A KOREAN War veteran from Burton has blasted thieves who stole a wreath left at a memorial to those who served in the conflict.
The floral tribute was laid on November 10, the day before
Remembrance Sunday, at the red brick edifice, which stands near the
town’s main war memorial, off Lichfield Street.
However, this week, Royal British Legion Burton branch vice-president Roy Whenman, who served in the 1950-53 conflict with the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, discovered the wreath was missing.
He told the Mail: “It was tied around the memorial so even if it was windy, it couldn’t have just blown off. It amazed me because all the other wreaths on the main war memorial were still there.
“I think people who would do something like this must be brainless and I can only imagine it happened at the weekend when people had been to the pub and were walking past on the path near the memorial.
“It’s diabolical. I lost a friend out in Korea myself and if it wasn’t for people like that who gave their lives, these people (the thieves) probably wouldn’t be here today.
“I wanted to bring it to the notice of the public that these things are going on and I think a lot of people will be very upset about it.”
The memorial was dedicated in June, having been erected by the Derby and Burton branch of the Korean Veterans’ Association, after a mystery benefactor donated the £1,000 needed to meet the £2,795 cost of the structure.
It remembers servicemen from East Staffordshire and Derbyshire who fought in the war to repel the Communist invasion of South Korea, a conflict which cost 1,078 lives.
Anyone with information about what happened to the wreath is asked to call Mr Whenman on 01283 546007.
Roy Whenman has criticised thieves who stole a wreath from the Korean War memorial in Burton
However, this week, Royal British Legion Burton branch vice-president Roy Whenman, who served in the 1950-53 conflict with the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, discovered the wreath was missing.
He told the Mail: “It was tied around the memorial so even if it was windy, it couldn’t have just blown off. It amazed me because all the other wreaths on the main war memorial were still there.
“I think people who would do something like this must be brainless and I can only imagine it happened at the weekend when people had been to the pub and were walking past on the path near the memorial.
“It’s diabolical. I lost a friend out in Korea myself and if it wasn’t for people like that who gave their lives, these people (the thieves) probably wouldn’t be here today.
“I wanted to bring it to the notice of the public that these things are going on and I think a lot of people will be very upset about it.”
The memorial was dedicated in June, having been erected by the Derby and Burton branch of the Korean Veterans’ Association, after a mystery benefactor donated the £1,000 needed to meet the £2,795 cost of the structure.
It remembers servicemen from East Staffordshire and Derbyshire who fought in the war to repel the Communist invasion of South Korea, a conflict which cost 1,078 lives.
Anyone with information about what happened to the wreath is asked to call Mr Whenman on 01283 546007.
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