Charles Thomas Kennedy VC memorials

[petercharleskennedy]

Just heard from The Royal British Legion Scotland. They have been advised by the Cemetery Officer for the City of Edinburgh that they cannot replace or correct the headstone for Charles Thomas Kennedy VC as they do not own it or the plot. That means that only the Royal Highland Fusiliers can have the headstone corrected, which is something that they have already refused to do. What a way to treat one of their heroes!

[petercharleskennedy]

Just heard from the office of the Alex Salmond, the First Minister for Scotland. They will not do anything to correct the memorials to Charles Thomas Kennedy VC. I bet if he was an Olympic medal winner the memorials would have been altered by now. All this country seems interested in is so-called sporting "heroes".
Peter

[Andre Chissel]

When I began my training as a Patent Attorney, I once cynically approached my then Boss and said something to the effect of:

What's the point of private individuals filing patent applications, even if they could afford our charges they would never be able to afford to defend their granted patent in Court against a large multi-national with limitless supplies of money - the entire system is flawed !

My Boss raised an eyebrow and said yup, you are right, the Patents system is like the door to the Dorchester Hotel, open to anyone but if you cannot afford to go in you donot enter.

He then ceremoniously picked up his copy of the Patent's Acr and threw it in the bin and said:

So ! If we can't use the Patent's Act to help the Private inventor, what do we do ?

I shrug my shoulders at this point

Welllllllll, the first thing we do is contact a local newspaper reporter and then a local TV reporter - they love a good story, especially one about David versus Goliath - THAT's how we help the poor private inventor - large multi-nationals hate bad publicity !

He then went into one of his usual monologues which lasted for about half an hour about did I not think that he had not asked himself the same question 30 years ago blah blah blah etc.

The point is, a reporter loves a good story, maybe its time to contact one.

Just a thought.

Andre

[petercharleskennedy]

Thanks for the idea. I did the Scotsman newspaper group when I first started this "campaign" - August 2011. They, like virtually everyone else, just ignored my letter. I will contact them again though.
Peter

[petercharleskennedy]

My letter to the Prime Minister, of December last year, was forwarded to the MoD. As I have heard nothing from them I have sent another letter to David Cameron.
I cannot believe that a REAL hero cannot get his headstone replaced/corrected with all the recent fuss made over the Olympic "heroes" and the honours that they "deserve".

[petercharleskennedy]

Just received a letter from the MoD - dated 23 January! - they are not the least bit interested in replacing the headstone for Charles Kennedy VC. According to the MoD it is down to the Royal Highland Fusiliers to rectify their mistake. According to the Royal Highland Fusiliers they cannot replace the headstone "due to MoD cutbacks".
The man was awarded the Victoria Cross then later killed saving women and children!!
A pity he didn't win a race at the Olympics - then the government would have found the money required.
Real heroes need to be honoured in this country, not sports "heroes".

[SWB]

Hello Peter

Very disappointing but entirely predictable I'm afraid.

Perhaps time to offer the RHF the money to have the headstone replaced/corrected? They may be slightly embarrased into help. Or start with the bench plaque - would be cheaper.

The money can be raised - projects like this get done frequently - see the thread about Gunner Arthur Howard. Many years ago I raised the money to move an Anglo-Boer War memorial in Froncysyllte North Wales.

Regards
Meurig

[petercharleskennedy]

Yes, the money can raised and, let's face it, it will only be a couple of hundred pounds. But - surely the point is that the government are obsessed with honouring sports "heroes" and a REAL hero is not worth the effort.
Anyway, I offered the Royal Highland Fusiliers Museum a small biography of Charles Kennedy which they could stock in their shop (at no cost to themselves) and all the money could go towards a new headstone. They were not interested.
The headstone was only erected in 2001. Whoever did the research on the birthdate should really be held accountable.
Peter.