An absolute Disgrace!

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1285872/Vandals-desecrate-British-WW1-graves-racist-slogans-France.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

 

The little scum-sucking Pond Life that did this, need to be taught a severe lesson...and perhaps a History Lesson too!

[rabu 9]

If they catch them, they should be given a tooth brush, a bucket of water and some detergent, and be forced to not only clean off the grafatti, but scrub down every tomb in the grave yard.. then maybe a mandatory service, at least through boot camp, will open their eyes.

 

 

[Olham 164]

Those who never learn, will have to repeat history again and again.

 

May the almighty beware us of that.

[Duce Lewis 3]

It's easy to understand the "Right" to protest

It's a core element of a strong democracy

...but to desecrate the hallowed dead who breath no more so that they can breath free

 

I agree, make em clean the cemetery spotless, make em watch every known video of Hitler, Stalin, Mao, & Pol Pot's atrocities

And if that doesn't work , do what the French did to female collaborators after WWII

Shave their heads and beat the crap outta them

 

Sorry, my li'l rant,

[Hasse Wind 46]

Yeah, there are such idiots everywhere. No amount of education will help every people. But fortunately they are in the minority.

[Morris 2]

I hope those idiots get a terminal disease for Xmas.

 

That's just wrong.

[Spinners 15,986]

Unfortunately, this is not the first time that this has happened. A few years ago some British WW1 graves in France were painted with slogans something like, "take your rotting meat home".

 

 

[Wallaroo 0]

http://www.dailymail...o=feeds-newsxml

 

The little scum-sucking Pond Life that did this, need to be taught a severe lesson...and perhaps a History Lesson too!

[Wallaroo 0]

http://www.dailymail...o=feeds-newsxml

 

The little scum-sucking Pond Life that did this, need to be taught a severe lesson...and perhaps a History Lesson too!

 

Oops! - little scum-sucking Pond Life?? -

I presume you're talking about a cess pond!

[BirdDogICT 3]

 

The little scum-sucking Pond Life that did this, need to be taught a severe lesson...and perhaps a History Lesson too!

Widowmaker,

 

Thought at first that you were referring to the U.S. accidentally scoring on the Brits today...

[Check Six 2]

I visited many Commonwealth War Graves in France and Belgium. So many things to sadden you. The sheer size of the cemeteries. Massive! The number of cemeteries. Such a waste of life. Sad epitaphs from loved ones. Saddest of all... "A soldier of the Great War. Known unto God".

 

But one thing struck me. These cemeteries were pristine. Perfect even. As if every single blade of grass was placed there carefully with tweezers. You could not ask to have them better cared for.

 

I visited Wavans cemetery to pay my respects to R A Little DSO* DSC* CdeG. I was stunned at how small it was. Just 44 souls interred there. (And amazingly, also the final resting place of J T B McCudden VC - two of the greatest ever Commonwealth pilots in one tiny cemetery).

 

Behind R A Little, in the last row on the right, is the grave of a German machine gunner, Otto Wolter. How he came to be buried in a Commonwealth war grave I don't know (and believe me, I've tried to find out). I don't have a pic of his headstone as I'm at work, but you can see it in this photo. Rear row, last on the right. (You can tell as the top of his headstone is different...Allied have curved tops, the Germans have two straight edges.

 

Please don't get me wrong, I don't begrudge Otto resting there. I am just curious.

 

By the way...Otto's grave is ALSO perfect.

 

How these people could desecrate the final resting place of these men astonishes me. People? No. Not human. They are less than creatures.

[Olham 164]

There are meetings of groups of young people from Germany and France, who care for the graves of WW1 soldiers.

It has been called to life, for that they work on it together, learn to know each other - and that they may see and learn.

 

A majority of people would pay these soldiers and their graves respect - active or passively.

Unfortunately you alway find those others, who got of the 'socialising track' - they don't feel the same about anything

the communities feel, and they express that in such manner.

