War veteran robbed by muggers
Wednesday 24th June 2009, 11:30AM BST.
A Second World War veteran today told the Express & Star how he was brutally attacked and robbed by thugs, valiantly declaring: “It would have been a different story if I was still the young man I was in the Paras.”
Donald Holder, aged 82, was punched to the ground and robbed of his precious regimental badge as he walked along Willenhall Road in Wolverhampton.
Police today described the attack as “needlessly violent” but the grandfather-of-four told no-one of his ordeal until the next day, saying: “I’ve seen and lived through much worse”. The crime has sickened the local community and one businessman is now offering a £500 reward for information leading to a conviction.
Mr Holder served in Egypt, Jordan and Palestine in his four years in the 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment.
“It makes you think what the world is coming to,” the widower said today. “But I’ve seen and lived through much worse during my time in the war and it would have been a different story if I was still the young man I was in the Paras. “I’ve had that badge since 1944 and it has a lot of memories for me – it represents all that I stood and fought for. When I was demobbed, I took it off my uniform and have carried it with me every day since then. It has great sentimental value to me but means nothing to them.”
Businessman Richard Carter, who owns Wednesfield-based Energyseal window and conservatory company, is offering the reward.
The 38-year-old said: “I think it is absolutely disgusting and these people are the lowest of the low. It is unbelievable that people would do such a thing – the community will not tolerate it.”
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Bring back national service and give this scum a taste of war/fighting, but there again they would crap themselves, I hope when the police “catch” them the courts give them a stiff sentence and not a slap on the hand.
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Good God, the state our country is in fills me with despair, a hero unable to walk the streets safely while the animals run amok.
At least the actions of Mr Carter have restored some of my faith in British society, for that he should be applauded.
Mr Holder, you and your comrades are my heroes and I am saddened terribly at this awful news. I do hope your regimental badge is recovered quickly.
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Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime, i wonder who spouted those words?
Can these people sink any lower.
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This story makes me feel sick to the stomach… not the fact that an ex froce person was attacked the fact that the individual is 82!!!
Public flogging would be too good a punishment for these scumbags(cant actual word I wnat to call them would not get printed)
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I find it so hard to believe people are actually capable of this type of crime. A totally sickening, vulgar crime.
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no doubt a slap on the wrist and a bit of cushy probation will be imposed on these scum if by miracle they are ever caught. thankfully the willenhall road is full of cameras, oh sorry i forgot, there all SPEED cameras
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Poor chap – we all owe a huge debt to him and thousands of other brave men and women who fought for our Country and a better World. What a shame that the cowardly scum who robbed him weren’t in the firing line as they should be shot !
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Sad!Sad!Sad!To think this gentleman fought to
give us the free world we live in today,only
to be punched to the ground by a bunch of mind-
less thugs(even at the gentleman,s age of 82
they dare not try to take him on their own for
fear of getting a good hiding).If only he could
have been his former self of 1944 for 2 minutes…………enough said!I wish Mr Holder
all the best!
FJ Bartling,Hilversum,Holland.
Once a lad from Dudley,never forgotten!
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If he still was a Para these scum-bags would not of tackled him, they are nothing but cowards preying on the vulnerable. I do not agree with the first comment.why allow scum into our proud armed forces? Lets have special prisons to deal with this low life, and knock some respect into them
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Disgraceful but not unexpected.
My best friend took his mum through Dudley this week for the first time in 20 years after she had moved out. She was brought to tears by the state of the town and the type of people roaming the streeets.
I left the UK in 1995 but return every year.
We are reaping the rewards of an open border and lax immigration policy not to mention a government that has lost control on crime.
Charlie in Atlanta.
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THE PEOPLE WHO DID THIS WILL NOT GET WHAT THEY DESERVE,NOBODY WHO COMMITS A CRIME OF VIOLENCE EVER GETS WHAT THEY DESERVE.
IF THEY EVER CATCH THEM THE WILL BE TREATED WITH MORE DIGNITY AND RESPECT BY THE COURTS THAN THEY GAVE THEIR VICTIM,
ALL YOU PEOPLE WHO VOTE FOR LABOUR,TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO OUR COUNTRY,IS IT REALLY BETTER THAN IT WAS BEFORE ????
EUROPE HAS MORE POWER OVER US THAN EVER BEFORE,PEOPLE LIKE MR HOLDER WHO FOUGHT FOR THE FREEDOM FROM GERMAN OCCUPATION HAVE BEEN KNIFED IN THE BACK BECAUSE EVERYTHING HE FOUGHT FOR HAS BEEN GIVEN AWAY FOR FREE,I AM REFERRING TO THE THE RIGHTS OF THE BRITISH PEOPLE TO RUN THEIR OWN COUNTRY.
WE HAD WAYS OF DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO COMMITED CRIMES LIKE THIS BEFORE THE WAR,AND THESE WAYS WILL COME BACK AS THINGS GET WORSE.
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If he still was a Para these scum-bags would not of tackled him, they would know better, they are nothing but cowards preying on the vulnerable old people. I agree why allow scum into our proud armed forces? Lets have special prisons to deal with this low life, and knock some respect into them.
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This is a typical example as to why I and my wife left that corrupt and lawless country.
If, and I say if, they catch these low lifes the law of the land will absolutely nothing.
There is a lot of ”talk” above but as per normal no action.
I am sorry to say I don’t know the answer to the countries many problems but the future is bleak.
I am also very sorry that this gentleman has to suffer at the hands of these scum.
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Donald, I am the chairman of the Fraternal Old Comrades 2006, we cannot replace the original badge taken so callously from you by people of this Country, the Country you & your mates fought for all those years ago, we can however offer to send you a Parachute Regiment blazer badge.
If through the editor of this newspaper you would send me your details we as a club would be pleased to help.
My email address is chairman@exairborneforces.co.uk
Our website is http://www.exairborneforces.co.uk
Best regards to you Donald
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What people have to realise is that if they let these toe rags away with it now….when they’re in their 80′s. They’ll be getting slapped about as well.It’s what it’s all about,respect. It’s no good fighting on the other side of the world to ensure that the ones left at home live in a democratic society , freedom of speech and all that. If the parents of today’s kids don’t teach them respect.
This dole chav like country is not the one I fought for, about time we thought about cleaning up the mess on our doorstep for a change.
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Sickening. They ought to be ashamed, but it doesn’t sound like that sort would be.
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I live right by the spot this happened. I am amazed the plice haven’t been to any of the apartments that are on the path the attack happened on to see if any residents witnessed the attack. Shocking police work to go along with a shocking crime
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lawless britain,this is what happens when mp’s councils government’s the royals etc are so corrupt and lining there own pockets they forget about the general public,were are the police it’s very rare to see the police about unless we the good honest public do the slightest thing wrong then they pounce out of nowhere,the time must fit the crime and mega fines to be given to the victims and not the police ball,we’re getting deeper and deeper into the mire.
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Ive never really believed in vigilante groups, but recent times thanks to the labour government have changed my outlook, i wish these scumbags were brought to justice (and not the namby pamby, paperwork, bla bla bla police type), and flogged, tarred n feathered basically beat the crap out of, i would feel a lot happier.
These dirty cretins are drinking out of the very well that people like Donald dug for us, and this is how he is repaid….!
UTRINQUE PARATUS Donald
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Chin up Donald (UNTINQUE PARATUS)
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Get well soon Airborne Brother.
(ex 2 Para)
UTRINQUE PARATUS
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Disgusting
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get soon mate, Like SMOKEY said we will sort you out some new Airborne gear. Pete ex 1 Para
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