Memorial details

Memorial type
Board / Plaque / Tablet
District
Bromley
Town
Beckenham
County
Greater London
Country
England
Commemoration
Second World War (1939-1945), Regimental Memorials
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 5th January 1944
    Attended by: MAYOR OF BECKENHAM
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
40793

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Current location

TS Sikh Sea Cadet Hut
TS Sikh Sea Cadet Unit
290 Kent House Road
Beckenham
Bromley
Greater London
BR3 1JG
England

OS Grid Ref: TQ 35890 70150
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Previous locations
  • Town Hall
    Bromley Road
    Beckenham
    Bromley
    Greater London
    BR3 5JQ
    England

    OS Grid Ref: TQ 37497 69583
    Denomination: Undefined
Description
Rectangular metal plaque mounted on a black coloured backboard. Inscription in relief.
Inscription
IN TRIBUTE/ TO THE COMMANDING OFFICER,/ OFFICERS AND SHIPS COMPANY OF/ H.M.S. SIKH/ A DESTROYER OF THE TRIBAL CLASS ADOPTED/ BY THE BOROUGH OF BECKENHAM/ WHICH FOUGHT ITS LAST AND VERY GALLANT/ ACTION OFF TOBRUK ON THE NIGHT OF 13/14TH SEPTEMBER 1942; AND IN PROUD MEMORY/ OF THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THAT ACTION./ OF HER LAST GLORIOUS MOMENTS IT IS WRITTEN;/ "THE SIKH CONTINUED TO FIGHT ALTHOUGH SHE WAS/ UNDER DIRECT FIRE OF THE SHORE BATTERIES ONLY/ A MILE AWAY. AS WE STEAMED AWAY FROM BATTERED / TOBRUK A TALL COLUMN OF SMOKE RISING FROM/ THE SEA WAS OUR LAST SIGHT OF THE DESTROYER/ HIT AND DISABLED BY SHORE BATTERIES HER CREW/ WERE STILL AT THE GUNS BLAZING BACK AT THE/ ENEMY. A GREAT FIRE RAGED ON BOARD HER AS/ SHELL AFTER SHELL TORE INTO HER SIDE. BUT HER/ COMMANDING OFFICER STILL REFUSED TO ABANDON/ SHIP. AS THE COLUMN OF SMOKE FADED FROM VIEW/ THE FLASH OF HER GUNS AND SPURTS OF/ FLAMES FROM THE SHORE BATTERIES COULD STILL BE/ SEEN. IT WAS AN HOUR AND A HALF SINCE SHE/ WAS FIRST HIT BUT SHE WOULD NOT GIVE IN"/ "SICUT LEONES."
Inscription legible?
yes
Commemorations
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 0
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 0
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Undefined
    Order of information: Undefined
  • Regimental Memorials
    Total names on memorial: 0
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 0
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Undefined
    Order of information: Undefined
Components
  • Plaque
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Metal
Listing information
Condition
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Responsibility
SEA CADET UNIT
Reference
  • BROMLEY WAR MEMORIALS VOLUME TWO by RASON, PAUL 99-110 Source: Image Library NIWM Published:LONDON BOROUGH OF BROMLEY NOV 1999 BROMLEY

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.

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© WMR-40793

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