WIX Archives

Re: What difference does it make?

Posted by andy saunders on Sun Jul 07, 2002 09:49:09 AM

In reply top What difference does it make? posted by Karen on Sat Jul 06, 2002 08:42:44 AM

: Mr Saunders,
:
: Please forgive my lack of specific knowledge concerni
: ng your case, but as an American I have not been privy to
: the local press, both tabloid and mainstream, that you hav
: e cited in your posts. What I know, is from what I have re
: ad here.
:
: I am working with the assumption that there were pilot
: s, and or crew members remains, involved in one or more of
: the aircraft you have recovered, and subsequently sold. S
: ince it has been mentioned several times, and you have not
: disputed it, I am assuming it to be true. Please correct
: me if I am wrong.
:
: That being said, please allow me to share my feelings
: on this subject with you. There are times, when legalities
: play a secondary role to morality. I believe this entire
: debate is one of those times. There are some things you ju
: st don't do because it is morally wrong to do so. For exam
: ple: If you had the opportunity to purchase the car that P
: rincess Diana died in, or the car that our President Kenne
: dy was assasinated in, chop it into pieces and sell it to
: the highest bidder, would you do it? Of course not.....why
: ? Because it is wrong. That would be profiteering at its v
: ery worst. Would there be a market for such trophies? Abso
: lutely! But that still doesn't make it o.k.!
:
: Is this any different? Does the fact that it happened
: so long ago, to ordinary people make it o.k.? Even if not
: one living family member remained, who could object to su
: ch sales it still isn't o.k. The pieces of these planes we
: re these mens coffins for nearly sixty years, to sell them
: is ghoulish.
:
: If you read my earlier post, you will note, that I am a
: family member of a pilot who, had pieces of his plane sol
: d on Ebay. My Uncle died on impact, and was recovered imme
: diately, but to me, that plane, represents the very last t
: hing he touched before he died. It is sacred! Only my fami
: ly should have the right to decide, who if anyone, should
: have pieces of it.
:
: What I have written, is from the heart. My Uncle was a
: n ordinary, farm boy, who did some extraordinary things in
: his brief life. EVERY serviceman whose remains are still
: out there deserve our respect and our gratitude. Just beca
: use they weren't famous doesn't make their sacrifice any l
: ess meaningful or important.
:
: I will close by asking you a question. If it was deter
: mined that you had every right, legally, to go out and rec
: over, all remaining WWII planes, with human remains still
: in them.....What would you do? I look forward to your repl
: y.
: Karen
Karen. As I have already said, I do not wish to use this forum to air issues surrounding my case. I shall do so by fully presenting my story in another place at a later date. Meanwhile, I do however wish to correct a misconception which has crept into the exchanges relating to this particular matter.
For the benefit of all who have been following the debate let me categorically state that the question of selling items from this particular wreck, or any other, was not at any time an issue in this case. I'm afraid that it has been thrown in as a total red-herring by "Tony" with reference to items offered for sail on Barnstormers. Most of these items were being sold by me on behalf of the executors of the estate of the late Peter Foote who had owned the Me.109 E (1190) now at Duxford. Another item which concerned Tony was that I had sold a prop blade from a B.26 involved in fatal collision on D-Day, 6 June 44. That is perfectly true. However, I found that blade in a wood over thirty years ago and have treasured it ever since. About two years ago I started plans for a memorial to the two crews at the crash site, and this is a self funded project. The location belongs to a Christian Trust, and I had wanted to incorporate the blade in the memorial. The Trust said it was too "militaristic", and thus I openly sold it and put the funds into the memorial which will be unveiled 6th June 04. I fail to see how this could cause offence.
Those who know me, and my work, will tell you that the wreck recovery (now years in the past) was not done for profit or gain and that I have spent many years and lots of money remembering the few, putting up memorials to aircrew and the like. Its a shame that people have put two and two together and come up with five without knowing the facts. They should have known better. I have been badly misrepresented, but you could only go on what you had been told Karen! Best wishes, Andy.

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