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Sign: London - Tower Hill Memorial - Second World War


Address:
Tower Hill, London EC3N 4DH, UK
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On the sign:
Welcome to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Tower Hill Memorial - Second World War extension

[Logo of CWGC]
CWGC
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

The Tower Hill Memorial extension bears the names of almost 24,000 men and women who died in the Second World War and have no known grave, their bodies lost or buried at sea.

During the war, the Merchant Navy risked attack from submarine, air and surface raiders to transport vital supplies across the globe. By the end of the conflict more than 4,800 merchant ships had been sunk, and over 32,000 merchant sailors had lost their lives.

The Second World War extension to the Tower Hill Memorial was unveiled by Queen Elizabeth II on 5 November 1955. The names of the war dead are listed alphabetically under the ships in which they served.

[Image]
Unvelling of the Tower Hill Memorial Extension, 1954 ©CWGC

(1) The Second World War Extension takes the form of a remembrance garden. Personnel are commemorated upon the bronze panels surrounding the garden.

(2) Stone sculptures between the panels depict the Seven Seas of the world.

(3) Two statues of Merchant Mariners stand guard at the entrance to the Second World War Extension. The two stone pylons are adorned with the badge of the Merchant Navy.

[Illustration of the Tower Hill Memorial - Second World War extension]

[Timeline]
1939 (September) Outbreak of the Second World War
1939 Battle of the Atlantic begins
1940 Evacuation from Dunkirk & the fall of France
1941 S.S. Almeda Star sunk. 136 named here on panels 5-6
1942 (September) S.S. Laconia sunk. 134 named here on panels 62-63
1942 (December) S.S. Ceramic sunk. 262 named here on panels 25-27
1943 Height of the Battle of the Atlantic
1944 ’D-Day’ and Normandy landings
1945 End of the Second World War
1954 Tower Hill Memorial Second World War Extension unveiled
2015 Tower Hill Memorial listed as Grade I
2017 Centenary of the CWGC

Boy Sailors
Some of those who went to sea were very young. Kenneth Lewis was 14 years old and his brother Raymond was 15. The boys are believed to have forged a letter from their father to sign up. Both died when their ship, S.S. Fiscus, was sunk in October 1940 by German submarine U-99. Commemorated on Panel 49, they are two of the youngest merchant seamen killed in the Second World War.
Tower Hill Memorial Extension, Panel © CWGC

Design
The Extension takes the form of a remembrance garden. It was designed by Sir Edward Maufe, the principle architect for War Graves memorials and cemeteries in the UK after the Second World War. At the entrance are two sculptures of merchant seamen by Sir Charles Wheeler, who also designed the depictions of the Seven Seas upon the memorial walls.
Original concept sketch of the 39-45 extension © CWGC

Other places to visit
Those who died at sea during the World Wars often have no known grave. The CWGC commemorates 65,000 missing service personnel of the Royal Navy on three memorials at Portsmouth, Plymouth and Chatham. Each memorial also serves as a marker point for shipping, guiding other sailors home to safe harbours.
The CWGC Portsmouth Naval Memorial Brian Harris 2005

Stay connected
For more information about the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, or to search our records online, visit: www.cwgc.org
Photography:
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Comments:
The memorial was erected to commemorate the British merchant marine who died during World War II and is an extension of that erected for those who died in World War I Click for sign's details

The memorial, which was inaugurated in 1955, was designed by Sir Edward Maufe, and is in the form of a building reminiscent of a Greek temple, with a garden surrounded by a fence. On the walls of the building and the fence are metal plaques engraved with the names of those who fell under the name of the ship in which they served. A large compass is in the center of the garden, and sculpted figures on the fence indicate the Seven Seas.

Two statues of sailors made by Charles Wheeler "guard" the entrance.

The monument was photographed that day Click for a larger image

The sculptures made by Charles Wheeler
Merchant Navy Sailor Click for a larger image
Merchant Navy Officer Click for a larger image

The compass in the center of the sunken garden
Click for a larger image

The figures representing the Seven Seas and the plaques of the fallen on the fence
Click for a larger image Click for a larger image Click for a larger image

The image of the monument’s dedication ceremony, shown on the sign, appears here in an enlarged version.
Click for a larger image

A sign located on one of the walls and another sign on the fence contain a map of the monument and an explanation of how the names are displayed:
THE TOWER HILL MEMORIAL
1939-1945

THE names of the dead are to be found under the names of the ships in which they were serving. The ships of the Merchant Navy are in alphabetical order on panels 1 to 121 and panels 130 to 132. Panel 122 bears the names of the men and women of the Lighthouse and Pilotage Services. Vessels of the Fishing Fleets appear on panels 123 to 129.

If visitors have difficulty in finding a name, they are advised to consult the Registers containing lists in alphabetical order of all those commemorated on this memorial at the office of the Corporation of Trinity House in this Square (Side entrance Coopers Row) or contact:

Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
2 Marlow Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 7DX
Telephone: 01628 507200
Email: enquiries@cwgc.org
Web: www.cwgc.org

RESPECT THIS SANCTUARY WHICH BEARS THE NAMES OF TRUE MEN & WOMEN LOST AT SEA
KEEP IT CLEAN AND SHIPSHAPE
Click for a larger image Click for a larger image

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