Memorial details

Memorial type
Other structure
District
Lichfield
Town
Alrewas
County
Staffordshire
Country
England
Commemoration
Falklands Conflict (1982)
Maker
Devonport Management Limited (Restorer)
Ceremony
  • Dedicated
    Date: 21 May 2015
    Attended by: HRH The Duchess of Gloucester GCVO
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
73939

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Current location

The memorial is near the Royal Naval review off Millennium Avenue. the grid reference is approximate only.
National Memorial Arboretum
Croxall Road
Alrewas
Lichfield
Staffordshire
DE13 7AR
England

OS Grid Ref: SK 18407 14589
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Description
An original anchor from HMS Ardent. The anchor is fixed to a base of rough-cast stone slabs. The anchor is flanked by two rectangular granite tablets with metal plaques affixed. One plaque bears the names of those who died on HMS Ardent and has engravings of the ship's badge and a map of the Falklands. The second explains the origins of the memorial. The memorial is placed in open grassland near the Royal Naval Review memorial.
Inscription
[Plaque 1]: [Names...]/ THIS ANCHOR IS DEDICATED TO/ THE MEMORY OF THE OFFICERS AND MEN/ OF HMS ARDENT/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY/ IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC/ 21ST MAY 1982/ [Plaque 2]: HMS ARDENT MEMORIAL ANCHOR/ THIS IS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL ANCHORS FROM THE TYPE 21 FRIGATE, HMS ARDENT./ THE ANCHOR WAS LOST DURING A STORM IN PORTLAND HARBOUR IN 1980./ ON 21ST MAY 1982 HMS ARDENT WAS LOST IN ACTION/ DEFENDING THE LANDINGS TO RETAKE THE FALKLAND ISLANDS./ THE HMS ARDENT ASSOCIATION WAS FORMED BY THE SURVIVORS./ THE ANCHOR WAS RECOVERED SEVERAL YEARS LATER/ AND OFFERED TO THE ASSOCIATION AS A PERMANENT MEMORIAL/ TO THOSE SHIPMATES WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC./ THE HMS ARDETN ASSOCIATION WOULD LIKE TO RECORD THEIR GRATITUDE TO/ DEVNPORT MANAGEMENT LTD, NOW BABCOCK INTERNATIONAL GROUP,/ WHO GENEROUSLY UNDERTOOK REFURBISHMENT AND PRESERVATION OF THE ANCHOR./ THE MEMORIAL WAS DEDICATED ON 21ST MAY 2015 IN THE PRESENCE OF/ HER ROYAL HIGHNESS/ THE DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTER GCVO.
Inscription legible?
yes
Commemorations
  • Falklands Conflict (1982)
    Total names on memorial: 22
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 22
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Rank, forename, surname
    Order of information: Alphabetical by surname
Components
  • Other structure
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Metal
  • Plaques / Panels with names
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Metal
  • Plaque
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Metal
  • Base
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone
  • Tablets
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone
Listing information
Condition
Costs

Comments: Devonport Management Limited (now Babcock International) undertook the preservation and refurbishment of the anchor.

Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Sponsorship
Corporate
Details: HMS Ardent Association

This record comprises all information held by IWM’s War Memorials Register for this memorial. Where we hold a names list for the memorial, this information will be displayed on the memorial record. Please check back as we are adding more names to the database.

This information is made available under a Creative Commons BY-NC licence.

This means you may reuse it for non-commercial purposes only and must attribute it to us using the following statement:

© WMR-73939

For queries, please contact [email protected].