Information from the Commonwealth War Graves Website
Debt of Honour Register
| Cemetery: | LOWESTOFT NAVAL MEMORIALSuffolk, United Kingdom |
| Grave or Reference Panel Number: | Panel 7, Column 1. |
| Location: | The Naval Memorial is located to the north of the town alongside the A12 Yarmouth Road, approximately one mile north of the harbour. The memorial is in a prominent position within a local authority gardens, known as Bellevue Park. The park is on the top of the cliffs and the memorial itself is on the edge of the cliff so providing an unobscured view of the foreshore and sea. Commemorating almost 2,400 men of the Royal Naval Patrol Services who have no grave but the sea, the memorial consists of a fluted column rising from a circular base 12 metres in diameter surmounted by a bronze ship device (Lymphad), the uppermost point of which is over 15 metres from the ground level. Around the circular base are arranged bronze panels that bear the names. The panels are set in recesses and protected from the weather by a cornice. A Portland stone panel at the front of the Memorial, flanked on either side by the Naval Crown with wreath and foul anchor, faces towards the sea. |
| Visiting Information: | Car parking in the area is restricted and it is best to park in North Parade and enter Bellevue Park by way of the footbridge. |
| Historical Information: | The Depot for the Royal Naval Patrol Service, developed from the pre-war Royal Naval Reserve Trawler Section was at Lowestoft during the 1939-1945 War. At the outset of the war the men of this service were mainly the fishermen of the requisitioned trawlers and drifters used on patrol work, but later it included men from all walks of life and various types of small craft. In the spring of 1944 the Royal Naval Patrol Service reached its maximum strength of some 57,000. Between 1942 and 1946 new construction ships and craft manned by the Service totalled 1,637, among them minesweepers of various kinds, corvettes, fuel carriers, motor launches and naval seaplane tenders. Their objective was to maintain wartime patrols and safeguard the coasts of Britain. Lowestoft was chosen as the site for the Memorial to those men of the Royal Naval Patrol Service who have no other grave than the sea. |
Display Record of Commemoration
Fred's daughter Mrs Williams supplied these photographs of her father.
Fred taken during the First World War
Fred's Mum Hop Picking
Fred with his wife and first child
Fred taken outside of his home 4, Cherry Gardens, Elham.
Fred onboard with the rest of the crew during World War 2.
The rear of the last photograph with a message from Fred to his wife.
After WW1 Fred worked as thatcher, hedger and shepherd. Just prior to WW2 he worked for the Palmer family at Parsonage farm and lived in a tied cottage. The property was divided into two farm workers cottages, Fred and his family of 10 lived in the one on the left hand side.
At the out break of the war Fred left his protected employment as a shepherd and re-in listed and the family moved to No.4 Cherry Gardens, Elham.
Fred's family lay a wreath every year, this has
usually been done by Mrs Williams one of Fred's daughters. However in 2003 his
Granddaughter and Great Granddaughter carried out this honourable duty.
Here you see three generations of Fred's descendants.
Page last updated 12/10/2012