Fleet Air Arm - Victoria Embankment Gardens (Whitehall Extension), London, UK
N 51° 30.243 W 000° 07.439
30U E 699595 N 5709801
Quick Description: An unusual memorial set between the River Thames and Ministry of Defence building
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 8/9/2011 1:39:50 AM
Waymark Code: WMC8PH
Views: 3
Long Description:In the Victoria Embankment Gardens along the river Thames in London is a memorial to the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy. The memorial is a striking bronze figure of Daedalus, the ingenious craftsman of Greek legend who created wings to escape King Minos of Crete, only to lose his son Icarus when he flew too close to the sun and his wings melted. Icarus plunged into the sea…
The memorial was designed by Royal Academy artist and sculptor James Butler as a tribute to the more than 6,000 individuals who have given their lives in Royal Navy Air Service since World War I – 1,925 of whom have no graves except the oceans of the world.
Butler’s own words best describe the power of the statue: “I wanted Daedalus to appear mighty, strong and capable, a man and yet half machine, with wings which are an integral part of him and yet still clearly man-made and fastened crudely to his arms. He must have an air of tragedy in his countenance, after all he is mourning the death of his colleagues. With his arms outspread in this position and his head slightly bowed, there are suggestions of crucifixion which signal the sacrifice of the brave men and women in their Naval Service over the years.”
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The plinth is 25 feet (7.5 metres) tall with a bronze statue on top. The statue is 8 feet (2.5 metres) tall with a wingspan of 13 feet (4 metres). The figure is in the guise of Daedalus with arms raised and bearing outstretched wings. On the front of the memorial, at its base is the Fleet Air Arm wings and name in gold. On the other side there is an inscription that reads:
"To the everlasting memory of all the men and women from / the United Kingdom the British Commonwealth and the many / Allied Nations who have given their lives whilst serving / in the Royal Naval Air Service and the Fleet Air Arm // He rode upon a cherub and did fly yea did he fly upon the wings of the wind".
The round column of the plinth, on both sides, list the wars and campaigns that are remembered. The left side lists those from 1914 to 1941 and the right side from 1941 to 1991 (see photos).
