21st December 2008.

We remember.

The Crew:
Captain James Bruce MacQuarrie, 55, from Kensington, New Hampshire, USA
First Officer (co-pilot) Raymond Ronald Wagner, 52, from Pennington, New Jersey, USA
Flight engineer Jerry Don Avritt, 46, from Westminster, California, USA
Mary Geraldine Murphy, 51, Twickenham, UK
Milutin Velimirovich, 35, Hounslow, UK (US citizen)
Elisabeth Nichole Avoyne, 44, Croissy-sur-Seine, France, French
Noelle Lydie Berti, 41, Paris, France, French
Siv Ulla Engstrom, 51, Windsor, UK, Swedish
Stacie Denise Franklin, 20, San Diego, USA
Paul Isaac Garret, 41, Napa, USA
Elke Etha Kuhne, 43, Hannover, BRD, German
Maria Nieves Larracoechea, 39, Madrid, Spain
Lilibeth Tobila Macalolooy, 27, Kelsterbach, BRD, Phillipino
Jocelyn Reina, 26, Isleworth, UK, American
Myra Josephine Royal, 30, Hanwell, UK, Dominican Republic
Irja Syhnove Skabo, 38, Oslo, Norway, Finnish
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Passengers of Flight 103
Ahern, John Michael Gerard, bond broker, 26 years, Rockville Center, New York, American
Aicher, Sarah Margaret, playwright, 29 years, American
Akerstrom, John David, 34 years, Medina, Ohio, American
Alexander, Ronald Ely, businessman, 46 years, New York, New York, Swiss
Ammerman, Thomas Joseph, marketing manager, 36 years, Old Tappan, New Jersey, American
Apfelbaum, Martin Lewis, stamp dealer, 59 years, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, American
Asrelsky, Rachel Marie, student, 21 years, New York, New York, American
Atkinson, William Garretson III, engineer, 33 years, American
Atkinson, Judith Ellen, art historian and consultant, 37 years, American
Bacciochi, Clare Louise, hair stylist, 19 years, Warwickshire, England, British
Bainbridge, Harry Michael, attorney, 34 years, Montrose, New York, American
Barclay, Stuart Murray, businessman, 29 years, Canadian
Bell, Jean Mary, 44 years, Berkshire, England, British
Benello, Julian MacBain, student, 25 years, Brookline, Massachusetts, American
Bennett, Lawrence Ray, pharmaceutical chemist, 41 years, Chelsea, Michigan, American
Bergstrom, Philip Vernon, army sergeant, 22 years, Forest Lake, Minnesota, American
Berkley, Alistair David, professor of law, 29 years, American
Bernstein, Michael Stuart,lawyer, U.S. Dept. of Justice, Office of Special Investigation, 36 years, Bethesda, Maryland, American
Berrell, Steven Russell, student, 2O years, Fargo, North Dakota, American
Bhatia, Surinder Mohan, businessman, 51 years, Los Angeles, California, American
Bissett, Kenneth John, student, 21 years, Hartsdale, New York, American
Boatman-Fuller, Diane Anne, playwright, 37 years, American
Boland, Stephen John, student, 20 years, Nashua, New Hampshire, American
Bouckley, Glen John, sales, 27 years, British
Bouckley, Paula Marie, sales, 29 years, New York, American
Boulanger, Nicole Elise, student, 21 years, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, American
Boyer, Francis, 43 years, Toulosane, France, French
Bright, Nicholas, businessman, 32 years, Brookline, Massachusetts, American
Browner (Bier), Daniel Solomon, 23 years, Parod, Israel, Israeli
Brunner, Colleen Renee, student, 20 years, Hamburg, New York, American
Burman, Timothy Guy, banker, 24 years, London, England, British
Buser, Michael Warren, advertising executive, 34 years, Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, American
Buser, Warren Max, civil engineer, 62 years, Glen Rock, New Jersey, American
Butler, Steven Lee, teacher, 35 years, Denver, Colorado, American
Cadman, William Martin, musician, 32 years, London, England, British
Caffarone, Fabiana, 28 years, London, England, British
Caffarone, Hernan, 28 years, Argentinean
Canady, Valerie, auditor, 25 years, Morgantown, West Virginia, American
