Solomon Islands news

[Anowreck]

Not to derail this thread, but in France there is a place called Oradour-sur-Glane (http://www.oradour.info/). There was a significant massacre there, so the French closed the village gates - and left it exactly as it was. It is gradually decaying and crumbling, and that is the essence of the memorial.

In a sense, perhaps that is happening in PNG and the Solomon Islands: it is just a crumbling memorial. Yes, there are those who want to rescue some of the military artefacts because they have a value - emotional and financial - and perhaps some rescue should be allowed. But nobody is taking away the Citroen at Oradour because it can be restored, because THAT is the memorial (the "heritage" if you like); when the last bit of stuff has been removed from the airstrip at Ballalae or wherever, what will be left of the memory?

[Shedwork]

I believe that except for a few exports, the vast majority of the warplanes in the Southwest Pacific and PNG will disintegrate or be scrapped within the next 20 to 30 years.

And here I was thinking that most of the warbirds in the SWP had disappeared in the last 20-30 years!

True know what you mean - recoveries of the airframes left needs to happen soon before they crumble. In balance the islands need to receive benefits in return. I know that I would not be so keen to visit a ex WWII airfield or site if all the remnants and relics had been stripped from the field of battle.

cheers

mark

[bdk]

I know that I would not be so keen to visit a ex WWII airfield or site if all the remnants and relics had been stripped from the field of battle.

I've read books and articles about the abandoned airfields in the UK. How would this be different?

[Anowreck]

I know that I would not be so keen to visit a ex WWII airfield or site if all the remnants and relics had been stripped from the field of battle.

I've read books and articles about the abandoned airfields in the UK. How would this be different?

Well, the majority (not all) have simply disappeared, so you might see a big stretch of concrete, an odd building, maybe one or two are used for Karting or impromptu car tests. No perceptible history or heritage left, and frankly, not much atmosphere. But plenty enough remain that, even with most disappearing, it doesn't matter too much to UKplc; there are a whole bunch of other things for tourists to look at dating back to about 45 BC! Not sure if that applies down in the Pacific (?).