HMS Gambia - C48. The National Memorial Arboretum

The National Memorial Arboretum

The National Memorial Arboretum is near Alrewas, Staffordshire and is the UK's year-round Centre of Remembrance. The Arboretum contains a memorial to HMS Gambia which was donated by the HMS Gambia Association on May 7, 2005. The Association regularly visits the memorial.

The Arboretum was the brainchild of Commander David Childs CBE who wished to see established a national focus for Remembrance. Following a meeting with Group Captain Leonard Cheshire VC, an appeal was launched in 1994 by the then Prime Minister, John Major. Planting began in 1997, and it was officially opened in May 2001.

National Memorial Arboretum from the air

The HMS Gambia Association provided the funds for the HMS and HMNZS Gambia Memorial in the National Memorial Arboretum and it was dedicated on Saturday, May 7, 2005.

In May 2008, the Seaham Branch of the Royal British Legion, asked if they could lay a wreath and say the Exaltation at the HMS Gambia Memorial.

Permission was given, and on a Saturday morning they arrived to find the memorial covered in grass cuttings. They cleaned it up to take photographs, lay the wreath and say the exaltation, which Malcolm Summerbell (Electrical menchanic on HMS Gambia's 1957/58 Commission) says he greatly appreciated.

Malcolm took it upon himself to present the Branch with a Picture of HMS Gambia, and it now lies in a place of some prominence in their unit.

Unfortunately, the following thumbnails are to main images that appear to have jumped ship and gone AWOL. Bill had a lot of images on his website, unfortunately all that could be retrieved from the Web Archive were the thumbnails. Until the original photographs can be found, they are simply presented here.

Rememberance Day, November 11, 2006