Capasso, Gregory, student, 21 years, Brooklyn, New York, American
Cardwell, Timothy Michael, student, 21 years, Cresco, Pennsylvania, American
Carlsson, Bernt Wilson, Swedish UN-diplomat, 50 years, Swedish
Cawley, Richard Anthony, businessman, 43 years, New York, New York, American
Ciulla, Frank, banker, 45 years, Park Ridge, New Jersey, American
Cohen, Theodora Eugenia, student, 20 years, Port Jervis, New York, American
Coker, Eric Michael, student, 20 years, Mendham, New Jersey, American.
Coker,Jason Michael, student, 20 years, Mendham, New Jersey, American
Colasanti, Gary Leonard, student, 20 years, Melrose, Massachusetts, American
Concannon, Bridget, 53 years, Oxfordshire, England, Irish
Concannon, Sean, 16 years, Oxfordshire, England, British
Concannon, Thomas, 51 years, Oxfordshire, England, Irish
Corner, Tracey Jane, 17 years, Sheffield, England, British
Cory, Scott, student, 20 years, Old Lyme Court, Connecticut, American
Coursey, Willis Larry, military, 40 years, San Antonio, Texas, American
Coyle, Patricia Mary, student, 20 years, Wallingford, Connecticut, American
Cummock, John Binning, 38 years, Coral Gables, Florida, American
Curry, Joseph Patrick, army captain, 31 years, bFort Devens, Massachusetts, American
Daniels, William, Allen, research chemist, 40 years, Belle Mead, New Jersey, American
Dater, Gretchen Joyce, student, 20 years, Ramsey, New Jersey, American
Davis, Shannon, student, 19 years, Shelton, Connecticut, American
Della-Ripa, Gabriel, Pan Am Airlines employee, 46 years, Floral Park, New York, Italian
DiMauro, Joyce Christine, marketing director, 32 years, New York, New York, American
DiNardo, Gianfranca, 26 years, Italian
Dix, Peter Thomas Stanley, management consultant, 35 years, London, England, Irish
Dixit, Om, college professor, 54 years, Fairborn, Ohio, Indian
Dixit, Shanti, 54 years, Fairborn, Ohio, American
Dornstein, David Scott, student, 25 years, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, American
Doyle, Michael Joseph, accountant, 30 years, Voorhees, New Jersey, American
Eggleston, Edgar Howard III, air force sergeant, 24 years, Glens Falls, New York, American
Ergin, Turhan, student, 22 years, West Hartford, Connecticut, American
Fisher, Charles Thomas IV, banker, 34 years, American
Flick, Clayton Lee, businessman, 25 years, Coventry, England, British
Flynn, John Patrick, student, 21 years, Montville, New Jersey, American
Fondiler, Arthur, attorney, 33 years, West Armonk, New York, American
Fortune, Robert Gerard, insurance executive, 40 years, Jackson Heights, NY, American
Freeman, Paul Matthew Stephen, 25 years, Canadian
Fuller, James Ralph, corporate vice president, 50 years, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, America
Gabor, Ibolya Robertine, 79 years, Budapest, Hungary, Hungarian
Gallagher, Amy Beth, student, 22 years, American
Gannon, Matthew Kevin, foreign service officer, 34 years, Los Angeles, Ca., American
Garczynski, Kenneth Raymond, industrial engineer, 37 years, North Brunswick, NJ, American
Gibson, Kenneth James, army specialist four, 20 years, Romulus, Michigan, American
Giebler, William David, bond broker, 29 years, London, England, American
Gordon, Olive Leonora, 25 years, London, England, British
Gordon-Gorgacz, Linda Susan, 39 years, London, England, American
Gorgacz, Anne Madelene, 76 years, Newcastle, Pennsylvania, American
Gorgacz, Loretta Anne, 47 years, Newcastle, Pennsylvania, American
Gould, David, college professor, 45 years, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, American
Guevorgian, Andre Nikolai, businessman, 32 years, Sea Cliff, New York, American
Hall, Nicola Jane, 23 years, Sandton, South Africa, South African
