sandbaggers: Re: Burnside as hero

Re: Burnside as hero

Kenneth W. Crist Jr. (kayuucee@cfar.umd.edu)
Tue, 19 Sep 1995 10:52:16 -0400

On Mon, 18 Sep 1995 16:58:05 -0700, Gayle wrote:
> I can't quote you chapter and verse, but I rememeber two
> instances off hand, one in which Wellingham disparages Willie's
> background, and another in which Willie himself says he would not be
> promoted much higher because of it.

Neil was an officer, Royal Marines I think. Therefore he probably
went to a minor public school and attended university.
Willie, on the other hand, was a sergeant in the SAS before
becoming a Sandbagger. Definitely lower class. Besides, Willie is in
a job he is comfortable with, for the moment, and doesn't want to
rise any higher. Which is good, because he probably wouldn't be
offered Neil's job if it came open. Only James Greenly appreciated
Willie's merit, but as Neil said Greenly was "exceptional."

> He's obviously more competent than Peele at just about anything.

No picking on Peele. He was a competent bureaucrat with a keen
political sense. This didn't stop him from being an upper-class twit,
a snob, a bore, a toady or a hack. But he did know his job.

Ken Crist
kayuucee@cfar.umd.edu