A FURIOUS Worcester resident has called for the city’s landmark war memorial to be treated with respect and not to be used as a playground by visitors to sit on, play or even eat their lunch at.
Joe Amos made the claim in a letter to the Observer and said the behaviour of some of those he had seen using the memorial in the grounds of Worcester Cathedral denigrated the life of those who made the ultimate sacrfice.
The concerned city resident spoke out after seeing the furore sparked by more vandalism of the giraffes placed around the city centre for the St Richard’s Hospice backed Worcester Stands Tall trail.
While he condemned the actions of those abusing the colourful creatures, Mr Amos questioned why the same outrage wasn’t felt at those using the city’s war memorial.
“We have heard outrage at the mindless vandalism of the giraffes in Worcester, but people’s continuing silence on this matter is deafening,” he told the Observer.
2018 marks 100 years since the end of the First World War and the 73rd anniversary of the allies defeating Germany and Japan to mark the end of the Second World War.
The conflict claimed the lives of more 60 million people across the world and 452,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers, leaving no corner of the earth untouched from anarchy and chaos.
“This does not take into account those severely wounded and those who tragically took their own lives when returning home unable to fully rid themselves of the horrors of war,” he said.
“It therefore fills me with great sadness to see the war memorial continuously used as a playground for families and couples to sit, play, walk all over and, even to eat their lunch on as some sort of dinner table.
“This is all done seemingly unaware or oblivious to the fact that this memorial commemorates the lives of so many brave young servicemen and women who placed themselves in harm’s way and tragically gave their lives for their country,” he added.
Mr Amos called for railings or a polite notice reminding people to treat the memorial with respect to be installed.
“It also very disappointing students parade themselves on this monument during their graduation ceremonies from the University of Worcester,” he added.
“People do not treat the Cenotaph in London in this feckless manner, so why do we allow it in Worcester?”
Worcester Cathedral’s Canon Alvyn Pettersen said: “Rightly we honour those who gave their lives for our freedom. It is therefore very sad when we misuse our freedoms and dishonour those who, at such cost, won them for us”.
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