 

For all interested in the graves of some of these soldiers, here is a link of amateur photographer Tony Sommer,

showing some of the graves (and some aircraft) in PHOTOBUCKET:

(you will also find the stone of Robert Alexander Little's grave, and a stone marking the crash site of Albert Ball)

 

http://s991.photobuc...f40/tonysommer/

 

 

Edited June 13, 2010 by Olham

[Slartibartfast 153]

Hanging's too good for scum like that...

 

Edit line

 

Good to see the other side of it all thanks for sharing Olham...

Edited June 13, 2010 by Slartibartfast

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Widowmaker,

 

Thought at first that you were referring to the U.S. accidentally scoring on the Brits today...

 

PMSL :rofl:

[RAF_Louvert 101]

.

 

I agree with each and every sentiment expressed above concerning the perpetrators of such a crime. It is a wretched thing to do to such hallowed ground. And sadly, in a way, so many of us do a great disrespect also to these same sites when we simply ignore them. I say this because here in the States it was Memorial Day two weeks ago, and once again the number of folks stopping by the grave yards to pay respect to those who gave the last full measure was pitifully small. A disheartening sign of our times I'm afraid.

 

.

[Parky 8]

Widowmaker,

 

Thought at first that you were referring to the U.S. accidentally scoring on the Brits today...

 

LMAO!!!!!

 

Yeah.....I don't think that was supposed to happen either. I for one, thought I was seeing things when it went in.

 

When the camera panned to the sidelines, the expression on Beckham's face told me it was for real though.......ouch.

 

Interestingly enough, although soccer isn't perceived as being a popular sport in the USA, apparently there are about 90 million Americans involved in the sport in some way or another.

 

That's roughly 30 million more people than the entire population in the UK (according to 2009 estimates).

 

Don't fret Widowmaker, perhaps one day you'll be able to come over and here kick their asses in a game of lawn darts.....

 

 

Cheers,

 

Parky

[Flyby PC 23]

Nazi slogans on WW1 graves? In Pink? Why pink? Can't imagine it was Hitler's favourite colour. Do you think he meant it or maybe the pink looked like red in the dark?

 

I do hope they catch him. (Something tells me it won't be too difficult).

 

Biggest shock to this fella's system would be exposure to education. Either that, or embracing his human right to unfettered self expression, have TWAT tatooed to his forehead in nice big letters so at least the rest of us can see him coming, and the fella himself would have a constant reminder he'd been TAWT his lesson every time he looked in the mirror.

 

I am assuming of course this fella actually is a twat, and did this for fun, if 'fun' is the right word to use. I do hope it isn't a desperate cry for help from some ex serviceman tortured by PTSD or broken by some equally destructive state of mind. For me, that would reshape the landscape quite a lot. And when you begin to look at it that way, you start to hope this was just a stupid kid.

 

Let's maybe just wait and see how things unfold...

[Check Six 2]

.

 

I agree with each and every sentiment expressed above concerning the perpetrators of such a crime. It is a wretched thing to do to such hallowed ground. And sadly, in a way, so many of us do a great disrespect also to these same sites when we simply ignore them. I say this because here in the States it was Memorial Day two weeks ago, and once again the number of folks stopping by the grave yards to pay respect to those who gave the last full measure was pitifully small. A disheartening sign of our times I'm afraid.

 

.

 

I work as a Security supervisor in Sydney's old GPO building, which is immediately next to the Cenotaph, our most sacred memorial to the fallen in Sydney, and the centre of our Rememberance Ceremony on Anzac Day (Aussie's equivalent to Memorial Day). Unfortunately, I worked this day, but am blessed in that I can rotate our surveillance cameras and turn on the staff entry intercom, and so see and hear the ceremony. As supervisor, I also got my roving guard and briefed him to man the phones and equipment whilst I wandered amongst the crowd. I was happy to escort Scouts and Cadets to our basement, where we keep the chairs for this event stored, and assist the dignitaries to park their vehicles in our Loading Dock, and show them how to exit the building.

