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Cornerstone958
21st Sep 2011, 18:52
PPRuNers
The Sister of Brian King (Flt Eng) has asked if the Tree planted at RAF Lyneham in memory of the crew will be moved to BZN.
Any help would be appreciated
Regards
CS
Ken Scott
21st Sep 2011, 22:38
Not certain, but I believed that all the memorial trees had preservation orders on them. With the site now not closing they would remain in place rather than risk damaging them by trying to move them.
cornish-stormrider
22nd Sep 2011, 11:11
Is there no way to take a cutting or something - or does that violate the order - that way you could have a cutting at BZN and maybe have one to go to the Forces memorial and arboretum with the wall.
Apologies of anyone finds that offensive - that was my last intention.
CS
Whenurhappy
22nd Sep 2011, 12:13
If I recall correctly, there was an instruction in place in the early 1990s discouraging the establishment of permanent memorials on RAF Units because of the 'minefield' that exisits when stations close - and, as we know, there's been a lot of this over the last 20 years.
However, as sentiment was so strong at Lyneham after the sad event, coupled with the perceived unliklihood that the station would ever close, the memorial was accepted through 38 Gp to HQ Strike as a fait accompli, but not without some reservation (I was at Lyneham at the time). Believe it or, a variation to contract was required for the grounds maintnenance contractors to maintain the memorial, with a concomitant cost penalty - albeit a small price to pay. Lyneham was home to the crew and I would have thought that it was appropriate that the memorial stays there, moreso now the site is remaining in MOD usage.
The Heritage desk at Air, previously in the Air Staff, deals with these 'legacy' issues with a huge degree of compassion - as station chapels etc abound with memorials - some official, some not quite so.
Cornish,
That sounds like a plan.