Loyalty test

AFTER the death of yet another fine Yorkshire soldier in Afghanistan – Trooper Ashley Smith, 21, from York, being the latest fatality – the Prime Minister has appealed to the British people to express its appreciation of Britain's military "more loudly and more proudly" ahead of Armed Forces Day.

Yet, while David Cameron is motivated by the best of intentions, he needs to understand that many people find it difficult to celebrate, publicly, the heroic achievements of these soldiers when they cannot understand why individuals, like Trooper Smith, are still sacrificing their lives in a war perceived to be unwinnable.

What might help public opinion is a government that does far more to

assist those service personnel injured in the line of duty.

Of course, the PM is not culpable for the tortuous pensions battle that Lance-Corporal Adam Douglas, from Leeds, has endured since being injured in Iraq seven years ago – Mr Cameron was not even Tory leader when the soldier was so seriously injured.

But he can make it abundantly clear that his government will treat veterans with far more compassion, and dignity, than its predecessor – including the appointment of sufficient welfare experts to help handle these complicated cases with pragmatism.