Weymouth American Memorial
Details:
On the road division. Monument
The monument comprises a two-tier octagonal pedestal topped by a stone base inset with decorative bronze grilles to four of the sides, carrying a pillar constructed in two stages. Atop the memorial is an electric glass lantern with leaded lights. The lantern is never extinguished.
The east facing panel of the pedestal has a bronze plaque which formed part of the original design of the memorial. On the other faces are later stone plaques commemorating the involvement and sacrifice of the American troops during World War II.
The memorial commemorates the American servicemen who passed through Weymouth to the beaches of Normandy in the Second World War and was unveiled on 3 December 1947. The architect is recorded on the memorial as G.C Wilkins.
Information and photo source: Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register
Monument Text:
Plaque 1:
28 APRIL 1944
LYME BAY
749 DIED DURING D-DAY
TRAINING EXERCISE 'TIGER'
WHEN A CONVOY OF LSTs
WAS ATTACKED BY E-BOATS
OFF PORTLAND
24 DECEMBER 1944
ENGLISH CHANNEL
802 DIED WHEN THE TROOPSHIP
'LEOPOLDVILLE' WAS SUNK BY
A TORPEDO OFF CHERBOURG
Plaque 2:
1944-1945
THE MAJOR PART OF THE AMERICAN ASSAULT FORCE WHICH
LANDED ON THE SHORES OF FRANCE 6 JUNE 1944 WAS LAUNCHED
FROM WEYMOUTH AND PORTLAND HARBORS. FROM 6 JUNE 1944
TO 7 MAY 1945, 517,816 TROOPS AND 144,093 VEHICLES EMBARKED
FROM THE HARBORS. MANY OF THE TROOPS LEFT FROM WEYMOUTH PIER.
THE REMAINDER OF THE TROOPS AND ALL THE VEHICLES PASSED THROUGH
WEYMOUTH EN ROUTE TO PORTLAND POINTS OF EMBARKATION.
PRESENTED BY THE 14TH MAJOR PORT, U.S. ARMY.
HAROLD G. MILLER MAJOR, T.C. SUS PORT COMMANDER | Sherman L. Kiess[illegible] COLONEL, T.C. PORT COMMANDER
|
___________
UNVEILED
DECEMBER 3rd
1947
ALDERMAN A.P. BURT J.P. MAYOR
| G.C. WILKINS, L.R.I.B.A. ARCHITECT
|
Plaque 3, with photo caption:
American Rangers marching along the
Esplanade prior To D-Day
6 JUNE 1944
OMAHA BEACH, FRANCE
SHOWING COURAGE AND
ENDURANCE BEYOND BELIEF
3,000 DIED ON D-DAY WHILE
FIGHTING TO SECURE THE
BEACHHEAD AND STRATEGIC
POINTE DU HOC, SPEARHEADING
THE INVASION OF NORMANDY
AS THIS MILLENNIUM CLOSES WE COMMIT
THIS MEMORY TO HISTORY JUNE 1999.
Plaque 4:
WE REMEMBER YOUR
NATION'S SACRIFICE
60th ANNIVERSARY
D-DAY
JUNE 2004
Plaque 5:
1-2-3 RANGER 4-5-6
11th OCTOBER 2002
PRIOR TO 6th JUNE, 1944 THE 2nd AND 5th
RANGER BATTALIONS OF THE ARMY OF
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
DEPENDED HEAVILY ON THE MEN AND
EQUIPMENT OF THE
LANDING CRAFT ASSAULT (LCA) FLOTILLAS
DURING TRAINING AND WHILE DEVELOPING
SPECIAL ASSAULT TECHNIQUES.
ON D-DAY, THESE SAME MEN OF
THE ROYAL NAVY DEMONSTRATED
THE FINEST TRADITIONS OF THEIR SERVICE
THROUGH THEIR COURAGE,
STEADFASTNESS, AND DEVOTION TO DUTY.
THE SUCCESSES OF THE ASSAULTS AT
POINTE DU HOC AND THE OMAHA BEACHES
OF DOG GREEN, RED AND WHITE WERE
MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THEIR SKILLS
AND BRAVERY.
ALL WORLD WAR II RANGERS ARE PROUD TO
BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE VETERANS OF THE
LCA FLOTILLAS OF THE ROYAL NAVY
AND REMAIN GRATEFUL TO THEM,
AND THEIR VESSELS BOTH LARGE AND SMALL.
