Gunner Bailey Posted 17 April , 2009 Share Posted 17 April , 2009 This week's Kentish Express newspaper reported that the WW1 Mk IV tank in Ashford Town Centre had been vandalised. Two teenagers, thought to be a boy and a girl aged about 14 were seen nearby just after the vandalism was noticed. The tank was graffitied with mindless teenage signs of love and affection by these morons. Similar graffiti had also been seen in the nearby housing estate at Park Farm. It will cost about £500 to remedy the damage. The article gave a useful time line for the tank (no 245) Built 1916 Donated to town on 1 Aug 1919 Engine and insides stripped out and Electricity Substation placed inside 1929 Completely renovated by REME 1978 Major Refurbishment 2005 Registered as a war memorial and dedicated on 11/11/2006. Any suggestions as to a suitable punishment should be sent to Ashford Borough Council! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances Speakman Posted 17 April , 2009 Share Posted 17 April , 2009 Unfortunately these Moron's who do this are everywhere! We have a Memorial Bench in Brixham, Devon for our daughter Angela whom we lost from a fatal Asthma attack, this too has had the name ROZ carved on one of the arms! I wouldn't like to say what I would do if I caught whoever did this!!?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Clay Posted 17 April , 2009 Share Posted 17 April , 2009 Young love, eh! If the persons responsible are identified and caught, issue 'em with appropriate cleaning stuff and get 'em to rectify the damage. Don't tell 'em about the other young men and women (many of them, no doubt, service people, many, probably, fighting WW1) who've done this sort of thing since time immemorial (or at least since writing was invented). Don't mention Kilroy. EDIT: this was a little tongue in cheek. Such vandalism is annoying and, in F E Speakman's case, personally upsetting - but it's nothing new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 17 April , 2009 Author Share Posted 17 April , 2009 Unfortunately these Moron's who do this are everywhere! We have a Memorial Bench in Brixham, Devon for our daughter Angela whom we lost from a fatal Asthma attack, this too has had the name ROZ carved on one of the arms! I wouldn't like to say what I would do if I caught whoever did this!!?? I can imagine how you must feel about that. Words fail me in such cases. What are we breeding these days? The other day I stopped at a cafe in Dover for a tea and a snack and the young lad behind the counter (aged about 14) could not work out the change I was due from a £5 note for a bill of £3.60. He actually got a calculator out. I told him the change needed before he'd entered any numbers, but still used the calculator to check if I was right. AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wulsten Posted 17 April , 2009 Share Posted 17 April , 2009 I posted last year about Kidsgrove war memorial being vandalised, luckily the damage to the sculptures was able to be repaired Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Rumsey Posted 17 April , 2009 Share Posted 17 April , 2009 Obviously one would prefer the culprits are caught. I would not only have them put it back to its previous condition I would also ensure that the money for materials was covered by them/earned so that the full cost of the clean up was implemented. Then I would ensure that it was their responsibility to keep it in that condition. If it happened again and the culprits were not caught they would clean it. That may limit such behaviour and perhaps the word would get around that its unacceptable behaviour and you are personally responsible for putting it right. Or they may have a vested interest in preventing further acts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete1052 Posted 17 April , 2009 Share Posted 17 April , 2009 There has always been vandalism and there always will be. I remember in the early '60s when an old gun tube mounted on a stone cairn in Alexandria, Virginia was regularly doused with paint. The old artillery piece had been left behind in Alexandria by Gen. Braddock's command during the Seven Years War because of the lack of horses to transport it on campaign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 18 April , 2009 Author Share Posted 18 April , 2009 I suppose the question to all this vandalism is WHY? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petroc Posted 18 April , 2009 Share Posted 18 April , 2009 Unfortunately these Moron's who do this are everywhere! We have a Memorial Bench in Brixham, Devon for our daughter Angela whom we lost from a fatal Asthma attack, this too has had the name ROZ carved on one of the arms! I wouldn't like to say what I would do if I caught whoever did this!!?? Probably the work of one of the little idiots that hang around the Town Square for hours on end....if we had a proper police presence in the port things might be different Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6th Shropshires Posted 18 April , 2009 Share Posted 18 April , 2009 If the persons responsible are identified and caught They should be given F.P. No. 1 or No. 2, they would think twice about do it next time Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasmor58 