This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/6414155.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Plea to Downing Street over wreck | Plea to Downing Street over wreck |
| (about 10 hours later) | |
| Survivors and relatives of victims of the UK's largest maritime disaster are calling for the wreck of the Lancastria to be given full legal protection. | Survivors and relatives of victims of the UK's largest maritime disaster are calling for the wreck of the Lancastria to be given full legal protection. |
| The victims' families, including many from Scotland, marched to 10 Downing Street to make a direct plea to Tony Blair over the wreck. | |
| The Clyde-built Lancastria was carrying 9,000 troops when it was sunk in 1940 by German bombers off the French coast. | The Clyde-built Lancastria was carrying 9,000 troops when it was sunk in 1940 by German bombers off the French coast. |
| More than 4,000 died in the disaster, which was the worst in WWII history. | More than 4,000 died in the disaster, which was the worst in WWII history. |
| The Lancastria Association of Scotland organised a petition with several thousand signatures including those of MPs, MSPs, Lords and senior serving armed forces figures, which was handed over at Downing Street on Saturday. | |
| Triumphs in war are remembered and celebrated. Disasters are not. Fiona Symon The Lancastria Association of Scotland | Triumphs in war are remembered and celebrated. Disasters are not. Fiona Symon The Lancastria Association of Scotland |
| Chairwoman Fiona Symon, from Kinross, lost her father Andrew Richardson in the disaster and believes it is right to make the wreck fully covered by UK legislation, including the 1986 Protection of Military Remains Act. | Chairwoman Fiona Symon, from Kinross, lost her father Andrew Richardson in the disaster and believes it is right to make the wreck fully covered by UK legislation, including the 1986 Protection of Military Remains Act. |
| The Lancastria is in French waters and is protected by French legislation, but not fully protected by UK legislation. | The Lancastria is in French waters and is protected by French legislation, but not fully protected by UK legislation. |
| If it was it would enable British courts to pursue divers who remove anything from the wreck, which at the moment can be difficult. | If it was it would enable British courts to pursue divers who remove anything from the wreck, which at the moment can be difficult. |
| Ms Symon said: "There is a very real sense of anger amongst relatives that the lives of those who died and, indeed, the survivors who had to live with horrific memories, seem to be of less value than others who are remembered with honour. | Ms Symon said: "There is a very real sense of anger amongst relatives that the lives of those who died and, indeed, the survivors who had to live with horrific memories, seem to be of less value than others who are remembered with honour. |
| "Those thousands of men who died, one of them my father, also gave their lives for their country. | "Those thousands of men who died, one of them my father, also gave their lives for their country. |
| "Triumphs in war are remembered and celebrated. Disasters are not. Yet the sheer magnitude of the loss of life when the Lancastria was sunk on the 17th of June 1940 cries out for acknowledgement by our government. " | "Triumphs in war are remembered and celebrated. Disasters are not. Yet the sheer magnitude of the loss of life when the Lancastria was sunk on the 17th of June 1940 cries out for acknowledgement by our government. " |
| Thousands died when the Lancastria was attacked off the French coast | |
| Lancastria survivor Reg Brown, from Bedworth near Coventry, will also be making his way to Downing Street for the handover. | Lancastria survivor Reg Brown, from Bedworth near Coventry, will also be making his way to Downing Street for the handover. |
| Mr Brown said before handing in the petition: "I was only 20 when the ship went down all those years ago. I don't think the prime minister will be able to meet with us, but if he is I will say, 'Prime minister, we fought a terrible war for the freedom of everyone in this country and I hope we are appreciated, but are we?' | |
| "I want him to cherish all those people who lost their lives on the Lancastria by getting the Ministry of Defence to declare the wreck an official war grave." | "I want him to cherish all those people who lost their lives on the Lancastria by getting the Ministry of Defence to declare the wreck an official war grave." |
| Jonathan Fenby, author of The Sinking of the Lancastria, believes the time has come for the victims and survivors to be afforded the recognition they deserve. | Jonathan Fenby, author of The Sinking of the Lancastria, believes the time has come for the victims and survivors to be afforded the recognition they deserve. |
| "The victims of June 17, 1940, deserve no less, and the survivors should be accorded honour as well, while proper attention should be paid to the event at last after all these years," he said. | "The victims of June 17, 1940, deserve no less, and the survivors should be accorded honour as well, while proper attention should be paid to the event at last after all these years," he said. |