 

I was pleased at the HUGE turnout. There was some discussion in the leadup to the event where some were suggesting that we should only allow veterans to march in the parade after the solemn service, preventing the kids marching with their granddad's photo and maybe wearing his medals (on the right side of the chest of course), alongside his granddad's mates. Sadly, a march with only veterans in it would be VERY short (we did not have a huge Vietnam contingent, and mostly Vietnam vets are the only ones fit enough to march, the WW2 vets are getting very old now). All the city's taxis are commandeered to ferry the very elderly or infirm or not greatly mobile along the march route.

 

We don't have any Memorial Cemeteries here in Australia. The only remains repatriated to Australia after WW1 were General Bridges (killed on Gallipoli, and luckily able to be returned here to Australia, now buried on a hill in Canberra), the Unknown Soldier's remains, interred in the Australian War Memorial, and Sandy the Waler, the hide of one of Australia's famous Light Horse, who is now stuffed and on display in the Australian War memorial. The same goes for WW2, and other conflicts.

 

Whilst we do repatriate some of our warrior's remains (Yesterday, two soldiers returned from Afghanistan for burial), we don't have rows of soldiers killed in battle. Our solution is to have the general populace whose loved ones didn't return to grieve at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier (perhaps secretly hoping it is Uncle John, or brother Fred).

[Hasse Wind 46]

It's interesting to read about how people remember and honor their war veterans in different countries. It's also disappointing to realize that in many countries more and more people have started to forget all about the old wars. WW1 in particular seems to be a complete mystery for many folks. WW2 is talked about more, and there are still many veterans alive, though their ranks are getting thinner every year.

 

In my country, Finland, veterans of the Second World War are greatly respected by the majority of people. I don't think I've ever seen any memorials or graves treated as badly as those in Widowmaker's link, but of course there are vandals and complete idiots here too. It has been the standard operating procedure for our military to always, if at all possible, to bring the fallen soldiers back home to be buried in the cemetary of their home community. There are such burial grounds all over the country, which serves to remind people of all the sacrifices that had to be made during the war to maintain our independence. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, when there was no need anymore for the politicians to keep a low profile about the war, our veterans have received a lot more attention in public. But the majority of decent people have always respected them highly, without any official proclamations from the politicians. Being a small nation, every family had at least somebody on the front, so it's not so easy to forget the past in such communities.

[Flyby PC 23]

I just don't think it's been handled very well.

 

We work with stone, and from time to time we see the results of mindless vandalism. Spray paint, especially if it's fresh, is reasonably easy to get off provided the substrate is sound. (If it's very porous, you're in trouble). Apply the right chemical to break down the paint and wash it all away. Most paints take a day to harden, so get it early and it's gone.

 

I think the whole situation would have been better handled if the paint was removed within hours of it's discovery, and the issue kept quiet. Of course the idiot should be found and the circumstances addressed, but exposure in the media only does two things. First, it gives air time to extremist views, (even when there's no actual connection to the event, they just adopt the outrage to force their opinions up the agenda). Second, it distresses friends, comrades and relatives of the dead, and in my opinion quite needlessly so. I don't think they have to know the graves were attacked. Who benefits from that?

 

Hysteria just doesn't help.

 

I was taught to believe it's better to walk softly, but carry a big stick. Get done what needs to be done, but do it quietly. No messing about, no compromise, no fuss. Clean it up, find the culprit if you can, and get the quiet tranquility restored before any needless distress is caused.

 

On a tangent, but related, it is a similar attitude with derelict properties. If vandals attack the property and break a couple of windows, you should have them repaired as soon as you can, and do so repeatedly. If you don't repair the broken ones, they'll return and break them all.

If you do repair them however, and quickly, the vandals know 'somebody' still cares for the building. They also recognise that 'somebody' who is motivated to repair the damage quickly and efficiently is likely to be equally motivated and efficient in stopping the damage happening in the first place. Odds are high they may take it upon themselves to take whatever steps may be necessary to identify and catch the vandals in the act. Since vandals invariably prefer weak and defenceless targets, the gutless wonders will usually move on and make someone else's life a misery.

 

It's just my opinion mind. I'm full of respect for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.