Post by neil6147 on Oct 31, 2006 20:11:30 GMT 10
A MEMORIAL dedicated to thousands of unsung Second World War heroes is to be built in the Lothians.
The monument will be created in memory of the airmen from RAF Coastal Command who fought Nazi U-boats and protected the UK's shipping lanes from attack.
The tribute will be built at the Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick, overlooking the Firth of Forth.
During the Second World War and the crucial Battle of the Atlantic, nearly 11,000 airmen from the Command lost their lives.
The move follows a long campaign to have a permanent memorial to the Command erected on the British shoreline.
The Maritime Air Trust originally wanted to create the monument in Edinburgh but those plans were shelved.
Now organisers of the Constant Endeavour project hope to take advantage of the thousands of annual visitors to the East Lothian tourist attraction to help raise the profile of the Command's work.
Ex-servicemen have described the work of the Coastal Command as an "untold story" and the lack of a national memorial as "a matter for some reproach".
The troops patrolled the coastal waters and shipping routes and were responsible for a variety of roles including photographic reconnaissance, anti-submarine operations, rescue and mine laying.
Group Captain Bob Kemp, project officer for the Scottish committee of Constant Endeavour, said: "Many people in the military have felt that Coastal Command was not properly recognised for its efforts and sacrifices.
"We have always believed it would be appropriate to have a tribute in Scotland, where there were so many of its bases.
"The search for a suitable location eventually took us to North Berwick. The Seabird Centre is extremely popular with visitors, especially the young, and the tribute would also have a wonderful view of the sea with the Bass Rock."
The plans have been granted permission by East Lothian Council and the monument is expected to be unveiled in the spring.
It will take the form of a granite plinth complete with bronze plaques detailing the activities of the Command, which had a base at East Fortune.
Group Captain Kemp, 59, of Burnbrae, Corstorphine, added: "We are delighted that a location has been found and I'm sure the people of Scotland will welcome this tribute to those who lost their lives with Coastal Command."
Tom Brock, chief executive of the Seabird Centre, said: "We have been working with Group Captain Kemp on this project for some time and we are delighted that it's going ahead. This will be a fitting tribute to the Command.
"We have 200,000 visitors annually and I'm sure many people will visit the memorial as part of their trip."
During the war, the Coastal Command sank 189 U-boats, 366 enemy vessels, laid 1100 mines in enemy waters, took 32 million surveillance photographs and rescued almost 11,000 people from the sea. Coastal Command and its attached units sank more than 1000 German ships, using aircraft such as Catalinas and Beaufighters, and prevented the enemy from cutting off vital food supplies to Britain.
In March 2004, veterans who fought in the Battle of the Atlantic attended a ceremony unveiling a memorial at Westminster Abbey, in London.
The Queen, who was accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, helped to lay a wreath beneath the new carving in the south cloister of the abbey.
I like many others look forward to see this finally going into place. And I also know that the Seabird Centre in North Berwick will do everything possible to help promote this event.
Plus also good news for the Brechin area.
A £50,000 memorial is being planned in Brechin to commemorate the Scot who invented the radar.
Sir Robert Watson-Watt created the first workable radar system after searching for a way to predict thunder and lightning to warn aviators.
The recently formed Watson-Watt Society now plans to build a statue to the "father of radar" in his home town.
The society's secretary Brian Mitchell said Sir Robert's contribution was "hugely significant".
A descendant of James Watt, the famous engineer and inventor of the steam engine, Sir Robert was an unsung hero of World War II.
His work turned radar into one of the most important war-winning weapons as it enabled the RAF to deploy fighters against the German bombers.
But until now, Watson-Watt's connection with Brechin has only been marked with a small plaque on the wall of his birthplace in the town's Union Street.
Mr Mitchell, secretary of the society, said there was "a determination" to have a permanent memorial to commemorate the life and work of the inventor who attended Brechin High and University College, Dundee.
"His work was extremely important during World War II and has been further developed into today's air traffic control systems," Mr Mitchell said.
"It was feared that German aircraft would flatten every town in Britain.
"Bombers had been able to approach Britain from altitudes where anti-aircraft guns were unable to reach.
"Watson-Watt developed the system to detect and locate the threat by radio methods."
He said Nazi Germany had claimed to have a "death-ray" which was capable of using radio waves to destroying towns and cities, but Watson-Watt was able to prove this was not possible.
Battle of Britain
"A statue or sculptured stone monument will be a fitting memorial to our most famous son," Mr Mitchell added.
At the start of World War I, Sir Robert was offered a post at the Meteorological Office, who were interested in his ideas on the use of radio for the detection of thunderstorms.
Lightning gives off a radio signal as it ionizes the air, and he planned on detecting this signal in order to warn pilots of approaching thunderstorms.
He found that aircraft could also be detected without being seen, thereby discovering the science underlying radar.
His work resulted in the building of a chain of radar stations along the east and south coasts of England before the outbreak of World War II.
The system helped the RAF win the Battle of Britain and was vital in the Battle of the Atlantic and the D-Day Invasion.
