OT Land fit for Heroes??????????

[gamekeeper]

No room at the inn for injured soldier
Thu Sep 04 02:38PM
A British soldier on leave after being injured in Afghanistan has been refused a room in a Surrey hotel just because he is in the army.
The BBC has reported that Corporal Tomas Stringer, 23, from Gwynedd in Wales, was visiting an injured friend near Woking when he was turned away from the Metro Hotel.

Corporal Stringer, of 13 Air Assault Support Regiment, was asked to provide a form of identification to book the room and when he presented his military pass he was told that it was management policy not to accept Armed Forces as guests.

Stringer, who injured his wrist falling out of a truck while coming under fire in Afghanistan, was forced to spend the night in his car.

He has now returned to Afghanistan but his mother, Gaynor Stringer, was so upset over the way he was treated by the hotel she wrote to MP Hywel Williams.

Mrs Stringer has also voiced her disappointment over how soldiers are treated in Britain compared to in the United States.

"We've been to America and their military get treated like heroes over there. I think it's terrible they [UK Armed Forces] can't even wear their uniform with pride."

Nobody from the Metro Hotel was available for comment.

I think I will be writing a letter to these scumbag hoteliers.

[Old Ironsights]

Sounds like the need a visit from the Royals...

I wonder if "management policy" would force them to turn Charlie & Harry away?

IMO it would be better to send THEM a Post. The Hotelier isn't worth the paper.

[GANJIRO]

Does the Hotel management not know why they are not speaking German today?

[Grizz]

Does the Hotel management not know why they are not speaking German today?

maybe they're jihadis...

maybe they're germans...

maybe they need a knuckle sandwich

[FWiedner]

Do the Brits still press folks into service?

Looks like some good candidates.

[Duff L Bagg]

Game Keeper, there is not a sorrier lot than one that would turn away a man that has served his country honorably. Hopefully the wrath of your fellow countrymen will drive this thing out of business.

[gundownunder]

They dont support their military.
They dont support firearms ownership,
and a bloke thinks he is very well armed if he owns an air rifle or sling shot
A country like that doesn't deserve to be free and as soon as their middle eastern immigrants get their first big gun shipment it probably wont be.

[Ysabel Kid]

Is this an independent hotel? I hope it is part of a chain, so I can attack the owners with a promise never to patronize anything they own. John, do they have "Better Business Bureaus" or "Chambers of Commerce" over there? Firing off a few letters to these organization often yields results as well.

Pathetic little weasel paficists - only made free by the exertions of better men and women, which in this case, is EVERYONE on the planet!

[KT-45]

When I read this story this was the first thing that came to mind:

TOMMY

(From Barrack-Room Ballads)

by Rudyard Kipling

TOMMY -

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,

The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."

The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,

I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I: -

O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an'

"Tommy go away";

But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins," when

the band begins to play,

The band begins to play, my boys, the band

begins to play,

O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins," when the

band begins to play. -

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,

They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;

They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,

But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls! -

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an'

"Tommy wait outside";

But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the

trooper's on the tide,

The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the

troopship's on the tide,

O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the

trooper's on the tide. -

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep

Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;

An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit

Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit. -

Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an'

"Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"

But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the

drums begin to roll,

The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums

begin to roll,

O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the

drums begin to roll. -

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,

But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;

An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints:

Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints; -

While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an'

"Tommy, fall be'ind,"

But it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when

there's trouble in the wind,

There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's

trouble in the wind,

O it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when

there's trouble in the wind. -

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:

We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.

Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face

The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace. -

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an'

"Chuck him out, the brute!"

But it's "Savior of 'is country," when the

guns begin to shoot;

An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an'

anything you please;

But Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool- you bet

that Tommy sees! - -

[gamekeeper]

Is this an independent hotel? I hope it is part of a chain, so I can attack the owners with a promise never to patronize anything they own. John, do they have "Better Business Bureaus" or "Chambers of Commerce" over there? Firing off a few letters to these organization often yields results as well.

