THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 9, 1995 TAG: 9507070081
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 31 lines
Vandalism sometimes takes strange forms.
After months of trying, M.H. ``Hank'' Morris connected with somebody who sent him 22 Union Jacks to fly on the graves of British sailors buried here more than 50 years ago. The flags, a gift of the lord mayor of Portsmouth, England, arrived in time for Memorial Day and American Legion members put one on each gravesite.
Morris had planned to put the flags on the graves on days special to this country and to the countries from which the Brits hailed.
But that was not to be. Legion members went to collect the flags for another day and somebody had taken them.
What possible reason would somebody have to steal 22 British flags? And what kind of mind would rob the graves of the men buried there during World War II?
Stealing flags from cemeteries is low-down behavior. Anybody who spots the Union Jack flying in an unusual place needs to report it if the flags are going to come back to Evergreen. by CNB