A reflective mood.

It was nice to get up to a warm boat despite the overnight temperature being very low. It was also nice not to have to run the engine for hot water. We took advantage of another day of good weather but cold winds to walk the 35 minute trip up to the National memorial Arboretum. The Arboretum was officially opened by the Duchess of Kent in 2001. The land has been donated on a 999 year lease from Lafarge Tarmac as it was originally a gravel working by the side of the River Tame. There are over 4000 and over 300 memorials.. We arrived at 1045 which just gave us time to slip into the Millennium Chapel of Peace and Forgiveness which is the only place they hold a 'service' every day of the year at 1100. As always it is quite moving listening to the Last Post and Reveille. Following the service there was a talk about the chapel and the park as a whole.

After the Chapel we walked to the South Atlantic Memorial. The design is very similar to the one at Blue Beach in San Carlos. I remember that one being built after the original one. It is hard to believe that it was all over thirty years ago. Elsewhere the civilian islanders that were killed are remembered.

The Merchant Navy Convoy Wood has 2535 trees representing the British vessels lost in WWII and the 31908 seafarers that perished. This was proportionally more than any of the Armed Services. 

 This is the memorial to the ships of Blue Funnel, Glen and NSMO lines lost in WWII and in the background is the anchor from RFA Percival that was down in the Falklands.

This is by the memorial to the Falkland Islanders and I assume it represents a goose for Goose Green and the wildlife of the Islands.

This is the junction of the River Tame coming in from the right and the Trent coming in from the left and the combined flow flowing off top left. The natural gravel beds can be seen in the river and there was much bird life taking advantage of the area along with sand martins flying in and out of their burrows.

The Armed Forces Memorial is an impressive monument. It represents men and women of the Armed Services that have lost their lives in the service of their country since WWII. There is nowhere else that these more than 16000 people are recorded. It was opened by the Queen in 2007. Every year more names are added unfortunately.

The bronze sculptures are by Ian Rank-Broadley. The gap in the wall above allows the sun to shine a beam on to the central wreath at the 11th hour of the 11th month each year.

The central wreath of the memorial. It is quite depressing really to see the large areas of blank Portland stone waiting to be carved with more names in the future.

After a bite to eat we went round to see the Far East Section. Above is an actual section of the famous Burma Railway. Near by is the actual lych gate from the Changi Prison camp ceremony built in 1942. There is also a small museum that brought home the horrors of the Japanese POW's that had to work around the Japanese occupied areas as well as many thousands that were lost being transported in the 'hell ships' many of which were lost at sea. Not forgetting the many thousands of civilians that were interned by the Japanese after the fall of Singapore, Hong Kong and Batavia among many other places.

All in all we were nearly five and a half hours wandering around the site. It is a place that will never be finished as further memorials are added. It would be worth visiting several times as it will be different in each season and as the trees mature. For me it certainly for-filled it's objective of providing a centre for remembrance and a spiritually uplifting place to honour the fallen, that recognises service and sacrifice and fosters pride in our country.