Posted 18 April , 2009 Share Posted 18 April , 2009 Ah yes, it is indeed a sad reflection on today's society. Yes it is true there always has been vandalism, but it seems to be far more prevalant today. The answer... who knows! Jasmor58 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MACRAE Posted 19 April , 2009 Share Posted 19 April , 2009 I suppose the question to all this vandalism is WHY? John Yes why my nephew Pte Thomas Haggerty Royal Scots KIA 3.3.91 , His grave stone has been scratched lord knows why they do things. I have seen some nasty bits of vandalism in graveyards in my job and no one can figure out why perhaps they reply is like why do you want to climb that mountain because its there . Punishment well I would make them work with disabled children and let them see the freedom they have should not be taken for granted and be grateful for what they have. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotchegg75 Posted 19 April , 2009 Share Posted 19 April , 2009 I suppose the question to all this vandalism is WHY? John Same reason why people smash locks of the fort we look after in Dover even though we open up as much as possible It is almost as annoying seeing people climb all over the Ashford Tank whenever I see it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 19 April , 2009 Author Share Posted 19 April , 2009 Punishment well I would make them work with disabled children and let them see the freedom they have should not be taken for granted and be grateful for what they have. Dan Not a bad idea at all Dan. Assuming they have a brain to take it all in. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John(txic) Posted 20 April , 2009 Share Posted 20 April , 2009 How did this tank escape the cull in 1940? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 20 April , 2009 Author Share Posted 20 April , 2009 How did this tank escape the cull in 1940? It was in use as an electricity sub station (see post 1#). That's how it survived. A minor miracle. Sadly, the conversion did result in the engine and other contents being removed. The tank drove into the town in 1919 when it was presented to the town. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT-Guards Posted 21 April , 2009 Share Posted 21 April , 2009 Punishment should be dished out the army way! Make the idiots scrub it clean with a blue tit's eyelash every inch. Make their friends watch and if they think it's funny a spot of headstone cleaning volunteers for the CWGC a few hundred thousand headstones should do it! Then when they've finished they can do it again. Or there is the firing squad! That's it from me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 21 April , 2009 Author Share Posted 21 April , 2009 Punishment should be dished out the army way! Make the idiots scrub it clean with a blue tit's eyelash every inch. Make their friends watch and if they think it's funny a spot of headstone cleaning volunteers for the CWGC a few hundred thousand headstones should do it! Then when they've finished they can do it again. Or there is the firing squad! That's it from me. Could you make the punishment just a little bit harsher? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripeyman Posted 21 April , 2009 Share Posted 21 April , 2009 We all know that should the culprits be found, no punishment of any significance will be given That, my very good GWF pals, is now the state of the nation............. We can fume and bluster all day but the authorities teeth have been drawn. Gawd elp us! Bob Grundy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT-Guards Posted 22 April , 2009 Share Posted 22 April , 2009 Could you make the punishment just a little bit harsher? John Ok, point taken, stand the firing squad down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 22 April , 2009 Author Share Posted 22 April , 2009 After my inspection visit today, I'm pleased to report that the graffiti has been removed and the tank returned to its normal state. I'll put some new photos up this evening. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 22 April , 2009 Author Share Posted 22 April , 2009 Here's some photos now. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted 22 April , 2009 Share Posted 22 April , 2009 Blast! I didn't know it was there.......... but now I do, I'm going to have to visit Ashford! Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-ted Posted 22 April , 2009 Share Posted 22 April , 2009 Hello all, I've been working in Ashford this week so thought I'd give the Tank a visit. Took loads of photos similar to those shown and the Tank looks great apart from rear nearside track. See photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 22 April , 2009 Author Share Posted 22 April , 2009 Hello all, I've been working in Ashford this week so thought I'd give the Tank a visit. Took loads of photos similar to those shown and the Tank looks great apart from rear nearside track. See photo. That's not the graffiti that was added last week. That was on the green paintwork and was in blue felt tip pen. I think the tracks wil be easily repainted. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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