So clearly your view is to erase all elements of the loosing side of any war your on the right side of, ie commemorating only the Victors?, on the basis that the history of man doesnt need to record or retain anything of that other side? Yet wisdom acknowledges those who do not learn from history are bound to repeat it.
I’m sorry but I think you are confusing the purpose of recovering and preserving the Do-17, as being to commemorate the enemy?, and apparantly have a significant issue with that, and apparantly the preservation of any axis aircraft more generally?, regardless of their condition?
In fact I wouldnt be surprised to find the AWM has acquired and preserved a Taliban IED given its major role against Australians in both Afganistan and Iraq, and being one of the primary causes of injuries and deaths of Australian servicemen in those conflicts, and have certainly collected similar from the Viet Kong and NVA.
The survivors of those Wars assemble each Anzac Day in April and each Armistance Day in November, and commemorate honour our fallen, (and to be acknowledged by we fellow Australians), in this sacred place and have done so since the 1940s when it was built, and neither their returned service organisations, nor they individually, do not complain/object to these objects from their enemies being preserved and displayed in “their” sacred War Memorial.
This is not done to elevate the “evil regimes” of Germany and Japan, or to commemorate them, it is to record both sides of the war that young Australians died in, so future Australians can know and learn from that.
I therefore certainly dont share your view and opinion in regards to worth of recovering and conserving the Do-17, a combat veteran of the Battle of Britain, (not only an important air battle in UK history but also world history), and consider your opinion to be wrong, mis-placed, and mis-guided, although I do appreciate your an ex-serviceman and may have strong personal feelings on such issues.
However I consider I’m entitled to oppose that view even though I’m not a returned veteran and you may be, as certainly my father and many others were and are, and having seen and heard their views of the AWM, I’m happy to side with their views.
I therefore accept their collective position and acceptance of the collection, preservation and display of enemy objects, weapons, uniforms vehicles and aircraft in our National place of commemoration. I think the majority of Australians who visit the AWM would also share my view, not yours.
I dont wish to go off topic any further into this issue, or need for a debate to commence between us over this issue.
I’ve made my views known and I will leave you with the above to contemplate, your views and position have been made known a number of times, and of course your welcome and entitled to them.
But its out of the water, and at RAF Cosford, and there’s little point repeating ongoing opposition to that situation in here, or in this thread/forum?
I would suggest you exercise your democratic right, and write to your MP if your not happy with the situation.
Regards
Mark Pilkington
Have to agree here.
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