Upham medal sale

[yungatart]

One of the things that Charles Upham fought so gallantly for, was the freedom of future New Zealanders. If his family choose to sell the medals he won fighting for them to have freedom of choice, then who has any right to deny them that chioce. With all the hoohah about it , poor Charles must be spinning in his grave.

[SwanTiger]

I am somewhat of an idealist so it is my opinion that the sale of these medals should be given more consideration than the family appear to be giving it. I hope that they manage to find perhaps a European country interested in purchasing the medals for display in museum or memorial.

On the other hand, the media coverage of this seems to be yet another ratings stunt by the networks. It corresponds with ANZAC weekend and I wouldn't be surprised if this event (the proposed sale of the medals) is somewhat outdated by at least a year or two.

[OMG]

Excuse me, is this the KB site - everyone is agreeing Afraid I agree wit you all too. If Aunty Helen wants one in NZ, she can fuck off to Iraq and earn one herself.

[Hoon]

I'm against selling the medals. I also don't believe any descendant has the right to sell his medals. They belong to Charles Upham and all his descendants including those yet to come. Especially since Charles himself turned down a whopper of an offer while he was still alive. No individual descendant has the right to deny any future generations an important part of their history. These descendants are the only people allowed to wear his medals where no one else legally can - not even the new owners.

I believe there should be a law similar to Medals of Honour where it is illegal to sell them. This would keep them in the family and remove any temptation.

[MidnightMike]

Excuse me, is this the KB site - everyone is agreeing Afraid I agree wit you all too. If Aunty Helen wants one in NZ, she can fuck off to Iraq and earn one herself.

I dont, I think keep them here.

[Hitcher]

I dont, I think keep them here.

So you'll be stumping up the requisite $3.3 million then?

[onearmedbandit]

One of the problems the family mentioned is leaving them to future family. More problems would be created by a multitude of family who think they have more right to the medal then say other family members. Take the $3 million now, spread it over the family and the problem is solved.

[Skyryder]

I'm from another camp. The medals are a piece of NZ history. They are 'our' heritage and as such should not go on sale. Imagine the furore if all the Britten bikes left New Zealand. They too are part of of our heritage. The country that most protects it's culture heritage is Japan. Egypt too is pretty strict about what can leave its shores. But we in New Zealand live by and age old adage that with ownership you can do what you like. That's just so yesterday and takes no account that with ownership, also comes responsibility.

Skyryder

[slimjim]

new zealand or king and country history!

[Skyryder]

New Zealand. King and Country is a concept.

Skyryder

[Wonko]

I don't think the medals should be sold overseas. I don't think that they should be sold at all. If the family has no longer any use for the medals then they should be gifted to a musem or give back to an athoritty, be that the defence force /government/ or issuing body.

In my family, the medals have been passed down to the oldest grandson to wear. This means I miss out, but I know my cousin will be wearing them with pride on Tuesday when he is parding.

[Skyryder]

I don't think the medals should be sold overseas. I don't think that they should be sold at all. If the family has no longer any use for the medals then they should be gifted to a musem or give back to an athoritty, be that the defence force /government/ or issuing body.

In my family, the medals have been passed down to the oldest grandson to wear. This means I miss out, but I know my cousin will be wearing them with pride on Tuesday when he is parding.

Right on. Medal and bar are an award for acts of bravery. The Victoria Cross is made from the iron two captured cannon during the siege of Sevastipol during the Crimean War
They are given in recognition of supreme acts of bravery :FOR VALOUR. That any family can think of selling them for whatever reason is nothing short of crass. I wonder how the family would react if they removed Charles Uphams statue from Amberly. Bit of bronz or iron in there must be worth a few bob.

Skyryder

[Drunken Monkey]

This is an interesting question for me personally.

Medals of my step-great grand father, for actions in Gazala, North Africa, while in service of the NZ army artillery were sold off long ago by another family member. Granted, it certainly wasn't as prestigous as a V.C.
On one hand I am disappointed to have not ever seen these medals. As far as I know, I'm the only living relative who has any interest in military history at all, so it's doubly annoying. Some photographs and other memorabilia still belong to my grandmother, I would like to see them go to a museum, granted they probably aren't worth anything more than sentimental value.

But then I don't know the full story about the sale of the medals and it did happen a long time ago.

As a nation, wanting the medals kept is really for selfish reasons. Not that there's anything wrong with that, as people say, the historical value is important. It's equally true that the story is bigger than the medals themselves, and wouldn't diminish if they were gone. A military museum could display replicas, not necessarily should though.
OTOH, it is possible the owners wish to sell for basically selfish reasons also. I don't know, or want to know, what their current financial state is, but $3million is a lot of money for all but the richest of people. They could be buying their family many generations of financial security. Upham was clear about what he thought, but he has since passed on and doesn't own it any more. He may have very honourably stated the medal 'belongs' to his unit and other men he served with who died for the cause, but the law doesn't see it that way.
There was another perfectly valid point raised - they were won in the fight for freedom, a government acting to stop the sale is an insult. As far as I'm concerned the government should only be able to make a recommendation.
As for going overseas, there would be some places I wouldn't disagree with them going to, perhaps a memorial museum in Crete or ANZAC memorial elsewhere equally relevant.

Ugh, all this and I couldn't say either way.

What would I do? I'd probably hope I made the right decision by donating it to the war memorial museum, tell myself this is why I can sleep ok at nights and I'll have to keep earning my $$$ the hard way...

[drummer]

Thats all the G is doing stopping a piece of our heritage leaving our shores, I bet I could sell the treaty for a buck 50 to some overseas collector but do you see that being let off shore?

No... the bunch of wankers masquerading as a Govt are proving yet again that they want to tell us what to do. The medals are not part of "our" heritage... they are property of the family. As for the so-called Treaty... don't get me started... selling it would be an option... let a collector have the dam thing and lets get on with being kiwis!

[drummer]

I don't think the medals should be sold overseas. I don't think that they should be sold at all. If the family has no longer any use for the medals then they should be gifted to a musem or give back to an athoritty, be that the defence force /government/ or issuing body.

What???? The medals are property of no-one but the people who own them.. if they have been passed down... sell em if they want to... cripes if it were me I would be telling herr Klarke exactly where to shove her fugly head!