This Is Disgusting! 'Patriotic' Gulf War veteran is ordered to take down Union flag in his back garden!

 

This is disgusting, and last week it was the chip shop owner! What next?

A former Gulf War veteran who flew a Union flag in his own garden says he has been ordered to take it down - after a neighbour labelled it a ''NUISANCE”.

Patriotic Andrew Smith, 51, installed a flagpole in tribute to Great Britain after serving six years in the Royal Signals.

But following a complaint by one neighbour on his estate, he says he received a letter from a housing developer ordering him to take it down.

The father-of-two has so far complied with the notice but is now fighting back because he is “proud to be British”.

Andrew served in the British army between 1988 and 1994 and saw action during the Gulf War - a conflict waged by coalition forces in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.

Andrew when serving in the first Gulf War as part of the Royal Signals. (SWNS)

To show his continued appreciation for Queen and country he bought the £3 5ft by 3ft flag on eBay.

But Andrew says a disgruntled neighbour complained to bosses at Harron Homes who he claims have warned him to take down the flagpole or face legal action.

He said: “I think it's the flag as it's the first thing he {the neighbour} mentioned, he said to me 'I hope you're taking the flag down, it's spoiling our view.'

“I can’t see why a union jack flag is offensive. Why would you be offended by patriotism?

Ex-soldier Andrew Smith, 51, of Nottingham was told by a housing developer to stop flying his Union Jack flag. (SWNS)

“We have become soft and don’t want to upset other people, whereas I have done my bit for my country and I’m proud to be British.

“I went to war for my country. It’s something close to my heart and every morning I feel like saluting it. We are becoming weak and spineless. Who are they to tell me not to fly the flag?”

Andrew, now a project manager, moved into the property in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, with his wife Trigania, 28, in October last year.

The couple previously lived in Chilwell where Andrew flew the flag without incident for 10 years.

Ex-soldier Andrew Smith, 51, of Nottingham was told by a housing developer to stop flying his Union Jack flag. (SWNS)

He asked locals on the Sandlands Park Facebook group page in February this year whether anyone would be offended if he installed a pole and union jack flag in his back garden.Andrew says he received more than 70 positive comments and decided to go ahead but had a knock at the door within hours of putting it up from a disgruntled neighbour.

Andrew, now a project manager, said: “It’s a covenant garden, whatever I signed when I bought the house said I wasn’t allowed to do anything that causes a nuisance or annoyance.

“I got a knock at the door from a neighbour round the back who said ‘we don’t like that, are you going to take it down?’

The neighbouring home (left) which complained about the flag. Ex-soldier Andrew Smith, 51, of Nottingham was told by a housing developer to stop flying his Union flag. (SWNS)

“They probably knocked on the door around 20 times over the next three days but I just ignored it.

“Then we got a letter from Harron Homes saying they had been instructed by a solicitor that I have to take the flagpole down because it’s causing a nuisance.

“I took it down but I have fought back.”

The flagpole is not a permanent structure and Andrew intermittently switches the union jack with the England flag which he puts us during football and rugby matches.

Harron Homes declined to comment. From....https://uk.news.yahoo.com/patriotic-gulf-war-veteran-ordered-to-take-down-union-flag-in-his-back-garden-141951005.html?guccounter=1