Manchester War Memorial - What a terrible crime and insult to our War Heroes : (

[wintera]

I was really sickened by this story last night on the news about the bronze war memorials being stolen, probably for scrap. It would be a disgusting act at any time of the year, but especially terrible when you think of Remembrance Sunday. Am enclosing a link for those who haven't seen it -

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1077565_insult_to_our_war_heroes

And just in time for the 90th anniversary of the end of WWI.

Oh that is nice, what lovely people they must be - I hope they are very proud of themselves and they never find themselves in that situation or having the names of their dead relatives dishonoured so.

I watched a programme about WWI last night, I've been to Ieper, it is just horrendous the scale of it all. And that isn't even looking at WWII.

Surely whoever took these items as scrap is as equally guilty though (don't know exactly how this scrap thing works but there seems to be a lot of thieving going on to supply it.)

That is a disgrace, how sick are people who do things like this

two - did you watch the armistice programme on bbc4?

Yes, hope this brings about some prosecutions now of people dealing in stolen scrap. Really hope they find who did this. Its bloody sickened me. Some schools, churches and even night clubs in our town have had the lead stolen from their rooves. The news report I saw last night said they hope they bring it back before Sunday, as there will of course be a Remembrance service taking place. Just hope they find it, it costs thousands to replace!

Yes Penelope, I'm also watching My Family At War. I have to say that visiting Ieper brought it to reality - there is a fantastic museum there In Flanders Field. I plan on going back when dts are slightly older to make them aware of the sheer horror of it all.

I chose my final degree course because of that visit, as part of my degree is in history I decided to study the wars. I think it is important as well to pass family stories on.

As for the scrap dealers - how quickly could they get rid of those things, melt them down or whatever? Could the police not raid every single one until they were found? Whoever bought them should get the same punishment as the thieves that is for sure?

I've visited Ieper as well, it really brings it home, especially the menin gate. The pplaying of the last post is so emotional

Did you go to the museum in the middle of the town, in the old cotton market i tihnk?

and the scrap buyers deserve as much punishemnt as those who stole them

My goodness there are some real charmers around arn't there. This really sums up why I want to leave the UK. And what makes it worse is that scrap value for copper has fallen dramatically. It also makes me mad that the police could actually stop all of this 'scrap' metal theft quite easily but won't. And I was feeling good today after listening to Obama's speech, now I'm feeling depressed again.

It is both Callisto! Spelled two ways just to confuse!

Penelope have you gone to that museum too? I've never been so moved in my life by how they portrayed it - especially getting a card at the entrance and following one person through their war experiences via that. I kept all our cards to remember who we "were" for that day, only my person survived. And when you realise the names on the Menin Gate are only those whose bodies weren't found...well, perhaps it would be a good idea for schoolchildren in the UK to visit these places more often.

Stop things like this happening.

Yes the museum was amazing, much better than anything in the UK. It seemed to make it so real. The Menin gate is horrific when you realise they are the ones they didn't find. I went as a school child and think everyone should go at least once.

For me the worst part was seeing the row upon row of gravestones, and everywhere you drove there are small fields with grave stones in them. Did you see any of the german memorials?

Actually come to think of it I didn't see any German memorials! It was amazing to see all these little graveyards tucked away in the corners of the towns and villages and all so well kept. I dread to think how they would end up here, well, this is just proof really isn't it.

We didn't get to hear the last rites at the Gate though as dts were only 4 at the time and tired out quite quickly!

There are also some interesting sites around the Arnhem and Nijmegen region in Holland, again places we just came across when travelling through the area, and some great little museums.