Jim you are right and of course those in museums are untouchable. I am looking for the 08's and mounts that are either slowly decaying or are available for disposal. For example there is one very sorry looking MG08 and mount cemented into a school playground. I contacted the school and offered to pay for its removal, not only because it is rotting but it is surely a 'health and safety' issue with ragged rusty metal and bits sticking out! I was informed that it would stay there until it had disintegrated. Now I could partly understand this if it were alongside a memorial but in a school playground??? I am sure you do the same in Canadaicon but it is like Regimental Colours of various Regiments. In UKicon the 'old' Colours are placed in the Churches and Cathederals. This is lovely and very 'romantic' but of course the flags/ensigns simply decay, and so actually for future generations they just won't be around! In Salisbury Cathederal there are battle scarred Waterloo Colours just hanging there....dying. I know it is a balance between remembering and tradition but if they are not visibly there one day no one will remember. So although thereare plenty of MGs in museums I say save the ones that can be saved!!
Mark