Please Share Far & Wide. Open Letter to The Prime Minister David Cameron & Andrew Kerr Chief Executive of Cornwall Council Eviction of ex Household Cavalry Soldier. Saturday 24th January 2015 Dear Sirs, We are ex soldiers representing the Household Cavalry Veterans Association and need to tell you how very angry and incensed we are with Cornwall Council and Downing Street this weekend. Yes I know you are all busy spending tax payers’ money on lavish lifestyles (Councillors) and dishing out foreign aid, however, we have some serious issues on our own doorstep that are NOT being resolved. It has come to light that one of our colleagues and fellow Household Cavalryman, Jamie Street, who was medically discharged from the British Army in 2014 with the Rank of Corporal of Horse (COH), is to be evicted from his council house along with his wife and four young children in one month by Cornwall Council. Their application for a permanent council house was rejected due to some ridiculous red tape issue. Maybe he would stand a better chance if he was a foreign refugee or asylum seeker. Perhaps Cornwall Council, and its leader Andrew Kerr havent heard of the Armed Forces Covenant. And perhaps it would be courteous of Downing Street to reply to Jamie’s letters sent via email, one on the 9th and the other on the 20th January, 2015. I also hear that Conservative MP for Falmouth, Sarah Newton, was unable to offer any plausible assistance. Yeah right. Let me tell you about Jamie. He joined the Army in 1998 at Winchester ATR initially with Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, where he completed two tours of Kosovo, one in 2000 and the other in 2001. Later in 2001, he rebadged to The Household Cavalry as a Life Guard based at the armoured regiment in Windsor. In 2007, he was deployed to Afghanistan on Op Herrick for a 6 month tour as a CVR(T) Reconnaissance Crew Commander. After returning from Afghanistan, Jamie volunteered for ceremonial duties at Knightsbridge, where he was a troop COH, and carried out a wide range of duties including but not limited to Queens Life Guard, trooping of the colour, state visits and Sovereign escort. Jamie was involved in a riding accident where he was thrown from his horse and smashing his head off a fence, suffering from serious head injuries which resulted in a malignant brain tumour. He underwent surgery which affected his walking and speech and left him with no movement in his left side, he also contracted Meningitis. But after four weeks in hospital with rehabilitation, at Headley Court, he returned to work. However, Jamie suffered a seizure the following year which later led to the end of his Army career. He was medically discharged in May 2014, against his wishes. Jamie still has part of the tumour in his head, as they were unable to remove all of the cancer cells. The family moved to Falmouth, the children were enrolled at local schools and they moved into their private rented accommodation. Since then, his Army funds have dwindled as Jamie, 34, has been unable to find work. The DVLA has returned his driving licence and he has enrolled on a plumbing course with the hope he can support his family again. But in the meantime, they are facing the prospect of being homeless. Why? I speak for all veterans of the Household Cavalry and wider military family when we say that this is not acceptable treatment for one of our brothers who has served his Queen and country with impeccable professionalism for over 15 years, and who would have completed 22 years of service, given the opportunity. We implore you Mr Cameron and Mr Kerr to act now to ensure Jamie Street and his family are given appropriate housing so they can get on with their lives and bring up their children in a safe environment. Yours Sincerely, Robert Mather & Michael Creagh & Robert Barry Plus 1600
Posted on: Sat, 24 Jan 2015 23:45:50 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015