is nearly impossible to train people to kill, and then ask them to lead a passive lifestyle when it's all over.

I still support the Bikers and the people of Wootton Bassett for what is basically a non-political show of publiuc support for the forces.

[Minty4Thai]

Its easy to kill, its instinctive if someone is shooting at you, you will return fire, A soldiers rules of engagement is to fire once fired upon or if you think your life is in extreme danger. We don't go looking for fights. Its once you have killed someone you cannot foresee your reactions and how you will cope with the after thoughts, Now the British Army are finding post dramatic stress a lot more due to the overload of tours each soldier has to go on. The British Public in general are doing a great job in supporting our troops.

*edit or you think yours or someone elses life is at risk.