Memorial details

Memorial type
Serviceman / Servicewoman
District
City Of Westminster
Town
Holborn
County
Greater London
Country
England
Commemoration
Second World War (1939-1945)
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 31 May 1992
    Attended by: HM QUEEN ELIZABETH THE QUEEN MOTHER
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
53575

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Current location

St Clement Danes Church
Strand
Holborn
City Of Westminster
Greater London
WC2R 1DH
England

OS Grid Ref: TQ 30978 81036
Denomination: Church of England

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Description
Statue of Sir Arthur Harris ("Bomber Harris") in uniform, holding gloves behind his back, on a plinth with inscription on front face and a bronze plaque with further inscription on the side.
Inscription
West face of plinth: MARSHAL OF/ THE ROYAL AIR FORCE/ SIR ARTHUR HARRIS BT/ G.C.B. O.B.E. A.F.C./ 1892-1984/ COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF/ BOMBER COMMAND/ ROYAL AIR FORCE/ 1942-1945/ Side face of plinth: MARSHAL OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE/ SIR ARTHUR HARRIS BT GCB OBE AFC/ IN MEMORY OF A GREAT COMMANDER AND/ THE BRAVE CREWS OF BOMBER COMMAND,/ MORE THAN 55,000 OF WHOM LOST THEIR/ LIVES IN THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM/ THE NATION OWES THEM ALL/ AN IMMENSE DEBT
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Harris, Arthur
See details
Commemorations
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 1
    Served and returned: 1
    Died: 0
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: surname,rank,year died,regiment,forename,decorations
    Order of information: Undefined
Components
  • Figure
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Bronze
  • Plinth
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone
Listing information
Condition
History
Oct. 1992 statue and plinth were sprayed with red paint and the word 'Shame'.
Costs

Memorial: £100,000

Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Sponsorship
Public
Responsibility
1999: English Heritage
Reference
  • Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Arthur_Harris,_1st_Baronet
  • Private Eye No.795 p.1 (5 June 1992)
  • The Times 22 Feb. 1992 p.14; 22 May 1992 p.14; 25 May 1992 pp.2,10; 27 May 1992 p.13; 29 May 1992 p.15; 30 May 1992 pp.5,15; 1 June 1992 pp. 1,5,16,18; 2 June 1992 p.2; 11 Sep. 1992 p.12; 30 Oct. 1992 22, 25, 30 May 1992. Pacifist protesters erected a statue based on Picasso's 'Dove' consisting of seven plywood doves,outside the church in protest. 1 June 1992. Report of unveiling and protests at the ceremony 30 Oct. 1992: statue vandalized
  • The Guardian 1 May 1995 p.40
  • Evening Standard 28 April 1992 Mayor of Cologne complained that the Queen Mother was to unveil the statue.
  • London Remembers: www.londonremembers.com/memorials/bomber-harris
  • War Memorials Online: www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/142864/

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-53575

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