PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL
After the First World War, an appropriate way had to be found of commemorating those members of the Royal Navy who had no known grave, the majority of deaths having occurred at sea where no permanent memorial could be provided.
An Admiralty committee recommended that the three manning ports in Great Britain - Chatham, Plymouth and Portsmouth - should each have an identical memorial of unmistakable naval form, an obelisk, which would serve as a leading mark for shipping. The memorials were designed by Sir Robert Lorimer, who had already carried out a considerable amount of work for the Commission, with sculpture by Henry Poole. The Portsmouth Naval Memorial was unveiled by the Duke of York (the future George VI) on 15 October 1924.
After the Second World War it was decided that the naval memorials should be extended to provide space for commemorating the naval dead without graves of that war, but since the three sites were dissimilar, a different architectural treatment was required for each. The architect for the Second World War extension at Portsmouth was Sir Edward Maufe (who also designed the Air Forces memorial at Runnymede) and the additional sculpture was by Charles Wheeler, William McMillan, and Esmond Burton. The Extension was unveiled by the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother on 29 April 1953.
Portsmouth Naval Memorial commemorates around 10,000 sailors of the First World War and almost 15,000 of the Second World War.
-
SURNAME
Main
FORENAME
Caruth
UNIT
former COPP 3 (Leading Seaman)
RANK
Petty Officer
NUMBER
P/JX 131567
DATE OF DEATH
25th June 1944
AGE
--
GRAVESITE
Portsmouth Naval Memorial,Hampshire,England Panel 81 Column 2
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Royal Navy
award...
-
SURNAME
Harding
FORENAME
Eric William
UNIT
COPP 10
RANK
Leading Seaman
NUMBER
P/SSX 26421
DATE OF DEATH
6th December 1944
AGE
26
GRAVESITE
Portsmouth Naval Memorial,Hampshire,England Panel 81 Column 2
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Royal Navy (HMS Copra)
son of...
-
SURNAME
de Kock
FORENAME
Victor Peter de Chatillon
UNIT
COPP 2
RANK
Lieutenant
NUMBER
66564
DATE OF DEATH
7th March 1943
AGE
--
GRAVESITE
Plymouth Naval Memorial,Devon,England Panel 83 Column 2
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit South African Naval Forces (HMS St --?)...
-
SURNAME
Crossley
FORENAME
Alfred Harvey
UNIT
COPP 2
RANK
Sub Lieutenant
NUMBER
67627
DATE OF DEATH
7th March 1943
AGE
23
GRAVESITE
Plymouth Naval Memorial,Devon,England Panel 83 Column 3
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit South African Naval Forces (Volunteer)
son of...
-
SURNAME
Cooper
FORENAME
Noel Wilson
UNIT
COPP 3
RANK
Lieutenant
NUMBER
DATE OF DEATH
4th March 1943
AGE
29
GRAVESITE
Portsmouth Naval Memorial,Hampshire,England Panel 80 Column 1
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 24.12.1914, Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina
parent unit...
-
SURNAME
Mills
FORENAME
William Henry
UNIT
RMBPD A Division (cockle "Crayfish")
RANK
Marine
NUMBER
Ply/X 108159
DATE OF DEATH
23rd March 1943
AGE
21
GRAVESITE
Plymouth Naval Memorial,Devon,England Panel 103 Column 1
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 15.12.1921...
-
SURNAME
Mackinnon
FORENAME
John Withers (Jacky)
UNIT
RMBPD B Division (cockle "Cuttlefish")
RANK
Lieutenant
NUMBER
DATE OF DEATH
23rd March 1943
AGE
22
GRAVESITE
Portsmouth Naval Memorial,Hampshire,England Panel 93
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 15.7.1921 Oban,North...