Eleven 'O' One - Seaham, UK - World War I Memorials and Monuments on Waymarking.com

"Tommy is a statue of a First World War soldier by artist Ray Lonsdale, displayed close to Seaham war memorial, on Terrace Green by the seafront in Seaham, County Durham, in North East England.

The corten steel statue weighs 1.2 tonnes (1.2 long tons; 1.3 short tons) and is 9 feet 5 inches (2.87 m) tall, with a rusty red patina. It depicts a First World War soldier, wearing boots, puttees, greatcoat and tin hat, sitting on an ammunition box, with downcast eyes, holding the barrel of his grounded rifle in his right hand. It is officially named 1101 (or Eleven-O-One), referring to the first minute of peace as the armistice came into force at 11am on 11 November 1918, but is more popularly known as Tommy, referring to the archetype private soldier Tommy Atkins.

It was displayed temporarily in Seaham from May 2014, but became a permanent fixture after a committee of local residents raised £102,000 needed to buy it. The price was handed over on 4 August 2014, the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. The statue was relocated onto a paved platform in 2015, under which was buried a time capsule containing donated items, including a letter from Ray Lonsdale, a T-shirt, children's artworks, war remembrances, and a Victory Medal.

The word Tommy can also refer to any other statue representing a First World War soldier, usually made of bronze, steel or concrete." link

There are two small metal plaques at the rear of the statue.

NOW ADRIFT IN THE WAKE OF THIS GLORIOUS SLAUGHTER
HE'D SEEN MANY A SOUL CLEANSED IN FILTHY WATER

SEEN GODLESS MEN REACH OUT FOR THE BIBLE
AS LEAD TORE THE FLESH FROM BOTH FIENDS AND RIVAL

SOON HOME TO THE JOY AND CELEBRATION OF KIN
DRUNKEN SLAPS ON THE BACK AT A FAVOURITE INN

BUT HEAVY IN HIS POCKET LIES A SMALL PIECE OF CARD
AND THE NOTE ON IT WILL BREAK A MOTHER'S HEART

ELEVEN 'O' ONE

RAY LONSDALE

ELEVEN 'O' ONE
KNOWN LOCALLY AS 'TOMMY'
WAS BOUGHT ON AUG 4TH 2014
WITH GENEROUS DONATIONS
FROM THE PUBLIC, LOCAL SCHOOLS
BUSINESSES AND DURHAM COUNTY
COUNCIL. HE SITS HERE
FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO
VISIT, ENJOY AND REMEMBER

BY RAY LONSDALE

Date the Monument or Memorial was built or dedicated: 08/04/2014 Private or Public Monument?: Other Name of the Private Organization or Government Entity that built this Monument: Paid for by public doantions and money fro Durham County Council Geographic Region where the Monument is located: Europe Physical Address of Monument: Terrace Green Seaham, County Durham United Kingdom Rate this waymark: Photo or photos will be uploaded.: yes Website for this Monument: Not listed

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