Background
Alexander Blackman was convicted on 8 November 2013 of murdering a Taliban insurgent in Afghanistan. He has now served two
years of a minimum term of 8 years to life sentence.
Alexander Blackman had an unblemished career in the Royal
Marines for 15 years, serving the Queen, country and its people on
numerous tours in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan.
On 15 September 2011, towards the end of their fraught tour in
Afghanistan, Sergeant Blackman and his patrol were directed to
an insurgent who had been fatally wounded by gunfire from an
Apache helicopter. Horribly exposed in a known hotspot for
enemy activity, they knew that other insurgents were in the area.
They dragged the fatally wounded man to cover. Sergeant
Blackman then shot what he believed to be a dead Taliban
insurgent who had been shooting at his fellow Royal Marine
colleagues minutes earlier.
Justice for Marine A
In support of
Sgt Alexander Blackman
After a thorough investigation a large number of failings have
been revealed in what has been described as a flawed Court
Martial hearing.
We believe that this is a gross miscarriage of justice and stand
here today as a united show of support to Alexander and his
family.
28th October 2016
Parliament Square, London
1130hrs
Facebook: /justiceformarineA Twitter: @justiceforBigAl
Order of the day
Conducted by Lieutenant Colonel Peter Ward
Drill Leader Bob Sturtivant
1130hrs – Form up in a hollow square. Sing “Happy
Birthday” to the Royal Marines
1200hrs – Initial address and campaign background by
Johnathan Davies, Campaign Manager
The Royal Marines Corps’ Prayer
O eternal Lord God, who through many generations has
united and inspired the members of our Corps, grant your
blessing, we beseech you, on Royal Marines serving all
around the Globe. Bestow your crown of righteousness upon
all our efforts and endeavours, and may our laurels be those
of gallantry and honour, loyalty and courage. We ask these
things in the name of him whose courage never failed, our
Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen.
1210hrs – Address by Jonathan Goldberg QC
1220hrs – Address by Major General John Holmes DSO
OBE MC, former Director of UK Special Forces
The National Anthem
1230hrs – Letter of Support from Major General Julian
Thompson CB OBE, former Commander of
3 Commando Brigade during the Falklands War, read
by Major General Malcolm Hunt OBE
God save our gracious Queen!
Long live our noble Queen!
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the Queen.
1235hrs – Address by Major General Malcolm Hunt
OBE, former Commander of 40 Commando Royal
Marines in the Falkland Islands
1240hrs – Address by Richard Drax MP
O Lord our God arise,
Scatter her enemies
And make them fall;
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks,
On Thee our hopes we fix,
God save us all!
1250hrs – Prayers and two minutes’ silence by Chaplain
John Wasley, Royal Naval Association London and
47 Normandy Commando Veterans Association
Chaplain
1300hrs – Closing address by Claire Blackman
1310hrs – National Anthem. Three cheers for
Al Blackman. Parade dismissed
.