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David Harcourt
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| Joined: | 31 Dec 1969 |
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| Posts: | 1127 |
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Posted: 3 Dec 2007 12:32 am |
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So New Zealand has lost - possibly forever - a very significant part of its cultural heritage.
Here are some thoughts which occur to me:
* Why were the originals, rather than replicas, on display? If, as I understand it, the names of the recipients are inscribed on the back only, why did these priceless treasures be placed at risk? Why not display replicas and leave the originals in a vault in the Reserve Bank, together with our miniscule gold reserves (whose value they far exceed)?
* If, as the bone-headed New Zealand Army officer who argued this point this monring believed, it was thought that their "remote location" constituted part of the protection which these treasures enjoyed, could arrangements be made for this officer and others who think like him to be introduced - gradually, over a period of some weeks, and with the aid of many visual devices - to the concept of the motor car?
* If - as the same bonehead and others like him appear to believe, it was thought that because such items could not readily be sold they were therefore immune from theft - could a similar seminar, albeit of much longer duration, be arranged in which these idiots are introduced to the following ideas:
(i) maybe such items can be sold more readily than such people suspect;
(ii) even if they can't be sold readily, or even at all, given that most thieves are of below average intelligence - nearly, in fact, as boneheaded as senior Army officers - it is possible that this has only just been realised by those who committed this crime; and
(iii) there are as many reasons why someone should wish to steal Victoria Crosses as there are grains of sand on all the beaches in the world, including the idea that the removal and destruction of these items might upset lots of people. (Remember the vandalistic attack on the America's Cup. As we can see from the behaviour of Osama bin Laden and a thousand others like him, stupid, vicious and angry people are capable of any behaviour: not most behaviour, or virtually any behaviour, but any behaviour. )
(iv) There have been frequent suggestions in the past 24 hours that this may have been an Inside Job, as if that somehow lessened the Army's culpability. ("You can take all imaginary precautionary measures, but there is no defence against the Inside Job.") What tosh that is.
(v) The burglars broke display cases to get in to steal the medals. Why was the glass in the display cases able to be broken so readily? Surely indestructible glass of some kind was called for?
(vi) General Bonehead, the Army officer who thought Waiouru's remote location was a factor ensuring the safety of these medals, also said that security at the Museum would now be reviewed. This would be encouraging if the Museum continued to possess anything worth securing. But it does not. Close the stable door if you will but the horse has bolted. Probably by car.
(vii) I predict that the Army will now face as many lawsuits as there were Victoria and George Crosses in its possession at the time of the robbery, and that the ultimate award will be at least $1 million per medal. This is money which could have been better spent 20-30 years ago, when the wisest investment would have been in the recruitment and training of officers with intelligence and imagination. Are New Zealand soldiers like those in the First World War, who were described as "lions led by donkeys"? It seems that this may be the case, yes.
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David Harcourt
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| Joined: | 31 Dec 1969 |
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| Posts: | 1127 |
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Posted: 3 Dec 2007 01:14 am |
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How the world is hearing the news:
Nine Victoria Cross War Medals Stolen From New Zealand Museum
By Emma O'Brien
Dec. 3 (Bloomberg) -- Thieves who broke into a New Zealand army museum yesterday stole as many as nine Victoria Cross war medals, the highest military honor awarded to soldiers serving the United Kingdom and former British Empire countries.
The medals were taken from an annex of the Waiouru Army Museum on New Zealand's North Island, the country's defense force said in an e-mailed statement. The haul included a Victoria Cross and Bar awarded to Charles Upham, New Zealand's most decorated solider.
"This is not just a theft from Defence and Army, it is from the nation,'' said New Zealand Chief of Army Major General Lou Gardiner. "Their theft is a theft from New Zealand and as such is a serious crime calling to the cooperation of all New Zealanders in their recovery.''
The defense force is working with police in investigating the theft, which also included two George Cross medals awarded to civilians for great bravery and an Albert Medal for life saving. The nation's customs service have also been notified and a border alert issued, Gardiner said.
The Victoria Cross is awarded for valor in the face of the enemy. Corporal Willie Apiata, a member of the country's elite Special Air Service, became the most recent New Zealand winner earlier this year for his actions in saving a comrade's life in Afghanistan. His medal was not among those stolen, the defense force said.
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David Harcourt
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| Joined: | 31 Dec 1969 |
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| Posts: | 1127 |
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Posted: 16 Feb 2008 07:55 pm |
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So the medals are back.
From my perspective - which, it hardly needs to be said, is a very narrow one - there were three major disasters in 2007, making it very much a year to forget. In descending order of importance/significance, these were:
* my daughter's failure to gain admission to medical school
* the theft of the medals
* and the All Blacks' defeat in the World Cup
Now one of these has been reversed.
For the other two I will have to wait until 2010 and 2011, respectively.
And I will.
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David Harcourt
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Posted: 17 Feb 2008 06:10 pm |
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Some discussion of this issue over the past 24 hours seems to be extraordinarily confused.
It emerges that many are very upset that those responsible for this crime will benefit from it, when part or all of the reward is paid to them.
There are two wrongs/crimes here:
* 96 medals, including nine Victoria crosses, were stolen
* someone is now blackmailing the Government into paying $300,000 for their return
The first of these is a shocking crime; deserving of draconian punishment.
The second is a serious crime, but a crime of a kind which happens every day of the year.
The medals are back: that is the point which must be lost sight of. If those who stole them are caught and punished, well and good, but it is a very much less signifcant issue.
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