Tower Hill Memorial

Paul Reed · 27-02-2008, 10:37 PM

I paid a visit today. This memorial commemorates all the Merchant Navy missing from WW1 and WW2.

Details from CWGC site:

The Tower Hill Memorial commemorates men and women of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who died in both World Wars and who have no known grave. It stands on the south side of the garden of Trinity Square, London, close to The Tower of London. The Memorial Register may be consulted at Trinity House Corporation, Trinity Square (Cooper's Row entrance), Tower Hill, London EC3 N4DH, which will be found behind the Memorial. Tel: 020 7481 6900.

In the First World War, the civilian navy's duty was to be the supply service of the Royal Navy, to transport troops and supplies to the armies, to transport raw materials to overseas munitions factories and munitions from those factories, to maintain, on a reduced scale, the ordinary import and export trade, to supply food to the home country and - in spite of greatly enlarged risks and responsibilities - to provide both personnel and ships to supplement the existing resources of the Royal Navy. Losses of vessels were high from the outset, but had peaked in 1917 when in January the German government announced the adoption of "unrestricted submarine warfare". The subsequent preventative measures introduced by the Ministry of Shipping - including the setting up of the convoy system where warships were used to escort merchant vessels - led to a decrease in losses but by the end of the war, 3,305 merchant ships had been lost with a total of 17,000 lives. In the Second World War, losses were again considerable in the early years, reaching a peak in 1942. The heaviest losses were suffered in the Atlantic, but convoys making their way to Russia around the North Cape, and those supplying Malta in the Mediterranean were also particularly vulnerable to attack. In all, 4,786 merchant ships were lost during the war with a total of 32,000 lives. More than one quarter of this total were lost in home waters. The First World War section of the Tower Hill Memorial commemorates almost 12, 000 Mercantile Marine casualties who have no grave but the sea. The memorial was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick. The Second World War extension, designed by Sir Edward Maufe, with sculpture by Charles Wheeler, bears almost 24,000 names.

Have created a group in my Flickr account here:

Tower Hill - a photoset on Flickr

Paul Reed · 27-02-2008, 10:38 PM

Memorial seen from the far side:

Paul Reed · 27-02-2008, 10:39 PM

Some of the WW2 names:

Paul Reed · 27-02-2008, 10:40 PM

Some of the sculpture work is fantastic:

Paul Reed · 27-02-2008, 11:54 PM

Found a nice aerial photo here:

Ahoy - Mac's Web Log - Researching the SS Empire Bowman for one of the George Cross recipients - previously Albert Medal. Interview with Capt. C. H. Cranch

Paul Reed · 27-02-2008, 11:56 PM

The Queen at the WW2 Section of the memorial in 1955: Celebrity, News and Sports Photography | Welcome to Jamd

Can't seem to post it here on its own.

Martin Bull · 28-02-2008, 09:45 AM

Thanks for posting this thread, Paul. This memorial is very close to where I started work in the London docks ( many !

) years ago, and I used to spend some lunch-breaks looking at it and thinking of the suffering that must lay behind those ships' names.

Despite - or maybe because of ? - its location, I've always thought that it is somehow an 'overlooked' memorial.

Hugh MacLean · 28-02-2008, 09:33 PM

Hello Paul,

The attrition rate amongst seafarers of the Merchant Navy and fishing fleets was one in three. This was higher than any of the military services. Our island nation would not have survived without the men and women of the merchant service. The price was very high indeed. Lest we forget.

Thank you for posting the photos of the Tower Hill Memorial. I would be very grateful if you would allow me to use a couple of your photos for my website. I would be glad to credit you.

Regards
Hugh

ss CITY OF CAIRO

Paul Reed · 28-02-2008, 10:13 PM

Martin - yes it is something of a 'forgotten memorial' in many ways.

Hugh - glad you liked the photos. Feel free to use some for your website. A credit would be great.

von Poop · 28-02-2008, 10:25 PM

Been playing with that new camera Paul?
Post #3's a beauty.

