Goxhil Memorial Damage

Thanks for the update Ron, and welcome to the forum.

Propeller damage

Regarding the damage to the Propeller on the airfield memorial, I am the local Contact for the Memorial, I do not know who was responsible but I believe it was a collector for he had tried to chop it out of the stone work, failing this I believe he then tried to remove the clamp by cutting the bolt & had maybe been disturbed by a passerby & run before he finished it, with removal of the clamp it would not of lifted out, had it been for scrap it is only feasible to think he would just of cut it off level with the stone, the bolt has been replaced & the stone cut & hole repaired, of such persons ? some years ago I wrote 5 lines of a poem which I believe covers the subject..

Reflections
They are Soulless Men in this day and age
Who with hand or brain attempt to destroy
A Gem, which time again will never yield
True memories of Men who fought or died and gave
This gift of freedom, for all to enjoy and preserve
RP. 1994

The youth who knocked the wall down with his car on a Friday night had only passed his test 3 days before, a Fox or Badger had run across the road in front of him, or so he SAID!! ?? however his Parents reported it to me the next morning & said I was to get it repaired & send them the bill of which they honoured, still some honest people around..

Ron Parker

Mindless SODS!!! I hate them, why do such a thing?:mad: 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡

Ey up Pete, lots of very laudible replies and discussion but who is reading it all, certaintainly not the morons who carry out the vandalism, theft etc.

Time for a man of action like you to set up the ‘Kick Ass’ party and get some votes cos the current batch, incumbant or in waiting, aint gonna do owt about it for fear of being labelled non-pc or racist……and it’s no doubt an infringement of human rights to ‘bang em up’ and throw away the key.

Cheers

ps don’t forget to check out your lead flashing !

Really, some pykies might be looking at this on a stolen laptop to see what else they can steal and desecrate, but thats life I’m afraid, what are we supposed to do about it. I’ve just phoned up the local police to discuss the junky, drug dealing filth that lurk down our road, have they lept into life to deal with this, no comment.

Ey up Pete, lots of very laudible replies and discussion but who is reading it all, certaintainly not the morons who carry out the vandalism, theft etc.

Time for a man of action like you to set up the ‘Kick Ass’ party and get some votes cos the current batch, incumbant or in waiting, aint gonna do owt about it for fear of being labelled non-pc or racist……and it’s no doubt an infringement of human rights to ‘bang em up’ and throw away the key.

Cheers

ps don’t forget to check out your lead flashing !

I think it’s fairly obvious who’s behind these thefts, our dear friends, so often complained about on here, the Pykies, gypsies, Irish tinkers, travellers, whatever you want to call them.
I’m sure that some of these people are genuine travellers who wish to continue their historic way of life, which we have a duty to preserve, but it’s getting out of hand in this part of the world.
On the local news over the holidays, there was a disturbance in one of the camps, the police had to go in with automatic weapons, bloody ridiculous, and frightening for those who live nearby.
We’ve also had a feature on a new site about to be set up near Colchester, it’s in a stunning area of untouched countryside, the locals have dubbed anti traveller slogans on the road, who can blame them. I bet if I’d made a planning application for a tasteful house on the site it would have been turned down, but no, it’s ok to ruin the countryside with caravans and stolen scrap metal dumps.
These people treat us like providers of what ever they fancy, they treat their horses and dogs very cruelly and have no respect for war graves, memorials and the memory of heroes who fought and died to prevent them going to the gas ovens in Auschwitz.
They should remember that before they try and steal the next propellor blade, bronze war memorial or copper cable that keeps them alive.
But what do we know, the local councils have a duty to perform don’t they, in order to perpertrate whatever myth surrounds these people.

