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Much furore has been made by our many detractors regarding the recent events surrounding our club’s support for the family of murdered soldier Lee Rigby and the emphasis we as a club and support place on Remembrance Sunday. With a 30 plus year career with the MoD, I have many friends who are serving or retired military personnel, most if not all are just happy to be doing a job they love, regardless of the dangers that currently come with the cap badge. Anyhow, my wife’s father has an old aunt in a care home that we have visited over the last 2/3 years, at first I found it a task to give up my time, always finding something more urgent or important to do, kind of reminds me of my own mortality! Well, on one of our visits about 2 years ago I took a stroll out into the garden and came across an old boy sitting by himself in a white simmit and the biggest pair of khaki baggie shorts the likes last seen on Don Estelle in ‘it ant half hot mum’ in the seventies He asked me if I was there to visit him, he told me that he was a little bit confused about the here and now, but could remember the old days no problem. He told me he was a keen sportsman and played cricket and football for Burntisland shipyards before the war, was a passionate gardener and loved to grow roses. Over the next two years he also told me that he had sailed on the Russian conveys as a merchant seaman, how one of his friends got cut in half by shrapnel, and how a ship directly in front his got torpedoed and disappeared in seconds with the loss of all on board. I sent his details of to the MoD and about six months ago he got a letter back informing him that he was to receive a medal in recognition of his courage and service to his country, with sublime modesty and dignity he told me that he was honoured to get such an award but that he was the least heroic person he had ever known. Anyway, with the summer holidays and my kids getting ready for university I hadn't been to the home for about five weeks, turns out the old boy had slipped anchor and passed away about a month ago. At 94 only a handful of people attended his funeral, most of his immediate family are long gone, which is really sad for someone who gave so much to his/our country, and who had to wait over 65 years for such fleeting recognition. It was an honour and privilege to have known him, as a nation we take so much for granted, our freedom and security, all paid for by people like Drummer Lee Rigby and countless old boys just like him. Bryce where ever you are, enjoy your Lardy cake and coca, less we forget indeed.