“Many Of Their Chums Did No longer Arrive Serve” | Britain ‘Eternally’ Indebted To WWII Veterans

Tobias we've spoken many many times about many many things in the world um we obviously have you on today to talk specifically about this the one the one thing that that that frustrates me as a 58y old is it seems to me and I'm allowed to say this that today's generation moan and about the smallest and most inconsequential things.

When you look back at the sacrifices made he said did Nick 16 and 17y olds who lied about their age to sign up and potentially thousands gave their lives to give us the country and our freedom that we have today how I wish I could drag so many of today's generation younger generation to understand just what the D-Day anniversary and other.

Things like that mean Tobias don't you agree yeah there's a powerful message there it's absolutely right that the election is placed on pause as the nation reflects and salutes The Bravery of a generation that did step forward displaying such courage and determination has just been reported in an operation the size and scale of which.

Had never been seen before and would pave the way to changing the course of the war these fifth this 80th anniversary D-Day events are over the next couple of days are not just about recognizing the sacrifice I think I absolutely agree but it's a stark reminder of our duty today to continue to defend those very same freedoms that.

Our grandparents great-grandparents had to defend and sadly those same freed freedoms are once more under threat we speak have spoken so often about storm clouds gathering once more the world order is being eroded the world is not at War but in the same sense as our forbearers witnessed it's never been so unstable since World War II as.

Authoritarian states start to rearm align and deliberately pursue a competing vision of where our world should go so you're absolutely right marking this 80th anniversary of this incredible Maritime effort and the feat that would turn the tide of the war is also about reminding ourselves of what happens when we turn our backs against.

Tenery where we don't stand up and defend what's important to us and as a as a veteran Tobias personally manto man what does today mean what do the next couple of days mean I mean we we my old man used to have ingrain it into me about you know the armed voces and how we should absolutely respect the the Liberty that we have and I I don't see.

That in society anymore maybe I'm oldfashioned I'm proud of that to be perfectly honest what is what are the next couple of days mean to you as somebody who put that uniform on and represented their country fought for their country I can't help thinking like many who served in the armed forces that I.

Was influenced by my grandparents um my uh grandfather was part of the uh the the D-Day Landings he was in the parachute regiment he jumped um over Normandy and he never talked about it and sadly he's no longer uh with us but I'm sure that I was influenced in seeing the bury that he proudly had on this display at home and those medals uh as.

Well I had the fortune as defense minister 5 years ago at the 2019 anniversary event in Portsmouth to witness and speak to these veterans that were so enthused to uh commemorate what had happened uh but also cautious because of that emotion um that of course it would trigger I was with hundreds of veterans Commonwealth vets.

We then after Portsmouth events that you've just been describing there we all jumped on a large cruise ship went across to Normandy to sword Beach and to be Cemetery it was six hours across and I have to say they they drunk me under the table they were just so infused about being together again but also very emotional about what it all meant.

Recognizing just the scale of sacrifice the fact that they made it and many of their friends did not come back so well put to by us um just before we let you go um that's the D-Day anniversary today one of those examples as I said about about how I think the younger generation could look back one of the main news stories today is the British troops and.

You and I have talked about this about how our our army uh under successive governments has been stripped bare find out today the British troops could earn up to 15 grand in a pay hike under new rules that will let them join Australia's Army in Australia I'd love your thoughts as an ex-defense Minister if you immigrate a soldier in Australia.

Earns more than 30 grand they get a 15,000 pay pound pay rise what what in the name of the Lord is going to inspire anybody to join the British army that has been stripped bare anyway now you can go how many thousand miles and double your salary to buy a Sellwood yeah uh I mean so many aspects that we can talk about the state of our.

Armed Forces but it fits into that bigger picture that you and I have discussed many times I dug out an article that I wrote back in 2019 where I called for an increase in defense spending of 3% and that was what five years ago because you know I saw the those storm clouds gathering again I saw where the world was actually heading but.

Also the state of our armed forces and the need to upgrade our defense posture which includes pay uh as well I'm actually pleased normally elections are all about the economy that's what people focus on this time very much it's also about our security it's about the wider context we find ourselves in GDP half of our GDP is affected by International.

Headwinds boy and we got a bumpy decade ahead and I'm actually pleased that everybody is now looking more carefully making greater commitments to absolutely improve our armed forces in the way that you describe brilliant to

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