London Resilience

During the closing months of my employment with Network Rail, I was involved with the development of the company’s incident management training. I was introduced to London Resilience. It was clear back in 2003 that those who would have to deal with a terrorist attack on the nation’s capital, were expecting it. The statement I often heard was “not if, but when” along with speculation about the magnitude and nature of such an attack. Indeed, the combined services were already practising. From what little I’ve seen and heard, that practice paid off today.

So today, what they had been preparing for while hoping it wouldn’t happen, happened. I trust the cowards responsible are proud of their actions. After all, they didn’t have to go into the field and face enemy fire as real soldiers do. The most that they are likely to face is a term of imprisonment should they be caught. That’s presuming that suicide bombers weren’t used – in which case, they are dead. The planners of such atrocities don’t do anything so dangerous themselves, preferring to use ideologically illiterate footsoldiers to do their dirty work.

I knew I would have to write something about this, but wasn’t sure what. Because of my involvement with emergency planning, I too, knew that this was going to happen at some point. That it happened on my old commuting route is a little unnerving, but that was nearly two years ago now, so rather distant. I have not been personally affected (unless you count three hours trying to get back home from Reading). It was reading Big John’s comment that gelled my thoughts.

London and the British people have been here before. The Blitz saw London’s east end bombed by the Luftwaffe – but not into submission. During the Irish “troubles” the nation has suffered terrorists attacks going back as far as the 1880s. If the latest brand of terrorists think that we will submit, then they are mistaken. Britons are made of tougher stuff.

My condolences go out to those who lost friends and family today. While grieving for our loss, we must however remember this; If we give in and change our way of life – if we allow ourselves to be terrorised, then the terrorist wins and we dishonour the memories of those cut down so cruelly today. The message that we must send out to those who would undermine our way of life is;

Business as usual.