St Crispin’s Day

Hi all,

 I’ve been off for quite a while working for the Army, and personal events have sapped my will to blog.

But I read this today whilst in the gym here at Larkhill, and it just raised my spirits.  I’m surrounded by loyal hardworking soldiers.  Some “special” wear the badges of their efforts as wings or daggers (or both).  But most are just good soldiers. Capable of deploying in role doing INCREDIBLY complex & technical stuff and some out of role doing equally demanding work.  The utility of the gunners is astounding.  I salute them all (including the two who passed me without saluting me … ahem….).

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”