Plans to create a national memorial to the Battle of the Atlantic in Liverpool have gained traction after the campaign received a major donation.
The Merseyside based Battle of the Atlantic Memorial charity (BOAM) has been gifted £1.25 million to develop a national memorial to the Battle of the Atlantic in Liverpool. They plan on creating the memorial in three parts, with pieces in Birkenhead and Liverpool, including a 'Garden of Reflection' dedicated to the 100,000 people who died in the battle.
The original command headquarters of the Battle of the Atlantic was based in the city, so it's a fitting location for a memorial to campaign. Yet, as public knowledge of the battle is fading, the charity plans on creating an initiative based in Liverpool Parish Church, also known as the sailor's church, to educate both the young and the elderly on the longest campaign of WWII.
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BOAM chairman Gary Doyle said the memorial will serve as an ever-present reminder of the ‘incalculable value of peace’.
He said: “We are delighted to receive this donation from the Naval Club to ensure the Battle of the Atlantic is properly recognised and commemorated and thank its team very much.
“But after years of work there could not be a more poignant time for us to unveil these plans. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is showing us tragically that we cannot take peace in Europe or on the Atlantic for granted.
"World War Two is called the greatest catastrophe in human civilisation and without the success of the BOA Britain and Russia would almost certainly have been defeated. We want the memorial to act as a warning especially now to Russia and future generations of the consequences of conflict in Europe and how brutal dictatorships endanger the world.
"The war generation fought for peace and our memorial honours that today more than ever.”
The donation came from the Naval Club, a gentleman's club established in the years after WWI. The club has recently sold its premises in London and is allocating funds to eight charities across the country, including BOAM.
Naval Club chairman Simon Wilson said: "The Naval Club was founded in 1946 by members of the RNVR who had fought in the war and wanted a place to socialise and stay in London. Sadly, due to an aging demographic and increasing costs the club was sold last year.
"Apportioned funds from the sale have been given to eight charities for specific projects. I am delighted that we could support the BOAM charity as the RNVR contributed massively in the battle for our very survival, and a proper national memorial is long overdue. I must declare a personal interest as my father served in the RNVR in the Battle of the Atlantic and was a proud Liverpudlian."
For more information on the campaign visit: www.battleoftheatlantic.org
