SS Erinpura Memorial facts for kids
The SS Erinpura Memorial is a special place in the Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem. It remembers 139 brave soldiers from the British Army who were part of the 462 Moving Unit. These soldiers were on a ship called the SS Erinpura during a big battle in North Africa. Sadly, they lost their lives when the Air Force of Nazi Germany attacked their ship.
The memorial is located right next to the Garden of the Missing Soldiers, which is also in the National Military and Police Cemetery on Mount Herzl. It was built in 1985 by an architect named Dr. Asher Hirem. The memorial is made of stone and concrete and sits in a corner of a pool. On it, you can see the names of 137 soldiers who drowned in the Mediterranean Sea. Their burial places are not known. There are also small holes where people can place flowers to honor them. Two other soldiers from the group of 139 are buried in British army cemeteries, one in Tripoli, Libya, and the other in England.
Every year, a special ceremony is held at the memorial on Holocaust Remembrance Day to remember these soldiers who gave their lives.