Servicemen protest to 'remember fallen and stop the cuts' (From Daily Echo)

Servicemen protest to 'remember fallen and stop the cuts'

4:36pm Wednesday 25th July 2012 in Southampton

SHOULDER to shoulder they paused to remember those who lost their lives defending their country.

These three ex-servicemen, who had never met before, turned out at Southampton ’s Cenotaph yesterday as part of a national day of protest about cuts to the armed forces.

The day of demonstrations at cenotaphs across the country was organised after the Government announced it was to cut the Army by one fifth – the loss of some 17 major units.

Although there were just three of them, the men were determined to show that they feel strongly about the cutbacks.

One of the men was Calvin Brewer, 40, from Brockenhurst, who served with the Royal Military Police for nine years.

He said: “These cuts are a real kick in the teeth, especially for lads just coming back from Afghanistan. It’s only when it’s gone that you realise what you had and the Government will one day realise that these cuts have gone too far.”

Other protests took place in London, Leeds, Newcastle, Manchester, Leicester and Glasgow.