Royal Marines Memorial facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Royal Marines Memorial |
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| United Kingdom | |
The memorial in 2010
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| For Royal Marines who died in the Boxer Rebellion and Second Boer War | |
| Established | 1903 |
| Location | 51°30′24″N 0°07′46″W / 51.506538°N 0.129532°W The Mall
near London
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| Designed by | Adrian Jones |
The Royal Marines Memorial, also known as the Graspan Royal Marines Memorial, is a special statue in London, United Kingdom. It stands on the north side of The Mall, right next to Admiralty Arch. This memorial was created in 1903 by a sculptor named Adrian Jones.
The statue remembers the brave Royal Marines who lost their lives. They died during two important conflicts: the Boxer Rebellion in China and the Second Boer War in Africa. The memorial shows two figures standing on a stone base.
What Does the Memorial Look Like?
The Royal Marines Memorial has two figures made of bronze. They stand on a base made of Portland stone, which is a type of white-grey limestone.
Around the base, there are brass letters set into the ground. These letters say: "This memorial was rededicated in October 2000 in honour of all Royal Marines who have served their country by land and sea and who are forever remembered by their friends." This means the memorial was given a new dedication in 2000 to honor all Royal Marines.
Special Plaques and Inscriptions
The base of the memorial has bronze plaques. These were designed by Sir Thomas Graham Jackson. They show pictures of the conflicts and list the names of those who died. This list is called a "Roll of Honour."
On the front of the stone base, there is a brass plaque. It has an important message: "Erected by the officers and men of the Royal Marines in memory of their comrades who were killed in action or died of wounds or disease in South Africa and China, 1899–1900." This tells us that the memorial was put up by the Royal Marines themselves to remember their friends.
The sides of the base have bronze pictures called "reliefs." These reliefs show important moments from the conflicts. One shows the Chinese attack on the Peking legation being pushed back. The other shows the battle at Graspan. One side of the memorial has the sculptor's name, "Adrian Jones 1902."
History of the Memorial
The Royal Marines Memorial has moved a few times since it was first built. In 1940, it was put away in storage. This happened because of construction work on a building called The Citadel.
The memorial was moved to its current spot in 1948. In the year 2000, the sculpture was rededicated. This means it was given a new official purpose as the national monument for all Royal Marines. The Duke of Edinburgh, who was the Captain General of the Marines, officially unveiled it again.
Today, the memorial is a very important place. It is the main focus of the yearly Graspan Parade. The Royal Parks organization helps to take care of the memorial and keep it looking good.
