My husband and I attended the dedication of the new Fleet Air Arm memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire on Friday. It’s the first time we’ve been to the Arboretum - and it’s something we now want to do again with friends and family. It’s a beautiful place, and a living part of our history. I now understand why we were told on arrival that we would not do it justice in just a day.
The Fleet Air Arm Memorial - dedicated on 11 Sep 09
It was a poignent day for us. My husband is an ex-WAFU (Fleet Air Arm), so are both my parents. My father was not well enough to make the trip, so we were also representing them at this gathering of past and present members of the Fleet Air Arm for the unveiling and dedication of the Fleet Air Arm memorial.
With me in full No 1 uniform with medals, and my husband in his suit, we travelled up from London and were really suprised how easy (and cheap) the journey was. We went up by direct train, then just a short taxi ride and we were at the Arboretum. The first thing that strikes you when you arrive is how tranquil the site is. It appears to be in the middle of nowhere (although it is on the cross roads of all the motorways in the Midlands and within striking distance of both Derby and Birmingham) with plenty of space to walk the grounds and take in the memorials and huge range of trees which will eventually mature and add character to each glade.
The National Armed Forces memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire
The National Armed Forces Memorial dominates the horizon and brought tears to my eyes as I read names of friends and colleagues killed over the years, some in conflicts, some in tragic accidents. Seeing the huge walls of the memorial filled with lists of names of service personnel killed on duty since the second world war is a stark reminder of how many conflicts and operations we have been involved in over the years. Even more poignent is the completely blank wall around one side of the perimeter waiting for names to be added in the future. The bouquets of flowers and messages left under the recently engraved list of those killed in 2008 will stay with me for a very long time. Some were from friends and families, some from complete strangers - the common thread being messages of pride, friendship and support.
A bronze sculpture in the Armed Forces Memorial of a man pointing through the gap in the memorial where a shaft of sunlight shines through on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month...
Take a look at the website and find out more -
http://www.thenma.org.uk/ I highly commend both the website and a visit to the Arboreum itself. There is something there for all ages - and with a father in a wheelchair I was really pleased to see that there is full disabled/pushchair access across the site.
We will definitely be going back soon to browse at our leisure. After attending the dedication ceremony and reception afterwards, we left oursleves little time for exploring before having to catch our return train. It was only after leaving and reading the guidebook on the journey back to London that I discovered that I hadn’t found the memorial to the WRNS or the area sponsored by the Trefoil Guild of the Girl Guide Association - both groups very close to my own heart. Next time though, we will be taking the advice of the staff at the Arboretum. We will take a picnic and our camera and take in not just the memorials, but the wildlife, scenery and sculptures.
Fleet Air Arm Memorial
Helen
SO2 Internet
Related to FAA, Fleet Air Arm, Girl Guides, National Armed Forces Memorial, National Memorial Arboretum, royal navy, WRNS.
