Falklands War Memorial Compass Rose - London, England, UK
Posted by: 
Metro2
N 51° 30.581 W 000° 04.626
30U E 702823 N 5710556
This Memorial & compass rose are located in Trinity Square Gardens on London's Tower Hill.
Waymark Code: WMD9Z8
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 12/11/2011
Views: 13
Located near the notorious spot that once had the scaffold upon which many people were executed on Tower Hill, this Memorial honors Royal Fleet Auxiliary and Merchant Seamen who lost their lives in the Falklands Campaign. The compass rose surrounds the anchor which is in the center...and their are eight points ...four of which are of course for the main directions of east, west, north and south.
This website (
visit link) has additional photos and also informs us:
"The memorial was commissioned by the Merchant Navy Association and is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission like the other memorials at Tower Hill.
Design
The memorial was designed by Gordon Newton of War Memorial Limited - See External Ref. #8. The theme of the memorial was very appropriately chosen to be "Time and Distance" which is represented by a sundial whose base is a compass rose with a bronze anchor and chain forming the gnomon. The compass points were manufactured from polished black granite and the base is made of Portland stone with bronze panels containing the names of the Merchant Navy and RFA casualties and their ships. I am indebted to Mr Newton for supplying this information.
Unveiling
The memorial was dedicated on Merchant Navy Day 4 September 2005 by the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Alan West GCB DSC ADC.
After unveiling the memorial Admiral West paid tribute to the crucial contribution made by the Merchant Navy during the Falklands War which saw the loss of the merchant vessel Atlantic Conveyor as a result of enemy action. He said, "Men and women of the Merchant Navy worked shoulder to shoulder with those of the Royal Navy during the campaign to liberate the Islands, as they did in the two world wars of the last century, and have done so since." Also in attendance at the memorial ceremony were Captain John Sail, Chairman of the Merchant Navy Association, Commodore Bob Thornton RFA and Lt Col Ben Bathurst, Commanding Officer 1st Battalion Welsh Guards. A guard of honour was provided by Royal Naval Reservists from HMS President, along with the Royal Marine Band from CTCRM Lympstone."