Portsmouth Naval Memorial

The Portsmouth Naval Memorial, located on Southsea Common in Portsmouth, England, honors around 25,000 British and Commonwealth sailors lost in both World Wars— 9667 in the First and 14.918 in the Second.

Designed by Sir Robert Lorimer with sculptures by Henry Poole, it was built alongside identical memorials in Chatham and Plymouth to commemorate those lost at sea without known graves. The structure, made of Portland stone, features a towering obelisk adorned with bronze plaques listing names of the fallen. Lions guard its base, while a finial with ship prows and a verdigris copper ball crowns the monument.

Unveiled in 1924 by the Duke of York (later King George VI), it was expanded after World War II with additional designs by Sir Edward Maufe, including wall-mounted name panels and pavilions. Sculptors Charles Wheeler, William McMillan, and Esmond Burton contributed to this extension, which was inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, in 1953.

Maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, it was listed in 1972 and upgraded to Grade I status in 2016 to mark the Battle of Jutland centenary.

In October 2024, the memorial was rededicated for its 100th anniversary, marked by a torch lighting ceremony and a Royal Navy Guard of Honour procession through Southsea.

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Source

• Text: TracesofWar
• Photos: Rob Vogels