Halsch, Lorraine Frances, special education teacher, 31 years, Fairport, NY, American
Hartunian, Lynne Carol, student, 21 years, Schenectady, New York, American
Hawkins, Anthony Lacey, businessman, 57 years, Brooklyn, New York, British
Herbert, Pamela Elaine, student, 19 years, Battle Creek, Michigan, American
Hilbert, Rodney Peter, 40 years, Newton, Pennsylvania, American
Hill, Alfred, 29 years, Sonthofen, Germany, German
Hollister, Katherine Augusta, student, 20 years, Rego Park, New York
Hudson, Josephine Lisa, nurse, 22 years, London, England, British
Hudson, Melina Kristina, student, 16 years, Albany, New York, American
Hudson, Sophie Ailette Miriam, 26 years, Paris, France, French
Hunt, Karen Lee, student, 20 years, Webster, New York, American
Hurst, Roger Elwood, marketing manager, 38 years, Ringwood, New Jersey, American
Ivell, Elizabeth Sophie, dog handler, 19 years, East Sussex, England, British
Jaafar, Khalid Nazir, student, 20 years, Dearborn, Michigan, American
Jeck, Robert van Houten, 57 years, Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, American
Jeffreys, Paul Avron, musician, 36 years, Surrey, England, British
Jeffreys, Rachel, advertising executive, 23, years, Surrey, England, British
Jermyn, Kathleen Mary, student, 20 years, Staten Island, New York, American
Johnson, Beth Ann, student, 21 years, Greensburg, Pennsylvania, American
Johnson, Mary Alice Lincoln, student, 25 years, Wayland, Massachusetts, American
Johnson, Timothy Baron, student, 21 years, Neptune, New Jersey, American
Jones, Christopher Andrew, student, 20 years, Claverack, New York, American
Kelly, Julianne Frances, student, 20 years, Dedham, Massachusetts, American
Kingham, Jay Joseph, pharmaceuticals executive, 44 years, Potomac, Maryland, American,
Klein, Patricia Ann, social worker, 35 years, Trenton, New Jersey, American
Kosmowski, Gregory, marketing executive, 40 years, MiIford, Michigan, American
Kulukundis, Minas Christopher, ship brokerage director, 38 years, London, England, British
LaRiviere, Ronald Albert, 33 years, Alexandria, Virginia, American
Leckburg, Robert Milton, engineer, 30 years, Piscataway, New Jersey, American
Leyrer, William Chase, businessman, 46 years, Bay Shore, New York, American
Lincoln, Wendy Anne, student, 23 years, North Adams, Massachusetts, American
Lowenstein, Alexander Silas, student, 21 years, Morristown, New Jersey, American
Ludlow, Lloyd David, army sergeant first class, 41 years, Macksville, Kansas, American
Lurbke, Maria Theresia, 25 years, Balve Beckum, Germany, German
Mack, William Edward, puppeteer, 30 years, New York, New York, American
Malicote, Douglas Eugene, army specialist four, 22 years, Lebanon, Ohio, American
Malicote, Wendy Gay, 21 years, Lebanon, Ohio, American
Marek, Elizabeth Lillian, actress and peace activist, 30 years, New York, American
Marengo, Louis Anthony, marketing director, 33 years, Rochester, Michigan, American
Martin, Noel George, 27 years, Clapton, England, Jamaican
Maslowski, Diane Marie, currency trader, 30 years, New York, American
McAllister, William John, 26 years, Middlesex, England, British
McCarthy, Daniel Emmet, banker, 31 years, Brooklyn, New York, American
McCollum, Robert Eugene, university professor, 61 years, Wayne, Pennsylvania, American
McKee, Charles Dennis, army major, head of a US Intelligence Team, 40 years, Arlington, Virginia, American
McLaughlin, Bernard Joseph, marketing manager, 30 years, Cranston, RI, American
Melber, Jane Susan, musician and teacher, 27 years, Middlesex, England, American
Merrill, John, seaman, 35 years, Hertfordshire, England, British
Miazga, Suzanne Marie, student, 22 years, Marcy, New York, American
Miller, Joseph Kenneth, accounting firm executive, 56 years, Woodmere, NY, American
