Friday, 12 July 2024

National Memorial Arboretum 2024 - British Army Memorials

 


Royal Tank Regiment

Royal Tank Regiment

Royal Signals

Guards Airborne

Devon and Dorset Regiment

Airborne Forces

Army Commandos

Royal Army Medical Corps

Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

Royal Army Veterinary Corps

National Memorial Arboretum 2024 - Millennium Chapel

 The millennium chapel is the focus for the spiritual aspect of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum. It is the one place in the United Kingdom where the Two Minute Silence is remembered every day. It is signalled by a recording of buglers of the Royal Marines playing last post and reveille. 

National Arboretum Millennium Chapel

Millennium Chapel

Millennium Chapel Altar

Millennium Chapel Standards

Millennium Chapel Cross

Millennium Chapel - The Story Teller


National Memorial Arboretum 2024

 The United Kingdom National Arboretum is situated in Staffordshire aims to provide a place where people can reflect, celebrate lives lived and commemorate lives lost in service.


The Arboretum site covers 150 acres of woodland and gardens planted on reclaimed land. 
There around  400 memorials that acknowledge the personal sacrifices made by the Armed Forces, emergency services and civilian organisations of the UK. 


The Arboretum is part of the Royal British Legion who are responsible for its maintenance and operation.

Royal British Legion Poppy Memorial

The largest memorial at the Arboretum is the Armed Forces Memorial which commemorates the 16,000 personnel who have lost their lives on active service since the Second World War. 

Armed Forces Memorial

Armed Forces Memorial

The Arboretum's memorials include civilian organisations involved in conflict. One of memorials is dedicated to the Scouts which provided messenger services, guarded key points and helped in a myriad of tasks during both World Wars,.

Boy Scout messenger World War One

Scouting Memorial

Scouting Memorial


The Arboretum's first memorial was the Polar Bear Association Memorial which was dedicated in June 1998. The Polar Bears were the 49th (West Riding) Division who were stationed in Iceland from 1941 to 1943. They deployed to Normandy in 1944 and involved in the North West Europe Campaign. It's order of battle included 70 Infantry Brigade which consisted of the 10th and 11th Battalions Durham Light Infantry and 1st Battalion Tyneside Scottish (Black Watch).

Polar Bear Memorial IJ

Polar Bear Memorial


One of the most recent commemorations is a road named after Captain Sir Tom Moore who  raised nearly £33 million  for charity in the run-up to his 100th birthday during the COVID-19 pandemic. He served in India and the Burma campaign during the Second World War, and later became an instructor in armoured warfare. 


Captain Sir Tom Moore

The Arboretum is bounded on the East by the River Tame. The grounds contain over 50,000 trees as well as many varieties of fauna. 

National Arboretum River Tame


National Arboretum Forest



Wednesday, 10 July 2024

Blyth - HMS Onslaught

Blyth Community Hospital HMS Onslaught Nameplate IJ

 Blyth has a long association with the Royal Navy Submarine Service.

During the First World War it was the home port of the 11th Submarine Flotilla and submarine depot ship HMS Titania. In the Second World War the submarine base was named HMS Elfin.

On visit to Blyth in 1979 in Oberon Class submarine HMS ONSLAUGHT was given the Freedom of the Borough.

HMS Onslaught at Blyth
28 September 1979


When HMS Onslaught was paid off in 1990 her conning tower nameplate and badge were presented to Blyth Council for display in the Community Hospital. 

HMS Onslaught

Blyth Community Hospital HMS Onslaught Nameplate

Blyth War Memorials

Blyth War Memorials are located on the edge of Ridley Park in Blyth.

Blyth War Memorials


The Boer War Memorial which was was originally located at the junction of Bridge Street and Freehold Street was unveiled on 22 July 1903 by Lord Ridley.  The monument was moved to Ridley Park in 1950.

Blyth Boer War Memorial


The First World War Memorial was erected outside the Knight Memorial Hospital on Beaconsfield Street.  The Cenotaph was unveiled on 17 November 1923 by the Duke of Northumberland in commemoration of 637 servicemen from Blyth, (including New Delaval, Newsham, Bebside and Cowpen). The memorial was moved to its location in Ridley Park in 1950.

Blyth WW1 Cenotaph


The World War Two Memorial was placed in Ridley Park in 1950 and refurbished in 2018.

Blyth WW2 Memorial


Blyth WW1 and WW2 Additional Names memorial was unveiled in 2018 together with a memorial recording those lost in conflicts since 1945. 

Blyth WW1 and WW2 Additional Names Memorial

Blyth Other Conflicts Memorial

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River Blyth

Blyth 'Spirit of the Staithes' Memorial


Thursday, 27 June 2024

101 Regiment RA Beating Retreat

 


Catterick Band Royal Corps of Army Music
Catterick Band Royal Corps of Army Music

101 (Northumbrian) Regiment RA
Beating Retreat



Saturday, 22 June 2024

UKAF RFC - Rugby Match Kingston Park 2024

 

The UK Armed Forces Rugby team played a North East Select XV in a in a charity match at Kingston Park Stadium. The Armed Forces rugby team was selected from all three Armed Services. They played  a Select XV which drew players from Championship and National League teams throughout the north.

UKAF Match KP 2024 IJ

UKAF Match KP 2024 Fusiliers Band

UKAF Match KP 2024 Team Line Up

UKAF Match KP 2024

UKAF Match KP 2024