A silhouette forming part of the poignant 338 Ramsgate Remembers installation has been wrecked.
The silhouette, forming part of the chain along Military Road, has been ripped downwards so it is now folded over.
The silhouette is part of a powerful and moving tribute honouring the extraordinary courage and sacrifice of those involved in the Dunkirk evacuation of 1940.
Charity Standing with Giants, which is dedicated to creating large-scale remembrance installations, placed 338 life-sized silhouettes along the harbour – each one representing 1000 of the British and Allied troops rescued during World War Two’s Operation Dynamo
The 338,000 troops were surrounded by German forces in France. Nearly 900 naval and civilian “Little Ships” sailed into danger to bring them home under relentless enemy fire.
The silhouettes represent the servicemen and women, alongside the Little Ships of Ramsgate, whose bravery played a vital role in one of the most remarkable rescue operations in modern history and were delivered in collaboration with Ramsgate Town Council.
People have reacted with anger and dismay over the vandalism after resident Mark Stanford posted his photos to social media, saying: “Some lowlife has ripped off one of the Standing with Giants soldier silhouettes on Military Road.”
One response says: “What is this world coming to, no respect for anyone or anything,” while another says: “And to think people gave their lives for the likes of them.”
Ramsgate Town Council chairman Steve Albon said: “RTC has some extra ones and we will replace it. It’s a sad indictment of the times we’re living in.”
The town council has reported the incident to police.
The 338 installation remains in place until 28th June so those visiting for Armed Forces Day Parade on 27th June will have the chance to see the largest Standing With Giants installation this side of Portsmouth.
Support Standing With Giants at: https://www.standingwithgiants.co.uk/support-us
UPDATE: Ramsgate Town Council has replaced the damaged silhouette today (June 1) and technicians will carry out daily checks on all 338 silhouettes.
Absolute scum
Perhaps we need to be at war – seem to have plenty of cannon fodder to get rid of in Thanet – not forgetting the Chatham pond life who also need to be given a taste of reality. Karma never forgets.
I am not surprised, these filthy beasts live among us. They also destroy things to do with the poppies.
when i first saw them i knew they would be vandalised , with this being ramsgate , but i expected it to be the old thanet faithful of cans of spray paint , obviously a small child could not bend this steel , so there is a demented adult out there on the loose , but second thoughts – the towns full of them , how are the nay sayers going to gloss over this one ?
The ironic thing is, it was very likely white English people who did this, not the “foreigners” that the far-right so often claim are ruining our country!
Agree with you for once Peter. They celebrate not just patriotism but the eventual victory over Nazism and fascism and the creation of a better world. Quite what these idiots thought they were doing is not clear but repairs are a priority. A good CCTV system might help!
A good CCTV system? Like the one at Manchester airport?
Disgusting.
Acts like this make my blood boil, these low life should remember that the people that these statues represent died for their right to act like this. I hope they are proud of themselves as words fail me.
Perhaps the teaching of these persons meant nothing concerning the history of two world wars where so many people lost their lives to give us and them freedom.
Their attitude may change when WW3 commences and they lose mothers, fathers, friends, brothers and sisters.
Whilst not in favour of wars, military service certainly changes ones attitude and respect.
This exhibition was a marvellous tribute to our WWII heroes. A great deal of heartfelt dedication went into the workmanship and I salute all who gave their time and energy to this cause. As for the ill repute who felt it necessary to vandalise one – well I presume you have no true British forebearers who fought for Great Britain in 1939-1945 – am I right?
Bring back National Service!
It was scrapped for a reason.
As someone who served in the National Service army, at home and abroad, I am against its re-introduction as it was a total waste of time, also where will the women be billited? They didn’t do National Service after the war, and would need to be accommodated seperately, I don’t think anyone advocating the re-introduction of national service has thought this through.
PS. And turn a thug into a trained killer! I met some right nutters during my time in the army, who had lttle respect for others. I once broke up a fight in a dinner queue between a lad from Fiji, and a West Indian! The West Indian lad had accused the Fijian lad of racism, and this was over 65 years ago!
Please! No animal vandalises his den. Imagine the size of the brain of the perpetrator.
Some Army discipline would make a huge difference for some. Imagine being locked up for not saluting. Some may not only profit from that but even enjoy the fact their life is being organised for them. And the comradeship. A year to remember, friendships for life.
You wouldn’t get locked up for not saluting an officer, perhaps a night in the cells in the guard house, and a small fine by the CO, or a few hours pack drill!
Imagine that happening when you show up for your shift at Aldi. Not saying anything to your supervisor and being locked up in the loos for a couple of hours…
Probably one of the local Reform ‘patriots’ like the ones who turn up to the Cenotaph covered in Swastikas & doing Sieg Heil salutes.
I have never witnessed any of what you wrote at the cenotaph? Where is your proof!!
Photos online-especially back in the 1990’s with the Lonsdale brigade.
Only seen that done by the Pally Hamass fascists.
It’s a shame that no one with any degree of wisdom can appreciate the importance of having a National Service structure.
And there’s the folly over the inherent complacency over the passage of time since WW2, which has left UK civilians feeling invincible.
By pretending it’s a disservice to our younger generations by introducing a small element of compelled duty is nothing more than a nod to suicidal empathy.
See my contribution above. My service, even after 66 years, still leaves me with nighmares! Education about recent British history would be a help! I doubt even modern History teachers know enough about our recent history, I survived the 2nd world war, only just, although my older sister Beryl didn’t. There soon won’t be any of us survivors left!
It was scrapped because the army made it clear they had way too many people due to it & training them was taking their experienced officers & skilled soldiers that were needed away from important tasks. It was also hugely expensive & not remotely cost effective.
You might also want to ask yourself if you would really want to force these people into doing something & then with their resentment & clearly already having issues like this guy give them access to guns, hand grenades etc at their training camps & risk them using them on others there/risk them going AWOL & using them on members of the public?
Feeling invincible-well we are an island that is practically impossible to invade (no dinghy jokes please) Hitler took the Channel Islands, but that was it.
Very few would be willing to fight for this country now anyway-it isn’t worth it. What would they do exactly? Lock everybody up who refused? The jails are overflowing already, how are they going to lock up millions more?
Grunts will soon be a thing of the past anyway-AI/Drones will be the future of frontline warfare, the only officers will be high ranking strategists, it is already playing a massive part in the Middle East & Ukraine/Russia & has been for years.
If I didn’t think my country wasn’t worth defending I would bugger off somewhere else. Thankfully, there are a significant number of us around that haven’t given up.
Ditto! I love travelling and I love meeting people from different cultures, but I love my country too.
There is already a Territorial Army, perhaps it could be expanded to include Civil Defence, similar to that used in the Post War era, my Dad was a member from 1965, although he had served in the war from start to finish, including D-Day plus two, when his regiment landed in Normandy.
Bring back the birch.
Some pay for that kind of thing.
Bring back the birch.
🤔looking at the picture the location of that particular statue its opposite the one bar that’s used for thanets users & suppliers. Is there cctv available. Disrespectful clowns need to be tied to the rails and let the public chuck rotten food over them for the birds to feed off them .
Right you are!