Unveiling to mark the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of the River Plate.
A memorial to mark the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of the River Plate became the 300th memorial to be dedicated at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire when it was unveiled at the weekend.
The Arboretum, which is part of The Royal British Legion family of charities, is home to an array of moving and unusual memorials, including those to the military, the civil services, charities, local organisations and overseas organisations.
Located in the Royal Naval Review, the Battle of the River Plate Memorial will be a lasting tribute to those who lost their lives in the battle and to the three allied ships which fought there – HMS Ajax, Exeter and Achilles – together with all those who lost their lives during World War II.
The Battle of the River Plate took place in the South Atlantic on 13 December 1939. In the first major naval battle of World War II, the three ships from the Royal Navy’s South American Division took on the might of German cruiser Admiral Graf Spee, which had been located in the South Atlantic before the war began and was attacking Allied merchant shipping near the River Plate in Argentina. There was considerable damage and loss of life on both sides, but the Allied ships were successful in forcing the Graf Spee to retreat to a Uruguayan harbour and later to scuttle – that is, deliberately sink itself to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.
Peter Danks, secretary of the HMS Ajax and River Plate Veterans Association said: “We are very proud to have unveiled our memorial which will ensure that all who took part in the Battle of the River Plate will be remembered always, and the fact that it’s the 300th memorial to be dedicated at this wonderful place has given our dedication ceremony even greater significance.”
Sarah Montgomery, managing director of the National Memorial Arboretum said: “Reaching the 300th memorial milestone is very important and illustrates the ever growing significance of the National Memorial Arboretum as the place where our nation remembers. “We are delighted to have marked this landmark along with the HMS Ajax and River Plate Veterans Association, whose memorial is a very welcome addition to the Arboretum” she concluded.
The Arboretum is open daily and free to enter, although donations are appreciated. For further information visit: www.thenma.org.uk.
