“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
Prime Minister Winston Churchill
An elderly gentleman was very knowledgeable about the sculpture and the war when I was there, and a small group gathered around him to listen. The sculpture was built on a structure that was already in place, a smoke vent for the underground trains when they were steam powered. It is 25 meters long and has a space to walk through the center.
At the center of this panel, airmen seem to leap out of the sculpture. Below, the Observer Corps watches for enemy planes on the coast, and one of the animals that served is depicted.
Women are honored for the roles they played in the factories that built the planes, and they also flew new planes to destinations to hand them over to the male pilots.
St. Paul's stands in victory as this scene seems to bring together soldiers and civilians under the broken ruins of the buildings and the bodies they crushed. In the lone face at the center, I see the apprehension, the fear, the disbelief at the bombings.
Citizens in the bomb shelters, Home Guard, all look to the sky in fear as the bombs fall.
I can't believe how expressive the eyes of these fliers are when cast in hard metal. That's the genius of this sculptor, Paul Day. The memorial was dedicated by Prince Charles in 2005 and stands on the Victoria Embankment along the Thames River in London.
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A remarkably detailed work of art with great historic significance! I had no idea women delivered new planes to male pilots by flying them to the locations where they were needed. Impressive ... I can see why this sculpture stayed in your memory.
ReplyDeleteThe work is extremely well done, eliciting emotions of fear and gratitude.
ReplyDeleteYou have taken some excellent photos of the frieze.
ReplyDeleteThis is a magnificent sculpture and honors the few along with the many that experienced the war. I have read books and seen movies, but don't think I will ever know (at least I hope not) the horrors of seeing out homes bombed. 9/11 is as close as we have come and that was a horror even at a distance! I'm sure this was a meaningful experience for you ... thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAndrea @ From The Sol
Wow! Fantastic Shots and very life like memorial sculptures to honor the British heroes ~ thanks, carol, xxx
ReplyDeleteLooks like a very interesting memorial. Full of historical facts. Thank you for sharing the detailed images.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely memorial. Nice shots too.
ReplyDeleteIt is an amazing huge sculpture.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing that story and your pictures Cynthia. It's a monumwent I've not seen but will head for next time I'm in London.
ReplyDeleteWe should remember the past. But I just wish we could try as hard to protect the future as we do to recall past deeds.
ReplyDeleteMy father used to tell very scary stories about being Blitzed in Plymouth.
cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
What a work of art! :)
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful and I can't believe we missed it when we were there. The sculptor definitely shows us what it felt like to be there at the time. It was fascinating to learn during our tour of St Paul's about how the brigades stood on the roof with buckets to protect the cathedral. Such valor. It was also an honor to find there a memorial of thanks to the US Armed Services for their help.
ReplyDeleteWow, what an extraordinary sculpture and beautiful dedication to these brave men and women.
ReplyDeleteThe details on that sculpture really capture the tragedies and brave accomplishments of the men and women of that generation. Wow!
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