Memorial details

Memorial type
Composite
District
Lichfield
Town
Alrewas
County
Staffordshire
Country
England
Commemoration
Berlin Airlift (1948-1949)
Maker
ANDY DE COMYN (Sculptor)
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 12 May 2001
    Attended by: Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Squire GCB, DFC
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
46462

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Current location

Near the chapel
National Memorial Arboretum
Croxall Road
Alrewas
Lichfield
Staffordshire
DE13 7AR
England

OS Grid Ref: SK 1815814489
Denomination: Undefined

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Description
Thirty-nine trees in memory of the 39 British and Commonwealth men killed during the Berlin Airlift and a smaller copy of the memorial at Berlin Tempelhof Airport comprising a curved stone monument surmounted by metal eagle, wings outstretched. column extends upwards at centre and at each side. eagle is mounted in centre. Nearby are two plaques on brick bases with inscription, names and map of Germany showing airlift routes.
Inscription
Plaque one: THE BERLIN AIRLIFT / 1948-149 / WHEN ON THE 24TH JUNE 1948 THE SOVIET GOVERNMENT BLOCKADED ALL THE ROAD, RAIL AND CANAL ROUTES INTO / WEST BERLIN, ONLY THREE AIR CORRIDORS REMAINED OPEN / FOR FIFTEEN MONTHS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE FOOD AND FUEL TO THE TWO MILLION INHABITANTS ON THE CITY / ROYAL AIR FORCE, BRITISH CIVILIAN, COMMONWEALTH AND AMERICAN AIRMEN FLEW OVER TWO MILLION THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND TONS OF SUPPLIES INTO BERLIN AND CARRIED THOUSANDS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN / THE SICK AND THE OLD TO REFUGE IN WEST GERMANY / BECAUSE OF THE OUTSTANDING SUCCESS OF THE 'AIRBRIDGE' THE SOVIETS GAVE UP THEIR FRUITLESS QUEST TO / STARVE THE CITY INTO SUBMISSION AND ON THE 12TH MAY 1949 THE BLOCKADE WAS LIFTED. WEST BERLIN AND PROBABLY / ALL OF GERMANY WERE SAVED FROM SOVIET COMMUNISM. AFTERWARD, THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY / ORGANISATION (NATO) WAS FOUNDED AND THE MARSHALL PLAN WAS IMPLEMENTED TO HELP REBUILD WESTERN EUROPE/ FORTY TWO YEARS LATER THE CITY OF BERLIN AND GERMAN WERE REUNTIED AND WITH THE COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET / COMUNISIM MOST OF EUROPE RETURNED TO DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT / THIS MEMORIAL SIMULATES THE 'AIRBRIDGE' INTO AND OUT OF BERLIN FROM THE WESTERN ZONES WITH THE THREE / AIR CORRIDORS STANDING PROUD OF THE MAIN STRUCTURE. THE EAGLE REPRESENTS THE BRITISH AND COMMONWEALTH CONTRIBUTION TO THE FIRST VICTORY OF THE COLD WAR. / 12TH MAY 2001 THE BRITISH BERLIN AIRLIFT ASSOCIATION. Plaque two: THE BERLIN AIRLIFT/ 1948-1949/ AS IN ALL FAMOUS VICTORIES THERE WAS A PRICE TO PAY. SEVENTY BRITISH, COMMONWEALTH AND AMERICAN AIRMEN,/ TOGETHER WITH EIGHT GERMAN CIVILIANS WERE KILLED DURING THE AIRLIFT./ THE THIRTY NINE ROYAL AIR FORCE, BRITISH CIVILIAN AND COMMONWEALTH AIRMEN WHO DIED ARE COMMEORATED/ BY THIS PLINTH AND THE THIRTY NINE TRESS PLANTED BEHIND IT./ IN MEMORIAM/ 28TH JUNE 1948-30TH SEPTEMBER 1949/ (NAMES)/ 12TH MAY 2001/ THE BRITISH BERLIN AIRLIFT ASSOCIATION
Inscription legible?
yes
Commemorations
  • Berlin Airlift (1948-1949)
    Total names on memorial: 39
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 39
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: surname,forename,decorations
    Order of information: surname
Components
  • Tree
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Plant Material
  • Sculpture
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Metal, Concrete
  • Plaques
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Metal
Listing information
Condition
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A

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-46462

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