In 1942 Sir Robert's work was recognised with a knighthood. He died in 1973, aged 81.
The monument will be created in memory of the airmen from RAF Coastal Command who fought Nazi U-boats and protected the UK's shipping lanes from attack.
The tribute will be built at the Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick, overlooking the Firth of Forth.
During the Second World War and the crucial Battle of the Atlantic, nearly 11,000 airmen from the Command lost their lives.
The move follows a long campaign to have a permanent memorial to the Command erected on the British shoreline.
The Maritime Air Trust originally wanted to create the monument in Edinburgh but those plans were shelved.
Now organisers of the Constant Endeavour project hope to take advantage of the thousands of annual visitors to the East Lothian tourist attraction to help raise the profile of the Command's work.
Ex-servicemen have described the work of the Coastal Command as an "untold story" and the lack of a national memorial as "a matter for some reproach".
The troops patrolled the coastal waters and shipping routes and were responsible for a variety of roles including photographic reconnaissance, anti-submarine operations, rescue and mine laying.
Group Captain Bob Kemp, project officer for the Scottish committee of Constant Endeavour, said: "Many people in the military have felt that Coastal Command was not properly recognised for its efforts and sacrifices.
"We have always believed it would be appropriate to have a tribute in Scotland, where there were so many of its bases.
"The search for a suitable location eventually took us to North Berwick. The Seabird Centre is extremely popular with visitors, especially the young, and the tribute would also have a wonderful view of the sea with the Bass Rock."
The plans have been granted permission by East Lothian Council and the monument is expected to be unveiled in the spring.
It will take the form of a granite plinth complete with bronze plaques detailing the activities of the Command, which had a base at East Fortune.
Group Captain Kemp, 59, of Burnbrae, Corstorphine, added: "We are delighted that a location has been found and I'm sure the people of Scotland will welcome this tribute to those who lost their lives with Coastal Command."
Tom Brock, chief executive of the Seabird Centre, said: "We have been working with Group Captain Kemp on this project for some time and we are delighted that it's going ahead. This will be a fitting tribute to the Command.
"We have 200,000 visitors annually and I'm sure many people will visit the memorial as part of their trip."
During the war, the Coastal Command sank 189 U-boats, 366 enemy vessels, laid 1100 mines in enemy waters, took 32 million surveillance photographs and rescued almost 11,000 people from the sea. Coastal Command and its attached units sank more than 1000 German ships, using aircraft such as Catalinas and Beaufighters, and prevented the enemy from cutting off vital food supplies to Britain.
In March 2004, veterans who fought in the Battle of the Atlantic attended a ceremony unveiling a memorial at Westminster Abbey, in London.
The Queen, who was accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, helped to lay a wreath beneath the new carving in the south cloister of the abbey.
I like many others look forward to see this finally going into place. And I also know that the Seabird Centre in North Berwick will do everything possible to help promote this event.
Plus also good news for the Brechin area.
A £50,000 memorial is being planned in Brechin to commemorate the Scot who invented the radar.
Sir Robert Watson-Watt created the first workable radar system after searching for a way to predict thunder and lightning to warn aviators.
The recently formed Watson-Watt Society now plans to build a statue to the "father of radar" in his home town.
The society's secretary Brian Mitchell said Sir Robert's contribution was "hugely significant".
A descendant of James Watt, the famous engineer and inventor of the steam engine, Sir Robert was an unsung hero of World War II.
His work turned radar into one of the most important war-winning weapons as it enabled the RAF to deploy fighters against the German bombers.
But until now, Watson-Watt's connection with Brechin has only been marked with a small plaque on the wall of his birthplace in the town's Union Street.
Mr Mitchell, secretary of the society, said there was "a determination" to have a permanent memorial to commemorate the life and work of the inventor who attended Brechin High and University College, Dundee.
"His work was extremely important during World War II and has been further developed into today's air traffic control systems," Mr Mitchell said.
"It was feared that German aircraft would flatten every town in Britain.
"Bombers had been able to approach Britain from altitudes where anti-aircraft guns were unable to reach.
"Watson-Watt developed the system to detect and locate the threat by radio methods."
He said Nazi Germany had claimed to have a "death-ray" which was capable of using radio waves to destroying towns and cities, but Watson-Watt was able to prove this was not possible.
Battle of Britain
"A statue or sculptured stone monument will be a fitting memorial to our most famous son," Mr Mitchell added.
At the start of World War I, Sir Robert was offered a post at the Meteorological Office, who were interested in his ideas on the use of radio for the detection of thunderstorms.
Lightning gives off a radio signal as it ionizes the air, and he planned on detecting this signal in order to warn pilots of approaching thunderstorms.
He found that aircraft could also be detected without being seen, thereby discovering the science underlying radar.
His work resulted in the building of a chain of radar stations along the east and south coasts of England before the outbreak of World War II.
The system helped the RAF win the Battle of Britain and was vital in the Battle of the Atlantic and the D-Day Invasion.
In 1942 Sir Robert's work was recognised with a knighthood. He died in 1973, aged 81.