Mitchell, Jewel Courtney, army second lieutenant, 32 years, Brooklyn, New York, American
Monetti, Richard Paul, student, 20 years, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, American
Morgan, Jane Ann, attorney, 37 years, London, England, American
Morson, Eva Ingeborg, 48 years, New, York, New York, American
Mosey, Helga Rachael, student, 19 years, West Midlands, England, British
Mulroy, Ingrid Elizabeth, 25 years, Lund, Sweden, Swedish
Mulroy, John, journalist, 59 years, East Northport, New York, American
Mulroy, Sean Kevin, 25 years, American
Noonan, Karen Elizabeth, student, 20 years, Potomac, Maryland, American
O'Connor, Daniel Emmett, U.S. diplomatic service, 31 years, Dorchester, Mass, American
O'Neil, Mary Denice, student, 2l years, Bronx, New York, American
Otenasek, Anne Lindsey, student, 21 years, Baltimore, Maryland, American
Owen, Bryony Elise, 1 year, Bristol, England, British
Owen, Gwyneth Yvonne Margaret, student, 29 years, Bristol, England, British
Owens, Laura Abigail, 8 years, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, American
Owens, Martha, 44 years, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, American
Owens, Robert Plack, 45 years, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, American
Owens, Sarah Rebecca, 14 years, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, American
Pagnucco, Robert Italo, attorney, 51 years, South Salem, New York, American
Papadopoulos, Christos Michael, 45 years, North Lawrence, New York, American
Peirce, Peter Raymond, architect and student, 40 years, Perrysburg, Ohio, American
Pescatore, Michael, businessman, 33 years, Solon, Ohio, American
Philipps, Sarah Susannah Buchanan, student, 20 years, Newtonville, Mass, American
Phillips, Frederick Sandford, student, 27 years, Little Rock, Arkansas, American
Pitt, James Andrew Campbell, student, 24 years, South Hadley, Massachusetts, American
Platt, David, architect, 33 years, Staten Island, New York, American
Porter, Walter Leonard, musician, 35 years, Brooklyn, New York, American
Posen, Pamela Lynn, student, 20 years, Harrison, New York, American
Pugh, William, businessman, 56 years, Margate, New Jersey, American
Quiguyan, Crisostomo Estrella, hotel cashier, 43 years, London, England, Filipino
Ramses, Rajesh Tarsis Priskel, 35 years, Leicester, England, Indian
Rattan, Anmol, 2 years, Warren, Michigan. American
Rattan, Garima, computer programmer, 29 years, Warren, Michigan, American
Rattan, Suruchi, 3 years, Warren, Michigan, American
Reeves, Anita Lynn, 24 years, Laurel, Maryland, American
Rein, Mark Alan, businessman, 44 years, New York, New York, American
Rencevicz, Diane Marie, student, 21 years, Burlington, New Jersey, American
Rogers, Louise Ann, student, 20 years, Olney, Maryland, American
Roller, Edina, 5 years, Hungary, Hungarian
Roller, Janos Gabor, 29 years, Hungary, Hungarian
Roller, Zsuzsana, 27 years, Hungary, Hungarian
Root, Hanne Maria, management consultant, 26 years, Toronto, Canada, Canadian
Rosen, Saul Mark, businessman, 35 years, Morris Plains, New Jersey, American
Rosenthal, Andrea Victoria, student, 22 years, New York, New York, American
Rosenthal, Daniel Peter, student, 20 years, Staten Island, New York, American
Rubin, Arnaud David, 28 years, Waterloo, Belgium, Belgian
Saraceni, Elyse Jeanne, student, 20 years, American
Saunders, Scott Christopher, student, 21 years, Macungie, Pennsylvania, American,
Saunders, Theresa Elizabeth Jane, marketing, 28 years, Sunbury-on-Thames, England, British
Schauble, Johannes Otto, 41 years, Kappellenweg, Germany, German
Schlageter, Robert Thomas, student, 20 years, Warwick, Rhode Island, American
Schultz, Thomas Britton, student, 20, years, Ridgefield, Connecticut, American
