National Submarine War Memorial

The National Submarine War Memorial^[1] (also known as the National Submarine Memorial^[2], the Submarine War Memorial^[3] and the Submariner Memorial^[4]) is a memorial to Royal Navy submariners who died in the first and second world wars. It is set against the wall on the Victoria Embankment, near Charing Cross, London, England, and is a Grade II listed building.^[3]

The central relief on the Submarine War Memorial

Second relief on the Submarine War Memorial-Swimming nereids

It is the focal point of a special memorial walk and laying of wreaths held each year by submariners on the Sunday preceding Remembrance Sunday.

The memorial artist was Frederick Brook Hitch. In the centre of the memorial is a bas-relief showing the interior of a submarine and another with nereids swimming on either side. On the right and left are statues representing Truth and Justice. On either side of the central bronze plaques are 40 bronze wreath hooks in the form of anchors. At the top of the memorial is the inscription "Erected to the memory of the officers and men of the British Navy who lost their lives serving in submarines 1914-1918 and 1939-1945". On the left hand side is a list of the submarines lost in the 1914-1918 conflict and on the right a list of submarines lost from 1939 to 1945. The architect of the memorial was Mr.A.H.Ryan-Tenison, and the foundry, Parlanti's Ltd, carried out the casting. The memorial was unveiled on the 15th December 1922.^[5]

In 1992 an additional plaque was added to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the unveiling of the original memorial. The 70th Anniversary plaque reads: "National Submarine War Memorial (1922) This plaque commemorates the memorial’s seventieth anniversary and the contribution by the members of the submariners old comrades, London, in their devotion to the upkeep of this memorial, unveiled by Peter P.Rigby C.B.E.J.P.".^[5]

References

1. ^ "National Submarine War Memorial". Victorian Web. http://www.victorianweb.org/sculpture/warmonuments/20.html. Retrieved 29 October 2011. 
2. ^ "National Submarine Memorial". ww2museums.com. http://www.ww2museums.com/article/10414/National-Submarine-Memorial.htm. Retrieved 29 October 2011. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Details from listed building database (199802) . Images of England. English Heritage.
4. ^ "Submariner Memorial". http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/LGNL_Services/Leisure_and_culture/Local_history_and_heritage/War_memorials/submariners.htm. Retrieved 29 October 2011. 
5. ^ ^{a b} http://yourarchives.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php?title=National_Submarine_War_Memorial. The National Archive article on this War Memorial with reference to their file WORK 20/141 which gives background information on the work.

Coordinates: 51°30′39″N 0°06′40″W / 51.5109°N 0.1110°W / 51.5109; -0.1110