The National Memorial Arboretum is the UK's year-round centre of Remembrance, located at Alrewas, near Lichfield in Staffordshire. It honours the fallen and recognises service and sacrifice. There are over 360 memorials in the maturing woodland landscape. (
visit link)
This bench is situated in The Allied Special Forces Memorial Grove, located in the Poppy Zone.
The black metal bench has a slatted seat with arm rests. The back of the bench depicts soldiers, planes and a map in black silhouette, with a dove of peace in white silhouette.
A while metal plaque on the back of the bench is inscribed as follows:-
"In Loving Memory of
Brigadier James Hill Alms OBE
Chevalier de Legion d'Honneur Croix de Guerre with Palms
The American Legion of Merit
The Polish Gold Cross of Merit
Brigadier Alms was one of the outstanding senior staff officers
of World War11. He was a member of General Eisenhower's multi-
national staff. As GSO1 (Strategic Plans) to the Chief of Staff
to the Supreme Allied Commander, he worked on
Operation Overlord in preparation for the D-Day invasion.
He served in the Operations Section, G3 Division, Supreme
Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force. Assigned
responsibility for coordinating the control & supervision of all
Resistance activities in France, Belgium, Holland and
Scandinavia, he coordinated the organisation of
SHAEF missions to the Allied Governments.
He died, aged 39, on 26th February 1947, whilst serving as
Director of Military Intelligence south East Asia Land
Forces, when his flight was lost between Singapore & Saigon."