SAN ANTONIO: British rock legend Phil Collins brought his massive collection of Alamo artifacts yesterday to the San Antonio site those in the Lone Star State call the “Shrine of Texas Liberty” for a museum that will be named in his honour.
“This completes the journey for me,” Collins said in front of a building across the street from the Alamo that will temporarily house the collection while a planned $100m centre to display the Phil Collins Alamo Collection is being built.
“These artifacts are coming home,” said Collins, 63, who became fascinated by the Alamo while watching Fess Parker star as “Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier”, while he was a small child growing up in suburban London.
The items include the fringed leather pouch that Davy Crockett carried from his home in Tennessee into Texas, then a part of the Republic of Mexico, and the Alamo.
The pouch, containing two musket balls and two tortillas, was recovered by a Mexican colonel following the 1836 battle, in which Crockett and nearly 190 other defenders were killed.
Also included in the donation is an original Bowie knife that Jim Bowie had in his possession during the battle, and one of only four remaining rifles known to have been owned by Crockett.
Collins first became known as drummer and lead vocalist for the rock group Genesis, later winning global fame as a soloist along with numerous awards, including some for movie sound-tracks.
Reuters