27-02-2008, 10:37 PM	#1 (permalink)
Paul Reed Ubique Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Kent/France Posts: 3,590	Tower Hill Memorial I paid a visit today. This memorial commemorates all the Merchant Navy missing from WW1 and WW2. Details from CWGC site: The Tower Hill Memorial commemorates men and women of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who died in both World Wars and who have no known grave. It stands on the south side of the garden of Trinity Square, London, close to The Tower of London. The Memorial Register may be consulted at Trinity House Corporation, Trinity Square (Cooper's Row entrance), Tower Hill, London EC3 N4DH, which will be found behind the Memorial. Tel: 020 7481 6900. In the First World War, the civilian navy's duty was to be the supply service of the Royal Navy, to transport troops and supplies to the armies, to transport raw materials to overseas munitions factories and munitions from those factories, to maintain, on a reduced scale, the ordinary import and export trade, to supply food to the home country and - in spite of greatly enlarged risks and responsibilities - to provide both personnel and ships to supplement the existing resources of the Royal Navy. Losses of vessels were high from the outset, but had peaked in 1917 when in January the German government announced the adoption of "unrestricted submarine warfare". The subsequent preventative measures introduced by the Ministry of Shipping - including the setting up of the convoy system where warships were used to escort merchant vessels - led to a decrease in losses but by the end of the war, 3,305 merchant ships had been lost with a total of 17,000 lives. In the Second World War, losses were again considerable in the early years, reaching a peak in 1942. The heaviest losses were suffered in the Atlantic, but convoys making their way to Russia around the North Cape, and those supplying Malta in the Mediterranean were also particularly vulnerable to attack. In all, 4,786 merchant ships were lost during the war with a total of 32,000 lives. More than one quarter of this total were lost in home waters. The First World War section of the Tower Hill Memorial commemorates almost 12, 000 Mercantile Marine casualties who have no grave but the sea. The memorial was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick. The Second World War extension, designed by Sir Edward Maufe, with sculpture by Charles Wheeler, bears almost 24,000 names. Have created a group in my Flickr account here: Tower Hill - a photoset on Flickr __________________ The WW2 Society: Remembering those from Britain & The Commonwealth who served 1939-45 - http://www.battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/ww2_society.htm

27-02-2008, 10:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
Paul Reed Ubique Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Kent/France Posts: 3,590	Memorial seen from the far side: __________________ The WW2 Society: Remembering those from Britain & The Commonwealth who served 1939-45 - http://www.battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/ww2_society.htm

27-02-2008, 10:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
Paul Reed Ubique Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Kent/France Posts: 3,590	Some of the WW2 names: __________________ The WW2 Society: Remembering those from Britain & The Commonwealth who served 1939-45 - http://www.battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/ww2_society.htm

27-02-2008, 10:40 PM	#4 (permalink)
Paul Reed Ubique Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Kent/France Posts: 3,590	Some of the sculpture work is fantastic: __________________ The WW2 Society: Remembering those from Britain & The Commonwealth who served 1939-45 - http://www.battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/ww2_society.htm

27-02-2008, 11:54 PM	#5 (permalink)
Paul Reed Ubique Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Kent/France Posts: 3,590	Found a nice aerial photo here: Ahoy - Mac's Web Log - Researching the SS Empire Bowman for one of the George Cross recipients - previously Albert Medal. Interview with Capt. C. H. Cranch __________________ The WW2 Society: Remembering those from Britain & The Commonwealth who served 1939-45 - http://www.battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/ww2_society.htm

27-02-2008, 11:56 PM	#6 (permalink)
Paul Reed Ubique Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Kent/France Posts: 3,590	The Queen at the WW2 Section of the memorial in 1955: Celebrity, News and Sports Photography \| Welcome to Jamd Can't seem to post it here on its own. __________________ The WW2 Society: Remembering those from Britain & The Commonwealth who served 1939-45 - http://www.battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/ww2_society.htm

28-02-2008, 09:45 AM	#7 (permalink)
Martin Bull Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: London Posts: 50	Thanks for posting this thread, Paul. This memorial is very close to where I started work in the London docks ( many ! ) years ago, and I used to spend some lunch-breaks looking at it and thinking of the suffering that must lay behind those ships' names. Despite - or maybe because of ? - its location, I've always thought that it is somehow an 'overlooked' memorial.

28-02-2008, 09:33 PM	#8 (permalink)
Hugh MacLean Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Scotland Posts: 75	Hello Paul, The attrition rate amongst seafarers of the Merchant Navy and fishing fleets was one in three. This was higher than any of the military services. Our island nation would not have survived without the men and women of the merchant service. The price was very high indeed. Lest we forget. Thank you for posting the photos of the Tower Hill Memorial. I would be very grateful if you would allow me to use a couple of your photos for my website. I would be glad to credit you. Regards Hugh ss CITY OF CAIRO

28-02-2008, 10:13 PM	#9 (permalink)
Paul Reed Ubique Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Kent/France Posts: 3,590	Martin - yes it is something of a 'forgotten memorial' in many ways. Hugh - glad you liked the photos. Feel free to use some for your website. A credit would be great. __________________ The WW2 Society: Remembering those from Britain & The Commonwealth who served 1939-45 - http://www.battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/ww2_society.htm

28-02-2008, 10:25 PM	#10 (permalink)
von Poop I Like Tanks Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Perfidious Albion. Posts: 8,471	Been playing with that new camera Paul? Post #3's a beauty. __________________ It's only the Internet.

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