The Shot at Dawn Memorial commemorates 309 British and Commonwealth soldiers who were shot for desertion, cowardice, striking a senior officer, disobeying a lawful order, casting away arms, mutiny and sleeping at post during the First World War. Most of them were sentenced after a short trial at which no real opportunity for defence was [...]
Archive for the tag 'National Memorial Arboretum'
Filed under Out & About
UK Police Memorial
The UK Police Memorial hpnours the courage and sacrifice of those who have given their lives to UK plicing. The design embraces the Celtic spiritual concept of a thin place, where we step from one world to another. Contrasts in light and shade, the wild and the controlled, add to the experience of a serene [...]
4 Comments CherryPie on Aug 16th 2024
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Liberated
All across Europe, behind gates such as these, over 350,000 service personnel were held as Prisoners of War, existing on the most basic of rations in crowded unsanitary and barely tolerable donditions for up to 5 years.
Fir some repatriation came early due to serious medical reasons or non-combatant status, whilst others were liberated directly from [...]
4 Comments CherryPie on Aug 15th 2024
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The Naval Service Memorial
The core theme of this memorial is, ‘At the going down of the sun, we will remember them’
The Memorial shows a single figure facing towards the setting sun, head bowed in respect to shipmates. The figure’s cap is hel in the ‘at ease’ position. Coloured glass sails diffuse light onto a light granite pavement, their [...]
4 Comments CherryPie on Aug 14th 2024
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The Submariner Memorial
The iconic fin is instantly recognisable, while moving between the two sections gives a sense of confinement onboard a submarine. The solitary figure, perhaps looking up to where danger may come from or to the surface of the sea and its promise of fresh air and sunlight, gives a human scale and a focal point [...]
2 Comments CherryPie on Jul 17th 2024
Filed under Heritage, Out & About
The Order of St John Memorial
8 Comments CherryPie on Jul 15th 2024
Filed under Anecdotes, Out & About
The National Memorial Arboretum
It is ten years since my previous visit to the National Memorial Arboretum. The Memorial Arboretum is still as peaceful and moving as I remembered. There are now over 400 memorials so it is impossible to see them all during one visit.
This year this the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings so the Arboretum is [...]
2 Comments CherryPie on Jul 13th 2024