To see more nautical resources click on:
BENJIDOG HOME PAGE
In the extreme South-East corner of Trinity Square Gardens is a memorial dedicated to members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and Merchant Seamen who lost their lives in the Falklands Campaign. The memorial was commissioned by the Merchant Navy Association and is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission like the other memorials at Tower Hill.
The memorial was designed by Gordon Newton of War Memorial Limited - See External Ref. #8. The theme of the memorial was very appropriately chosen to be "Time and Distance" which is represented by a sundial whose base is a compass rose with a bronze anchor and chain forming the gnomon. The compass points were manufactured from polished black granite and the base is made of Portland stone with bronze panels containing the names of the Merchant Navy and RFA casualties and their ships. I am indebted to Mr Newton for supplying this information.
The memorial was dedicated on Merchant Navy Day 4 September 2005 by the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Alan West GCB DSC ADC.
After unveiling the memorial Admiral West paid tribute to the crucial contribution made by the Merchant Navy during the Falklands War which saw the loss of the merchant vessel Atlantic Conveyor as a result of enemy action. He said, "Men and women of the Merchant Navy worked shoulder to shoulder with those of the Royal Navy during the campaign to liberate the Islands, as they did in the two world wars of the last century, and have done so since." Also in attendance at the memorial ceremony were Captain John Sail, Chairman of the Merchant Navy Association, Commodore Bob Thornton RFA and Lt Col Ben Bathurst, Commanding Officer 1st Battalion Welsh Guards. A guard of honour was provided by Royal Naval Reservists from HMS President, along with the Royal Marine Band from CTCRM Lympstone.
Image 1 shows a close-up view of the commemorative plaque.
Image 2 shows a view of the memorial looking towards the South East.
Image 3 shows another view of the Falklands Memorial looking North-West towards Trinity House.
Image 4 shows the panel commemorating the lives lost on RFA Sir Galahad, RFA Fort Grange and RFA Sir Tristram.
Image 5 shows the panel commemorating the lives lost on Atlantic Conveyor.
(I apologise for the poor quality of this photo and will replace it as soon as possible.)