More disturbing

Is the fact that the scrap dealers are taking the memorials with no questions asked.Maybe they are oblivious to them or maybe they have no idea about them.

what can i say it’s discusting these people deface and steal items that were put there to dedicate the men and women who fought and died for there country and these peoples freedom it’s totally sick weather it be for suveniour or to make a few quid for drugs or whatever unfortuatlly it’s society today and it seems to be getting more common. and the police seem powerless because of silly EU laws sorry rant over

i used to live not far from goxhill bafore moving down south and visited there many times over many years taking pictures and gethering info on the airfield. wouldn’t it be worth send the picture of the damage to some local papers like scunthorpe telegraph, hull daily mail ,so on as it could deture whatever sc*mbag s***head did this

cheers

Hi Guys

I was around Goxhill a couple of months ago and 3 local guys were rebuilding the wall around the memorial as a bunch of the the local young idiots had been messing around in there cars and crashed into it, they missed the memorial but flattened the wall.

Sorry to see that yet again another memorial has been targeted by thieves intent on making a fast illicit profit with little or no regard for those that memorial was set too remember, I know this particular memorial well and am greatly saddened by it’s demise, it is to be hoped that it does not get a return visit from the low life scum that has done this.
but is this not a sign of the times we live in, the dilution of Social Standards caused by so many factors is resolute in it’s impact on the lives of all, Sadly there is no way back from this headlong rush towards anarchy that British society has taken too so readily.

More thefts!

Page 79 latest FlyPast

“Thieves stole the three-bladed propeller from the international Air and Ground Crew Memorial at the de Havilland Aircraft Heritage centre…… in mid October.”

😡

Firstly, these sick twisted individuals need a good beating, to within an inch of their sorry lives.

Secondly, I don’t think that these b457ards would steal it for scrap, there are easier was to make a few quid, also if someone wanted it for the mantlepiece they would know what it’s reason for being there is and “should” respect it.

My thought is that because it’s there it can be stolen, like the plantpots outside your house or the wheelie bin in the back garden.

This mentality is destroying the once great country because of a basic lack of morals in todays life.

Bring back national service, the cane, and the death penalty and restore Britain to its former greatness.

Sorry about that, it just pi55es me right off, by the way, Happy New Year all.

I just can’t understand this – its an outright shame to be defacing/disassembling memorials in the first place – but WHAT is going on over there??

Is the nation THAT bl–dy impoverished that every last spec of metal has to be scrounged to pawn off for a few quid?… or are these the same sh**s that couldn’t care less about the (recyclable) beer tins they toss along the pavement?

JJ

who knows, you forget one thing they may not have been english (but i wouldnt have put it past some of them) we are awash with other nationalities now

Plague of the country I’m afraid.
i have lost count of the amount of memorials that have been stolen around the midlands over the past 12 months. leand and copper from church roof”s and schools and other buildings is a daily event.

also main line rail lines being put out of action 3 times due to power lines being ripped from the ground and power control box’s being stripped of buzz bars .

there’s a massive market for such metals in the new up and coming Eastern European countries. most of our industries have gone to theses areas and this is the reason for a lot of metal thefts.

when i worked in Banury for a few years a lot of the polish and other Eastern Europeans would drive back home most weekends with scrap to sell and then bring back cheap booze and contra band cigarette’s to sell . all in all a very good weekend earner.

no doubt where all this metal theft is going . they are bleeding this country dry . and also taking our past and if they can steal our infrastructure.

Here here!
In the 60’s, my mates would have leathered me, never mind my dad…….he would have merely killed me!

leathered you? …oh lad… you had it easy! – in my day … ‘dad would have thrown the whole cow at me …. and then killed t’cow for good measure.

‘them were days….

😉

Its these mind less acts that pee me off so much…

Not only is it mindless, it is dishonourable to the memory of those who served on behalf of these mindless oafs who damage the monuments.

Should I have ever done anything such as this as a youth in the 1970’s (not that such an idea would ever have occurred to me), my father would soon have taught me the error of my ways.
on another tack, I have engaged for many years in investigating the paranormal occurrences at RAF airfields, and it is problems with this vandal behaviour that has caused many landowners to stop the public accessing their buildings.

Personally I say shoot these sods on sight and raise the gene pool.

Here here!
In the 60’s, my mates would have leathered me, never mind my dad…….he would have merely killed me!

Had a day out with 1 Group today and we called at Goxhill. On the way home we stopped off at the memorial only to find some scumbag has had a go at removing the P-38 blade which sits on the memorial. We think this isn’t just kids messing about as, although the pic. is a little out of focus, it can clearly be seen that the b@st@rds have had a grinder on the job. 😡 😡 The sods had also had a go around the base of the blade with a chisel.

