Missing Lancaster Crew

Sadly, it is indeed all down to funding and resources. And it isn’t high on the priority list, however much we all believe it should be.

Is it just me, or do the so – called UK “authorities” go out of their way to extract the urine and do everything deliberately wrong with every single case of a missing serviceman who’s remains are found ?

Well I guess it all comes down to defense resources. Maybe they could scrap one of those new aircraft carriers to give more cash to SPVA? Or maybe not give so much $$$$ to ‘overseas aid’. Ah politics again……………..

Speechless

I hesitate to plug my books

Since when? :highly_amused:

😉

Moggy

(But they are jolly good.)

Some more information here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/9557610/Bodies-of-five-British-airmen-from-Second-World-War-found.html

Sadly, after ‘involvement’ with such cases over very many years it does not surprise me in the least. Rather, I’d be surprised if it wasn’t like this.

Recently discussed cases, here, of Flt Sgt Copping and Flt Sgt Williams are two cases of VERY many in point. I could write all day about other such cases, many of them having been handled far worse than the current Lancaster case.

That said, some extraordinarily good work is done when the department gets round to it, and I am sure all (or most) of this is down to workload. When the cases move to the top of the pile by the MOD department then it has to be said that the RAF and CWGC pull out all the stops to deal with things properly. The RAF and CWGC are beyond reproach. It is the system that leads up to the eventual burial ceremonies themselves, and inadequate governmental resourcing, that leads to such a shameful state of affairs.

I hesitate to plug my books, but those who have read them will surely be astonished at the catalogue of ineptitude, mal-administration and just plain mind boggling bungling that charts the course of probably the majority of such post-war cases.

It does, though, all beg the question; why prioritise WW1 burials? Is it because it is ‘convenient’ to do so in this Centenary period and thus ensure good PR? The reality is that there are generally very few, if any, directly connected relatives to such burials. Often, they tend to be quite far removed from any direct connection. Surely, it would be prudent to prioritise WW1 burials in cases where there are very elderly families who have a direct connection (siblings or children) but give more priority to WW2 cases where there are likely to be closer relatives still living (widows in some cases) and who in the natural order of things are reaching the end of their lives? Waiting two, three or more years for such burials is really not acceptable in such cases, especially when we have even seen, quite recently, burial of ‘unknown’ remains.

If any priority must be given, as in real life it usually will, it should be to bury those who have living relatives who knew the deceased when they were alive.

absolutely disgusting it should be a priority to bury war dead from any conflict and for it to
take two years from finding the remains is totally unacceptable.

I think that we as a forum obviously have an impact and are read should perhaps support these relatives with some sort of petition to get these overpaid under worked civil servants off their comfortable butts and out from behind their plush desks to
do what they should be doing. I am personally
going to contact my MP and bend his ear the more people who send their MP a letter might get something moving.

Disgusting in this day and age.

Mike E

That stinks. I’m not usually driven to such things, but I have written to my local MP and also to the Prime Ministers office this morning to try to make something happen – others should do the same, don’t just read the article and mutter.

I realise, Andy, that there are many other cases where the fallen are known to lie and nothing is done, but to have recovered this crew and then store them away whilst their immediate families pass away is morally abhorrent.

That said, if there is truth in the point that there are only two MOD personnel dealing with overseas burials it is not these two I would vent my spleen at, rather the hierarchy who created such an innadequate department.

Appalling treatment of the relatives and the remains. Arses need kicking.

And what actually happens: The Chief Executive of the SPVA whose staff deal with this work and who will have it in his power to provide additional resources to tackle the backlog reported by the paper, is rewarded with an honour in the NYHL!

Promotions in and appointments to the Military Division of the

Most Honourable Order of the Bath

As Companions

Air Vice-Marshal Ross PATERSON OBE

I do not disagree that with the approaching 100th anniversary WW1 should be a priority, but 2 people to deal with all this work is a disgrace.

Mort

Appalling treatment of the relatives and the remains. Arses need kicking.