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Soldiers 'abused by public'
07/03/2008 18:38 - (SA)
London - Military personnel at a base in eastern England have been told not to wear their uniforms in public after reports of insults and abuse by members of the public over the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Defence Secretary Des Browne has ordered an investigation after the station commander at RAF Wittering told staff to dress in civilian clothes when they visit the nearby city of Peterborough.
"We must defend our forces' right to wear their uniforms in public," he said in a statement. "It is a great shame that some individuals in this community don't respect our forces, who are daily doing a great deal for this nation."
No details of the alleged incidents were released. Cambridgeshire Police said they had received no reports of abuse against RAF personnel.
"If we did, then we would investigate them as we would any kind of public order offence," a spokesperson said.
Defence Minister Derek Twigg told BBC radio that the abuse came from a "small minority of people" and that he hoped the ban would be overturned soon.
The reports of insults come as Prime Minister Gordon Brown is trying to foster greater public respect for soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Last year, he asked Labour MP Quentin Davies to conduct a review of public attitudes towards the military. Davies has toured the United States and Canada to see the higher level of support given to soldiers there.
The Ministry of Defence says individual commanding officers are free to decide whether soldiers should wear their uniform or civilian clothes while off duty.
Soldiers stopped wearing their uniforms in public in the 1970s because of fears of IRA attacks.
The abuse in Peterborough came from a cross-section of the community, according to a report in the Daily Mail. The city's mayor Marion Todd described it as "despicable".
Conservative Shadow Defence Secretary Liam Fox said most people "would be appalled to hear that there are no-go areas for our armed forces".
RAF chief Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy said: "Whatever people's views are about specific military operations, everyone should be able to recognise the bravery and professionalism of our armed forces."
RAF Wittering is one of the RAF's oldest bases. It was used to fight German Zeppelin airships in World War One and played a key role in the Battle of Britain in 1940.
- Reuters
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