Why? Would it have turned up on evil-bay?

I hope the little scrotes were caught. I could think of an alternative use for a metal cutting blade 😡

Chris

Chris, very sad situation – it may be worth contacting the local police and offering your image to them. They may or may not be able to do much but it is always worth reporting it – you never know what they could glean from it – particularly if it is not an isolated case.

Just before Christmas, in Sittingbourne Cemetery, some mindless morons daubed the headstones of fallen Battle of Britain crews and other WW2 casualties with a paint-type substance and the words ‘The War is Over’, ‘Why are these still here?’ and ‘Hitler’.:mad:

These oxygen theives deserve nothing more than a damn good thrashing with various hard & sharp items..it makes me so angry that these low-lifes can sink so low as to desecrate the memorials of those very people who gave their lives so that these scum-bags can walk the earth. 😡

I’m off before I say something I might really regret.
Regards,
Keith

theres a nice view of the memorial on wikipaedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Goxhill_Airfield_Memorial.jpg

the text reads

“The propeller blade on this tribute is from a P38 Lockheed Lightning which flew from this airbase and crashed on the 26th May 1944 in the Parish of Goxhill.

The pilot 2nd Lt L A Ferrara was killed.

It represents the high price out countries paid for freedom.”

the other inscriptions read

Inscription to 8th Air Force Fighting Scouts

“In honor of the Fighting Scouts of the 8th Air Force who trained at Goxhill Airfield 1944-1945

These bomber and fighter pilots formed the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Scouting Forces. They led the bombers to every target from September 1944 through April 1945, through all weather, scouting all targets and often defending the Bomber Stream

In memory of Robert Bennett and Charles Hess who gave their lives at Goxhill

Presenting by the Scouting Force Association – 1998.”

Inscription to No 345 Base

“We shared a place and time in history.

United States Army Air Force

P-38

No. 345 Base Goxhill Fighter Training Group

June 1942 – February 1945

Gone but not forgotten.”

Inscription to 78th Fighter Group

“In honor of the 78th Fighter Group

82nd 83rd 84th Fighter Squadrons of the 8th Air Force, USAAF who trained at Goxhill airfield. December 1942 – April 1943.
Operational at Duxford April 1943 – October 1945

In memory of fighter pilots who lost their lives

Group Commanding Officer Col Arman Peterson, May 1942 – 1 July 1943 killed in action

Total of 116 lost in action

May their memory live forever

Presented on behalf of the 78th FG Association 1999″

Inscription to 353rd Fighter Group

“In honor of the 353rd Fighter Group and Support Units who trained on this field, June to August 1943, and in memory of those lost during their stay:

1st Lt William M Mathias 353rd HQ 29/06/1943
1st Lt Harry H McPherson 352nd FS 24/07/1943
2nd Lt Jack D Lepird 352nd FS 24/07/1943

Operational at Metfield and Raydon

‘We will remember them'”

Dedication text of the memorial

“This tribute was organised and constructed by the residents of Goxhill with the help of their friends on behalf of the USAAF servicemen who served on this airbase. It was unveiled on the 9th September 1984 by Mr William F Jungk, Mr John M Vrabel, Mr Alexander G Lajoie USAAF ex Servicemen.”

Cheers

Chris

The thing which baffled (and irritated us) was the blatant attempt to remove it, no matter what for. From what’s been said, it is clear that serious intent was there though.

Although I don’t have a photo, there is a small dedication plaque to the Goxhill resident who actually built the thing AND the blade is from a Goxhill-based P-38 which crashed with the loss of the pilot. I don’t have the details but I’m sure someone can put us straight. As landraver lives locally, perhaps he can get a better shot of it and the details on the plinth of the builder? If he were still around, I’ll bet he would be so disappointed (as are a few others).

Perhaps it’s just me being naive (although I’m old enough to now better) but I thought these and other such items were sacrosanct? Ah well, silly me. Seems we’ll have to keep an eye on our local memorials as well now. 🙁

Lost for words….(well, printable ones, anyway).

Chris