Britain’s turned back on us, says Major who returned medal over witch-hunt of heroes
A NORTHERN Ireland veteran who returned his service medal in protest at the witch-hunt against his comrades says the country has turned its back on the Armed Forces.
Former paratrooper Major Tom Lynch, 81, has received letters asking him to co-operate with investigations into unauthorised deaths and killings during the Troubles.
He regards the letters as a form of harassment, saying: “The Prime Minister can have my medal back. It was given to me for services on behalf of Queen and country and I don’t think now I’m getting that service back.
“I went out along with many others and we put our lives on the line and did our bit, and now they’re reneging on their promise to look after us veterans. It’s really very sad.”
Earlier this week Major Lynch’s Labour MP, Rosie Duffield, held up his medal in the Commons and told MPs he had asked her to return it.
The Canterbury MP said: “Please can we have every assurance that these investigations, whilst necessary, are being carried out in the most sensitive manner, especially for those veterans who are now suffering dementia and are in their 80s?”
Bravery
Major Lynch spoke as Theresa May yesterday acknowledged veterans are facing a “flawed” justice system in the investigations of incidents.
After growing pressure to end the witch-hunt over cases dating back decades, Mrs May admitted there had been a “disproportionate focus on former members of the Armed Forces and the police”.
She also paid tribute to the “heroism and bravery” of troops and police charged with tackling terrorism.
Mrs May’s remarks followed a letter from more than 150 parliamentarians urging an end to the hounding of veterans of the Troubles, revealed exclusively by the Daily Express this week.
This newspaper has led a crusade against the “betrayal of our veterans”, calling for “legacy cases” to dropped.
Mrs May spoke out yesterday in response to Tory backbencher Sir Henry Bellingham, one of the signatories of the letter, at Prime Minister’s Questions. “When veterans have already been investigated by military and civilian authorities, they should never be hounded and pursued unless there is overwhelming new evidence,” Sir Henry told Mrs May.
Mrs May responded: “We owe a vast debt of gratitude to the heroism and bravery of the soldiers and police officers who upheld the rule of law and were themselves accountable to it. The current system in Northern Ireland is flawed. It is not working.
“Although a number of terrorist murders from the Troubles are actively under investigation...I am clear that there is a disproportionate focus on former members of the Armed Forces and the police under the current mechanisms for investigating the past.”
The Daily Express has highlighted the toll the witch-hunt has taken on 77-year-old veteran Dennis Hutchings, who is seriously ill.
Another 278 cases involving former British soldiers may be investigated.