Monument to the Women of World War II facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Monument to the Women of World War II |
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| United Kingdom | |
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Monument to the Women of World War II (looking west)
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| For the women of the Second World War | |
| Unveiled | 9 July 2005 |
| Location | 51°30′13″N 0°07′34″W / 51.5035°N 0.1262°W |
The Monument to the Women of World War II is a special memorial in London, United Kingdom. It honors the amazing work women did during World War II. You can find it on a famous street called Whitehall, near another important memorial called the Cenotaph.
This monument was created by John W. Mills. It was officially revealed by Queen Elizabeth II and dedicated by Baroness Boothroyd in July 2005. Money for the monument was raised by a charity. The National Heritage Memorial Fund also gave a lot of money. Even Baroness Boothroyd helped by winning money on the TV show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Contents
Why Was the Monument Built?
The idea for this monument started in 1997. Someone realized that while many countries had monuments for women's war efforts, the UK did not. A group of people, including Major David Mcnally Robertson, Edna Storr, and Mildred Veal, decided to change this.
They started a special fundraising group. Important people like Baroness Boothroyd, Dame Vera Lynn, and the Princess Royal joined to help. Baroness Boothroyd became the main supporter of the group.
How the Money Was Raised
People from the public donated over £300,000. The National Heritage Memorial Fund gave a huge amount, £934,115, to celebrate its 25th birthday. Baroness Boothroyd also won £8,000 for the fund when she appeared on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in 2002. The rest of the money came from the Memorial to the Women of World War II Fund, a charity based in York.
What Does the Monument Look Like?
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The monument is made of bronze and is very tall. It stands about 6.7 meters (22 feet) high, 4.9 meters (16 feet) long, and 1.8 meters (6 feet) wide. The letters on the monument look just like the ones used on ration books during the war.
Around the sides of the monument, you can see 17 different sets of clothes and uniforms. These represent the hundreds of different jobs women did during World War II. They show how women stepped up to help, and then gave their jobs back when the men returned home after the war. Some of the outfits include uniforms from the Women's Land Army, the Women's Royal Naval Service, a nursing cape, a police uniform, and even a welding mask.
When Was the Monument Unveiled?
The monument was officially revealed on July 9, 2005. This was just two days after the London bombings and part of the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Queen Elizabeth II led the ceremony.
Many important people were there, including Baroness Boothroyd, Baroness Thatcher, and Dame Vera Lynn. Several women who served in the war also attended, like Nancy Wake, who was a very brave and highly honored servicewoman.
A Special Flypast
During the ceremony, five military helicopters flew overhead. They were all flown by female crews! After that, two Panavia Tornado ADV jets also flew past, piloted by women.
Baroness Boothroyd gave a speech to dedicate the memorial. She said that the monument honors all the women who served the country and fought for freedom, both in uniform and at home. She hoped that future generations would see the monument and ask, "What kind of women were they?" and learn from history.
Vandalism Incident
In May 2015, the monument was unfortunately damaged with red spray paint. This happened after a general election. Officials called the damage "despicable." About 17 people were arrested after some problems in Whitehall.
See also
In Spanish: Monumento a las Mujeres de la Segunda Guerra Mundial para niños