Scott, Sally Elizabeth, chef, 22 years, Huntington, New York, British
Shapiro, Amy Elizabeth, student, 21 years, Stamford, Connecticut, American
Shastri, Mridula, 24 years, Oxford, England, Indian
Sheanshang, Joan, 46 years, New York, New York, American
Sigal, Irving Stanley, research biologist, 35 years, Pennington, New Jersey, American
Simpson, Martin Bernard Christopher, financier, 52 years, Brooklyn, New York, American
Smith, Cynthia Joan, student, 21 years, Milton, Massachusetts, American
Smith, Ingrid Anita, chiropodist, 31 years, Berkshire, England, British
Smith, James Alvin, 55 years, New York, New York, American
Smith, Mary Edna, army sergeant, 34 years, Kalamazoo, Michigan, American
Stevenson, Geraldine Anne, 37 years, Surrey, England, British
Stevenson, Hannah Louise, 10 years, Surrey, England, British
Stevenson, John Charles, 38 years, Surrey, England, British
Stevenson, Rachael, 8 years, Surrey, England, British
Stinnett, Charlotte Ann, 36 years, Duncanville, Texas, American
Stinnett, Michael Gary, army specialist, 26 years, Duncanville, Texas, American
Stinnett, Stacey Leanne, 9 years, Duncanville, Texas, American
Stow, James Ralph, businessman, 49 years, New York, New York, American
Stratis, Elia G., accountant, 43 years, Montvale, New Jersey, American
Swan, Anthony Selwyn, 29 years, Trinidadian
Swire, Flora MacDonald Margaret, medical student and researcher, 24 years, London, England, British
Tager, Marc Alex, 22 years, London, England, British
Tanaka, Hidekazu, 26 years London, England, Japanese
Teran, Andrew Alexander, student, 20 years, New Haven, Connecticut, Bolivian
Thomas, Arva Anthony, student, 17 years, Detroit, Michigan, American
Thomas, Jonathan Ryan, 2 months, Southfield, Michigan, American
Thomas, Lawanda, air force sergeant, 21 years, Southfield, Michigan, American
Tobin, Mark Lawrence, student, 21 years, North Hempstead, New York, American
Trimmer-Smith, David William, publishing executive, 51 years, New York, NY, American,
Tsairis, Alexia Kathryn, student, 20 years, Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, American
Valentino, Barry Joseph, exhibit designer, 28 years, San Francisco, California, American
Van-Tienhoven, Thomas Floro, 45 years, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Argentinean
Vejdany, Asaad Eidi, 46 years, South Great Neck, New York, American
Vrenios, Nicholas Andreas, student, 20 years, Washington, DC, American
Vulcu, Peter, stockbroker and student, 21 years, Alliance, Ohio, American
Waido, Janina Jozefa, 61 years, Chicago, Illinois, American
Walker, Thomas Edwin, electronics specialist, 47 years, Quincy, Massachusetts, American
Weedon, Kesha, student, 20 years, Bronx, New York, American
Weston, Jerome Lee, engineer, 45 years, Baldwin, New York, American
White, Jonathan, accountant, 33 years, North Hollywood, California, American
Williams, Bonnie Leigh, military, 21 years, Crown Point, New York, American
Williams, Brittany Leigh, 2 months, Crown Point, New York
Williams, Eric Jon, army sergeant, 24 years, Crown Point, New York, American
Williams, George Waterson, army first lieutenant, 24 years, Joppa, Maryland, American
Williams, Stephanie Leigh, 1 year, Crown Point, New York, American
Wolfe, Miriam Luby, student, 20 years, Severna Park, Maryland, American
Woods, Chelsea Marie, 10 months, Willingboro, New Jersey, American
Woods, Dedera Lynn, air force sergeant, 27 years, Willingboro, New Jersey, American
Woods, Joe Nathan, civilian military worker, 28 years, Willingboro, New Jersey, American
Woods, Joe Nathan, Jr., 2 years, Willingboro, New Jersey, American
Wright, Andrew Christopher Gillies, site agent, 24 years, Surrey, England, British
Zwynenburg, Mark James, investment banker, 29 years, West Nyack, New York, American

