"and was lost in transit"
Does the article say who's custody it was in when it was lost?
Kind of reminds me of the flag of the 90th Illinois. The veterans borrowed it from the state of Illinios to display at their meeting in Chicago and while they were there, the Chicago fire occoured and the flag was lost in the fire. The one that is in the possesion of the State of Illinois now is actually the third 90th Illinois Flag. First one was destroyed by weather and shot and shell, etc. Second was a reproduction of the first and the third was also a reproduction. I understand that several Illinois flags were lost in that fire.
FC