BRITISH GOVERNMENT CONTINUE SILENCE OVER LANCASTRIA
The British government has refused to designate Lancastria an official war grave despite pleas from relatives of victims and members of the Scottish Parliament. In a reply from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to nationalist MSP Christine Grahame the British Government claim designation under the Military Remains Act would bring, they say, "undue attention" to the wreck a claim flatly denied by relatives.
The French authorities have already designated the wreck a cultural and maritime site and effectively banned diving activity, although given Lancastria’s position 5 miles from the coast it is not possible to monitor 24 hours a day. Designation by the British government would allow for the pursuit and prosecution of British divers known to be diving the wreck but would also represent official recognition by the British Government of the sacrifice made on 17th June 1940.
Spokesman for the Lancastria Association of Scotland, Mark Hirst said:
"The attitude of the British Government has been disgraceful. There reasons for continuing the silence are motivated by pure self interest. For the past 65 years they have ignored the sacrifice made and even today they wish to continue the silence. The Association in Scotland is soon to petition the Scottish Parliament which will call on MSPs to formally recognise the disaster and commission a Lancastria medal to be awarded posthumously to the relatives of victims and also the remaining survivors. Perhaps this may embarrass the British government in to remembering this loss."
So far MoD officials have also ruled out any special medal for those who were aboard Lancastria saying medals are only normally awarded for special campaigns. Other members of the British Expeditionary Force who were evacuated through Dunkirk were subsequently awarded the "Dunkirk medal".
A spokesman for the MoD said "We have no plans to commission a medal for the victims of the Lancastria".