Pathetic little weasel pacificists - only made free by the exertions of better men and women, which in this case, is EVERYONE on the planet!

Jay,
As far as I can tell they are a small chain of hotels and leisure centres run by American Amusements Ltd. They call their family entertainment centres "BIG APPLE" but I have no idea if they are a genuine American company.

KT-45,

I like Rudyard Kipling, I haven't read that one for quite a long time, thanks for posting.

[EnglishBarry]

As an ex squaddie I know about this treatment and Rudyard could spot all the prejudice quite well and he had an understanding of human nature . Some of the sentiments expressed by Jack Nicholson's character in "A few good men" were quite incisive. Civilians will never understand the military mindset and ethos of brotherhood, and what we don't understand, we fear and sometimes envy. So small people in small positions of power will try to control what they fear, or attack and denigrate that which they envy, if that means abuse of power in petty ways, that is what can happen. The sad thing is, they do not know the basic reasons for their behaviour, they will cloak it with other excuses that make them appear "good".

Soldiers are a tool of politicians, as a gun is the tool of a person. When the person or politician is bad and you can't change them, blame the tool. Anti gunners cloak their behaviour in the platitudes of protecting people, kids, animals, foxes, dogs etc. BS. They just want to control everyone that doesn't think like them. All melagomaniacs, zealot and fanatics do the same, it is all about control. Some do it with a pen, some with a bomb. But their aim is the same, control.

After re-reading my post, does it couint as being in rant mode?

I must get a life!

[mklwhite]

You have my deepest sympathies for the condition of your country. It is amazing what apathy and ignorance can do. The citizens have no guns (ok, very limited) and such disrespect to your own military personal... Sounds like a bad idea overall. But maybe if the military ever gets feed up with it they will bring the change that the UK seems to be preparing itself for.

[perry owens]

Despite the name American Amusements is a private limited company registered in England. Here are the contact details of the directors in case anyone would like to drop them a line.

Director and Secretary:
Duncan Geoffrey Frank Moss
Potterne House Potterne Way
Three Legged Cross
Wimborne
Dorset
BH21 6RS

Director:
Michael Richard Erle Appleton
Woodlands The Fairway
Worplesdon
Guilford
Surrey
GU3 3QE

Perry Owens

[gamekeeper]

Thanks Perry, I had a feeling they were not American, I have sent an email to the hotel in Woking and I will contact these guys to find out what gives!

[Old Ironsights]

They're dissembling... blaming it on the desk clerk who I am sure was sacked as soon as possible - but given holiday tickets to France just to keep her shut up.

I REALLY want Prince Harry to pop in unannounced in uniform and ask for a cot...

[gamekeeper]

I REALLY want Prince Harry to pop in unannounced in uniform and ask for a cot...

THAT WOULD BE GREAT!

[JReed]

I wonder if they would make me sleep in a car if I hoped the Pond and tried to get a room in my dress blues.

[awp101]

Does the Hotel management not know why they are not speaking German today?

That applies to a few countries as well. In fact, some Americans need to be reminded...

I REALLY want Prince Harry to pop in unannounced in uniform and ask for a cot...

While I don't exactly susbscribe to the convention of monarchy (the conversation regarding how Arthur became King of the Britons in Monty Pythons' The Holy Grail comes to mind... ) I'd pay good money to watch that....

[Doc Hudson]

I saw that posted on another forum.

All I can say is give those a**holes hell Game Keeper!

Any way you can get a platoon of the Highland Regiment to book rooms there, have them show up enmasse and act like Highlanders if they get the same sort of guff.

[Andrew]

Any way you can get a platoon of the Highland Regiment to book rooms there, have them show up enmasse and act like Highlanders if they get the same sort of guff.

I like that plan but with one alteration: Don't wait for the gruff, just take care of business.

I think a visit of a few hundered cranky troops would go a long way towards setting their attitude in the right direction.