Lockerbie Residents.

Joanne Flanagan, 10, British
Kathleen Mary Flannigan, 41, British
Thomas Brown Flannigan, 44, British
Dora Henrietta Henry, 56, British
Maurice Peter Henry, 63, British
Mary Lancaster, 81 British
Jean Aitken Murray, 82, British
John Somerville, 40, British
Lynsey Ann Somerville, 10, British
Paul Somerville, 13, British
Rosalind Hanney Somerville, 40, British

Lockerbie Seeks To Turn Page on Pan Am Disaster

Agence France-Presse 12/18/2008 8:20 PM

Lockerbie residents will never forget the terror of the night 20 years ago when a plane exploded over their small Scottish town -- but hope the anniversary Sunday will help them move on.

"I was watching television at home with my daughter and I thought we had thunder... but it became louder and louder," recalls Marjory McQueen, 62, who runs the visitor centre that caters to those coming to see the memorial here.

"So I ran out of the house and I saw what I now know to be part of the aircraft passing the house and landed in Sherwood Crescent and there was a huge fireball up into the air over 300 metres."

Retired police inspector George Stobbs was one of the first to arrive at the scene of the crash, and remembers "a great hole in the ground with boiling aviation fuel in it. From what I could see the houses were no longer there."

The 74-year-old initially believed a military airplane had crashed, but soon realised the scale of the catastrophe. Christmas that year was over.

A huge crater was formed by the plane's fuselage which had plummeted to the ground after a bomb onboard exploded less than an hour into the flight from London to New York. The houses that once stood there were left as shells.

Today the crater has been filled, replaced by a remembrance garden planted with rhododendrons and fir trees.

A line of new brick houses has been built, and only a plaque bears witness to the residents of Lockerbie whose lives were so brutally snatched away.

On Sunday, wreaths will be placed before the marble monument bearing the names of the victims which has been erected the Dryfesdale cemetery, at the entrance to this quiet town surrounded by green hills.

There will also be religious services, but no major ceremony as there was on the 10th anniversary. "We wanted it to be as low key as possible," said Sandy Stoddart, a minister of the Church of Scotland.

Jim Swire, whose 23-year-old daughter Flora was in the plane, said there were "differences of priorities between relatives of the persons who died in the plane and the city who would like the attention to go away."

The former doctor told AFP that he would attend a memorial service on Sunday with other Britain-based relatives and friends of the victims at London's Heathrow airport.

Other ceremonies are also planned in the United States for the 180 Americans who were killed.
But if the victims' loved ones remain in mourning, the town of Lockerbie is keen to move beyond what is the darkest day in their history.

Whatever the ongoing political and legal fall-out from the tragedy -- former Libyan intelligence officer Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet Al-Megrahi was jailed over the bombing -- McQueen says: "This is not our fight."

"The town has moved on very quickly," she said, adding: "We were not meant to be any part of this. We're collateral damage I think."

Stobbs agreed. "I think that Lockerbie itself has recovered from the incident," he said. "Christmas is back in Lockerbie and has been for a number of years now."

Twenty years, still trying to move on.

Last updated 11:24, Thursday, 18 December 2008

Even now – two decades on – there is no closure on the Lockerbie bombing. Debate persists about the guilt of the former Libyan intelligence agent convicted of blowing up Pan Am flight 103.Mrs McQueen, now 62, was at home watching television when parts of the aircraft began falling. As wife of the town’s then GP, Kenneth McQueen, she helped carry lifesaving resuscitation gear to the surgery – equipment sadly not needed.

Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, now 56 and serving a life sentence for mass murder, is due to have a second appeal against his conviction heard next year.
Yet despite the international manhunt and trial that centred on events in Lockerbie, few there have closely followed developments.

Residents have for a long time felt little connection with the legal and political debates that have raged around the world, most recently over cancer-stricken Megrahi’s failed bid for bail pending his appeal.

They want to – and have – moved on from the grief and devastation that rained down on them four days before Christmas 1988.

Most are understandably reluctant to talk about what happened on that dreadful night and some would rather the 20th anniversary was not publicly marked.

Of course, they will never forget the 270 people from 21 countries killed the night terror struck in rural Dumfriesshire.

In a garden of remembrance at Dryfesdale Cemetery, on the outskirts of the town, stand memorials naming all who died – a sombre reminder of the human cost of terrorism.
A stained glass window in the Town Hall features the flags of 21 nations – a symbol of the global grief focussed on this small town.

And in Sherwood Crescent, sits a small sandstone memorial – a dignified tribute to the 11 Lockerbie residents killed there.

But the town’s motto is “forward” and its people have lived up to that while retaining their compassion towards those who continue to visit to pay their respects.

Former Lockerbie councillor Marjory McQueen believes the community’s feelings towards the debate surrounding the disaster are not what many would expect.

She, like many others, did not follow the trial that convicted Megrahi, but cleared his co-accused, Al-Amin Khalifa Fahima in 2001.

“When they announced the verdict the media thought the town would stop, but that was not the case,” Mrs McQueen said. “The political and legal machinations that have gone on since Lockerbie have gone over the heads of people here. The interest is not what the Press would expect. “This is because of the 11 people who died from here – who we have never forgotten – I know of only one lady who was a relative and she does not wish to become part of the media circus. There are maybe distant cousins of a couple of others around, but that’s it.”

In the months that followed she worked in the Procurator Fiscal’s office, where her duties included opening files on those who died.

Despite the devastation that struck during the disaster and the grief caused in its immediate aftermath, Mrs McQueen says Lockerbie moved on quickly.

She said: “Within a year, rebuild had occurred and people were back getting on with their lives.
“For some, there were psychological problems that probably lasted for a fair bit, but, in the main, the town was back and functioning in a year.”

Sunday’s 20th anniversary will be marked in Lockerbie – but in a low-key way, as townsfolk have requested. People, understandably, want to keep their thoughts personal.

The US ambassador will be among those who will lay wreaths at Dryfesdale Cemetery, while an ecumenical church service will be held at Dryfesdale Church and a vigil at Tundergarth Church, near where the plane’s nosecone landed.

On the community’s feelings about the anniversary, Mrs McQueen said: “I think people would rather not discuss or think about it.

“The vast majority would rather just let it go as another day. It was the same with the 10th anniversary.

“I know how they feel, but this was a major international incident. Twenty-one nationalities – 259 people – on board the plane and 11 Lockerbie people died.”

Victims’ relatives are undoubtedly grateful for what the people of Lockerbie did in the aftermath of the crash – comforting them and gathering and cleaning their loved ones’ belongings before they were returned.

Mrs McQueen added: “I am glad Lockerbie has the reputation it does for warmth towards those who come from other countries and this country to remember those who died.”

The community spokeswoman is now chairman of Dryfesdale Lodge Visitor centre, which remembers the tragedy and other aspects of Lockerbie’s rich history. It attracts up to 5,000 visitors a year.

Its exhibits include a quilt specially designed to commemorate the 20th anniversary, depicting a tree with 259 leaves representing those killed on Pan Am flight 103. Eleven pebbles represent the 11 Lockerbie people who died while the tree’s strong roots represent the community.

Money to convert Dryfesdale Lodge, a former cemetery worker’s cottage, into a visitor centre, came from the Lockerbie Trust, which was established in the aftermath of the disaster to manage money that was donated to the town and to ensure it benefited the community.

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/1.286231