I know that on Memorial Day we’re supposed to honor our war dead rather than living veterans that we honor on Veterans Day, but there’s a certain veteran I really need to salute today – Lance Corporal William Windsor, who retired from the British Army this week.
Yeah, looks like he’s about due for retirement. According to Wikipedia, he’d been having problems toeing the line for a while:
“On 16 June 2006,[7] a parade was held to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s 80th birthday,[5] at the Episkopi base near Limassol, Cyprus on the Mediterranean island’s south coast.[5] Invited dignitaries included the ambassadors of Spain, Netherlands and Sweden and the Argentine commander of United Nations’ forces on Cyprus.[12]
The deployment to Cyprus with the 1st Battalion was Billy’s first overseas posting,[7] and despite being ordered to keep in line, he refused to obey.[7] He failed to keep in step,[12] and tried to headbutt a drummer.[13] The Goat Major, Lance Corporal Dai Davies, 22, from Neath, South Wales, was unable to keep him under control.[12]
As a result of his actions, Billy was marched before his commanding officer, Huw James, after being reported for “unacceptable behaviour”[5] and “lack of decorum”.[12] He was reported through the chain of command, accused of disobeying a direct order,[12] and following a disciplinary hearing was demoted from lance corporal to fusilier.[12][1] The change meant that other fusiliers in the regiment no longer had to stand to attention when Billy walked past, as they had to when he was a lance corporal.[7] “
That disciplinary hearing sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me, but no matter. Eventually he regained his rank, allowing him back into the Officers’ Mess to be served and saluted by ordinary grunts once again.
William will spend his retirement at the Whipsnade Zoo at Bedfordshire. Thank you, Lance Corporal Windsor, for your dedicated service. I’m sure the people of Great Britain will not quickly forget you.
