Airfield memorials plan
Thread Starter
Airfield memorials - anyone know this "genius"?
Just come across this:"We are delighted to announce that ABCT’s Director General, Kenneth Bannerman, will be unveiling four memorials in England to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Britain’s airfields."
According to the ABCT website, Mr Bannerman will be unveiling at Fambridge, Rivenhall, Leysdown and Bekesbourne airfields between Friday and Monday. There are plans for a memorial to be erected at each known disused airfield site in Britain.
Anyone know Mr Bannerman? On his website he says:
"You could almost say my life might be viewed as an allegory for our airfields. Academically I was seen as an enigma, once seriously being referred to as a genius somehow not that good at exams but still possessing an indefinable ‘something’ – again a bit like our airfields I suppose. Severe disillusionment after uncovering a conspiratorial revelation meant my efforts were therefore concentrated upon various bigger, futuristic ideas, in particular how to make money, writing and then this new airfield idea – all largely correlated and exactly what I do today."
Eh?
Last edited by XV490; 19th Feb 2009 at 12:37.
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Thanks for pointing this site out...the newsletter I downloaded is full seemingly 'puffed up' adjectives praising the wonderful Mr Bannerman and his organisation..
"Our ...charity can without question clam to have produced a torrent of tremendous results"
"relentlessly mushroom into one of the most exciting and ultra-dynamic organisations ever seen"
"needed the grimly determined ploughing of a lonely furrow to turn a deceptively simple idea into the miracle that is toaday ABCT"
" we are indisputably talking of a sheer miracle"
etc etc. That's just the first couple of paragraphs of the one I read.
We are obviously extremely lucky to have this man and his brilliant organisation saving the nation's history.
I wonder if we could get him working on "The Vulcan To The Sky" project!
David Taylor.
"Our ...charity can without question clam to have produced a torrent of tremendous results"
"relentlessly mushroom into one of the most exciting and ultra-dynamic organisations ever seen"
"needed the grimly determined ploughing of a lonely furrow to turn a deceptively simple idea into the miracle that is toaday ABCT"
" we are indisputably talking of a sheer miracle"
etc etc. That's just the first couple of paragraphs of the one I read.
We are obviously extremely lucky to have this man and his brilliant organisation saving the nation's history.
I wonder if we could get him working on "The Vulcan To The Sky" project!
David Taylor.
Thread Starter
We are obviously extremely lucky to have this man and his brilliant organisation saving the nation's history.
"ABCT and Kenneth Bannerman are mounting perhaps the most shattering assault on perception ever seen in history. More power to their elbow."
N.S. Gloucestershire
"The name Kenneth Bannerman kept cropping up now and again in the airfield or aviation world. It had certainly once or twice crossed my mind who exactly was this enigmatic figure. But, my God, we know now. The myth is reality: you are the man and ABCT is the answer. Utterly, utterly brilliant."
- D.B., North Yorkshire
So now we know. Could he indeed save the Vulcan?
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Hmmmm. The unusual use of words in the website 'back-slaps' is remarkably similar to that used by Bannerman himself. Could it be ................... 
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Nearly - David Banner I believe!
Now, you may be interested to learn that Mr Bannerman's middle name is 'Peacock'. Certainly fits the self-aggrandisement in the write-ups!
Now, you may be interested to learn that Mr Bannerman's middle name is 'Peacock'. Certainly fits the self-aggrandisement in the write-ups!
Thread Starter
It would seem Mr Bannerman's self-regard extends to the memorials themselves - check out the pictures here from the Rivenhall unveiling last Saturday.
Airfields that were the last terra firma for thousands of dead airmen are not the place for such vanity.
Airfields that were the last terra firma for thousands of dead airmen are not the place for such vanity.
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Ridiculous! Fleeting web address on a granite memorial. Unveiled by 'Director General' ??? 'Dedicated to all units and personnel based here'. Present tense. I'll guard the Cambridgeshire borders. Volunteers needed for the rest of the country.
Photograph removed, ref below.
Unveiled by 'Director General' ??? 'Dedicated to all units and personnel based here'. Present tense. I'll guard the Cambridgeshire borders. Volunteers needed for the rest of the country. Photograph removed, ref below.
Last edited by forget; 23rd Feb 2009 at 20:25.
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That is my photo in the post above and I'd rather you remove it from this debate on pprune. I do not wish to be associated with the views on this thread and any views I express will be made on the AiX forum.
If future, if you wish to use my images please ask first.
If future, if you wish to use my images please ask first.
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As requested REF, I have removed your photograph. So as not to lose the gravity of the unveiling in question, by the self appointed Director General, a photograph by one of your colleagues, KB, is below. If KB wishes this removed then I will do so.
Thread Starter
That is my photo in the post above and I'd rather you remove it from this debate on pprune. I do not wish to be associated with the views on this thread and any views I express will be made on the AiX forum.
But perhaps you could post a photo of the Rivenhall memorial here yourself, without comment, so that PPRuNers can decide for themselves whether or not Mr Bannerman has got the balance right between commemoration and self promotion.
Thread Starter
Ciarain - Have your comments actually appeared on the ABCT website? Unless they're 100% supportive, I doubt they'll ever be seen.
Sad is right. I wish this man's pointless, egotistical campaign could be somehow stopped. But, as I said before, there's something not quite right with all this...
Sad is right. I wish this man's pointless, egotistical campaign could be somehow stopped. But, as I said before, there's something not quite right with all this...
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XV490
Posted and e-mailed about an hour ago.
Go to "feedback" then click "vox pop".
My comments have yet to appear.
Ciarain.
ps. XV490 was a 29 Squadron Phantom at Coningsby 12th June 1975!
Posted and e-mailed about an hour ago.
Go to "feedback" then click "vox pop".
My comments have yet to appear.
Ciarain.
ps. XV490 was a 29 Squadron Phantom at Coningsby 12th June 1975!
Thread Starter
I note the AiX people are now understandably getting fired up by all this, even talking about objecting to ABCT's aims at local council planning level.
There can be few former military airfields left that don't already boast at least one memorial to their past. These will have been set up, by consensus, between all the interested parties, including veterans' groups and local communities. There is no need to impose additional, uninvited 'advertising' reminiscent of a gaggle of different estate agents' boards outside one house.
REF - Off-thread, do you think the AiXers could help solve The Prisoner airfield debate running on PPRuNe?
There can be few former military airfields left that don't already boast at least one memorial to their past. These will have been set up, by consensus, between all the interested parties, including veterans' groups and local communities. There is no need to impose additional, uninvited 'advertising' reminiscent of a gaggle of different estate agents' boards outside one house.
REF - Off-thread, do you think the AiXers could help solve The Prisoner airfield debate running on PPRuNe?
Last edited by XV490; 25th Feb 2009 at 12:37.