Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial
Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial | |
---|---|
United Kingdom | |
For | |
Unveiled | March 9, 2017 (2017-03-09Tdf) |
Location | 51°30′12″N 0°07′27″W / 51.5034°N 0.1243°W / 51.5034; -0.1243 |
Designed by | Paul Day |
The Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial in London commemorates British citizens, including both military personnel and civilians, who participated in the
Description
This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) |
The memorial was designed by Paul Day. It consists of two large Portland stone monoliths, weighing 33 tonnes (32 long tons; 36 short tons). On one side, one stone is inscribed "Afghanistan" and the other "Iraq", and on the other side one bears the word "duty" and the other "service". A side of each stone is left in a rough condition as a reference to the rocky terrain of Afghanistan and Iraq. The stones are separated by a narrow gap and support between them a thick bronze medallion or tondo sculpted with reliefs that echo the memorial's theme of "duty and service", depicting members of the armed forces on one side and civilian workers on the other.
Unlike similar monuments the memorial carries no names, "to be inclusive of all those who contributed",[1] and commemorates all who served, civilian and military, not only casualties.[3]
Manufacture
The monument was manufactured by stoneCIRCLE, a stonemason based in Basingstoke. It consists of 10 Jordans Basebed Portland Stone blocks, the largest of which weighs 7000 kg each. The blocks were rough cut and then dry built round a stainless steel frame to allow the edges to be pitched by hand to match the artist's requirements. Once completed they were dismantled and taken to Victoria Embankment Gardens to be reassembled.
Background and fundraising
On Remembrance Sunday 2014, it was announced that Lord Stirrup, the former Chief of the Defence Staff, would lead the efforts to raise one million pounds to enable a national memorial to the British service personnel who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan to be erected in central London.[4] By March 2015 Stirrup was confident that the full amount needed could be raised[5] and by July 2016 work had begun on the memorial in the Victoria Embankment Gardens.
Unveiling
The memorial was unveiled on 9 March 2017 by Queen
References
- ^ a b c "Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial unveiled in London". GOV.UK. 9 March 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
- ^ a b c Davies, Caroline (9 March 2017). "Queen unveils Iraq and Afghanistan war memorial amid fury at Blair presence". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
- ^ a b c "Iraq and Afghanistan wars memorial unveiled". BBC Online. 9 March 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
- ^ "Afghan and Iraq war memorial plan announced". 9 November 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
- ^ "Fundraising Call for Memorial to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans". 24 March 2015. Archived from the original on 11 September 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
- ^ "Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial to be unveiled in London". GOV.UK. 30 January 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
- ^ Queen thanks military who helped bring 'peace' to Iraq and Afghanistan at national memorial service, The Telegraph, 9 March 2017
External links
- Media related to Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial at Wikimedia Commons
- Official brochure of the unveiling ceremony
- stoneCIRCLE case study
| |
Participants | |
Background | |
Invasion of Kuwait | |
Coalition intervention | |
Battles | |
Air campaign | |
Impact on Israel |
|
Aftermath |
|
Memorials | |
Military technology |
|
Overview |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Casualties and losses | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Timeline |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Aftermath | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
War crimes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Peace process | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Reactions |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Memorials | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Iraq War (2003–2011) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Beginning of the Iraqi conflict | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||