Their names will live for evermore

may31..more pics from today
national memorial arboretum
We went to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire today. For those of you who have never been, please go for a visit. It`s a haven of peace, contemplation and hope for the future. Set within the National Forest, the Arboretum consists of 150 acres of trees and memorials.
The memorials are dedicated to all the armed forces, air force and navy personnel who lost their lives in conflict. Individual names are remembered on plaques within the wooded areas.

The Armed Forces Memorial is a focus for remembrance, providing recognition and thanks for those who have given their lives in the service of the country since the two world wars. The names are recorded in date and service order from Palestine 1948-1954 right the way through to Afghanistan.

The statue of the blindfolded man is entitled `Shot at Dawn` and to my mind is the most poignant of all. Arranged around the statue in the manner of a Greek theatre are 306 stakes each bearing the name of those boys and men who where shot for desertion or cowardice. The statue is modelled on Private Herbert Burden shot at Ypres aged 17. In 2006 a Pardon was granted for Herbert and all of these men.
Bottom left is a cairn dedicated to the Loch class Frigates, all of which were given the names of various Lochs in Scotland. The cairn is built from stone taken from all of these lochs.
The bottom right is part of one of the two bronze sculptures set with in the Memorial.
It looks pretty good viewed large, you can read the inscription on the wall bottom right

Admission is free, the carpark is £2 all day. You will probably need a day to get round it all. We shall certainly be going back for a second visit.