Disgraceful damage to Mi Amigo memorial reflects 'so badly on the whole of Sheffield'

The umbrella group which represent all ex-service groups across the city have issued a message, after all the framed pictures and flags were stolen from the Mi Amigo memorial in Endcliffe Park.

It honours the the B17 bomber Mi-Amigo crew who died when their plane crash landed in 1944.

Tony Foulds, who was a schoolboy that witnessed the plane come down, has been looking after the shrine for decades.

He discovered that items had been stolen from the memorial on Tuesday, April 21 – including his own name card on the wreath he laid down on February 22 to mark the anniversary.

Chairman of The Sheffield District and Joint Council of Ex-Service Associations, Pat Davey said: “I wish to express our deep concern and regret at the disgraceful damage done to, and the theft of items of Memorial from, the Mi Amigo Memorial in Endcliffe Park.

“An action which unfortunately reflects so badly on the whole of Sheffield and compares so badly with the vast outpouring of thanks for the heroism of those ten young men which Sheffield showed to the World some two years ago.

“I compare this memorial which represents all that is good in the world; which reflects the sheer heroism of ten young men who deliberately sacrificed their own lives that children unknown to them could live with the mindless destruction by undisciplined; disrespectful and disgusting hooligans who have neither respect for the law nor common decency for their fellow man.

“Their memorial may have been damaged, memorial items to them may have been stolen.

“But the memory of, and our gratitude to, those ten boys can never be erased by mindless acts such as this.”

The group, who represent all the ex-service organisations in the region, aim to organise a commemoration to the Mi Amigo crew who lost their lives 76 years ago, to show “that there sacrifice is truly remembered with gratitude”.

Anyone with information about the memorial theft should contact South Yorkshire Police on 101.