Former Sgt Major Urges Remembrance for All Conflict Casualties

A former soldier, who served for 35 years, has issued a reminder that Remembrance Sunday is intended to honor those who have died in all conflicts, not exclusively the two world wars. Former Sgt Maj Paul Smales, who enlisted in the Army in 1987, completed tours as both a regular and reserve soldier in Northern Ireland, the Gulf, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. October marked the tenth anniversary of the cessation of British combat operations in Afghanistan, an event he noted had rekindled memories for some who participated in the conflict. Mr. Smales, 54, from Barton upon Humber, stated: “I am proud to have served. We should remember all those who died, in all conflicts.” The mother of a young soldier killed in Afghanistan recently expressed her feeling that his sacrifice had been forgotten. Mr. Smales, who currently trains Army cadets in York, commented: “I think the focus of Remembrance is on the world wars even though the more modern conflicts went on longer.” He added: “But I think, and so do a lot of veterans, that Remembrance is about remembering those of all conflicts.” Mr. Smales served with the unit now known as The Royal Yorkshire Regiment. During one deployment, he was sent to Helmand Province in Afghanistan as a “battlefield casualty replacement,” where he took on the role of a mortar fire controller, coordinating bombardments against Taliban fighters. He recounted: “I spent a few weeks at Forward Operating Base Inkerman. The enemy would get close, engaging us every day.” Mr. Smales indicated that he did not personally suffer psychologically from the conflict but was aware of others who had, and he urged people to also remember the sacrifices of survivors. He explained: “Apart from those weeks at Inkerman and being shot at a few times, I spent most of the time in the relative safety of the mortar line [where mortars are fired].” He further noted: “However, what might be seen as a minor incident to one person might have been a significant trigger for another.”