Memorial
People of Weymouth and Portland - WW2
Current Location
Opposite the Royal Hotel, The Esplanade, Weymouth, Weymouth And Portland, Dorset, DT4 7RN, England
OS Grid Reference
SY 68040 79415
Names listed on this memorial
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© WMR-69782
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- Type of Memorial
- Board / Plaque / Tablet
- WMR Reference Number
- 69782
- Description
- Rectangular brass plaque mounted on wooden backboard. Plaque is etched with the scene of American troops marching along Weymouth esplanade to the pier for embarkation to Normandy. Lettering is etched in black.
- Inscription
- IN MEMORY OF/ THE PEOPLE OF WEYMOUTH AND PORTLAND/ WHO LOST THEIR LIVES DURING HOSTILITIES/ 1939-1945/ ALSO THE SERVICE OF CIVILIAN PERSONNEL/ WHO SHOWED BRAVERY AND ENDURANCE OF THE/ HIGHEST ORDER IN BATTLE AND DEFENCE OF/ WEYMOUTH AND PORTLAND./ REMEMBERING THE BRITISH SERVICE PERSONNEL/ AND ALLIES WHO FOUGHT WITH SUCH HONOUR/ AND BRAVERY ALL AROUND THE WORLD./ WEYMOUTH AND PORTLAND PLAYED AN IMPORTANT/ ROLE IN THE WAR FROM BEGINNING TO END./ MAY 1940 SHIPS FROM WEYMOUTH AND/ PORTLAND HELPED EVACUATE TROOPS/ FROM DUNKIRK./ 4 JULY 1940 AREA'S FIRST MAJOR AIR RAID/ ON HMS ROYLEBANK IN PORTLAND/ HARBOUR./ 160 CREW AND 10 CIVILIANS DIED, INCLUDING SEAMAN JACK MANTLE WHO/ THOUGH WOUNDED FIRED AT/ ENEMY AIRCRAFT WITH A HAND GUN. HE WAS POSTHUMOUSLY/ AWARDED THE VICTORIA CROSS./ SUMMER 1940 BATTLE OF BRITAIN FOUGHT IN/ THE SKIES OVER THE SOUTH/ DORSET./ JUNE 1940 RECEIVED MORE THAN 30,000/ REFUGEES FROM THE CHANNEL/ ISLANDS AND EUROPE AND 6,000/ FREE FRENCH AND MOROCCAN/ SOLDIERS./ SEPT 1940 RECEIVED 6,800 EVACUEES/ 18 NOV 1940 12 WERE KILLED IN CHAPELHAYS/ WORST AIR RAID./ 2 APRIL 1942 WEYMOUTH'S FIRST DIVING BOMBING/ ATTACK. 20 WERE KILLED AND 60 INJURED WHEN SS ENEMY AIRCRAFT ATTACKED THE TOWN./ AUTUMN 1943 THE MAIN ELEMENT IF US/ V CORPS MOVED INTO DORSET TO/ PREPARE FOR OPERATION OVERLORD/ THE LARGEST AMPHIBIOUS LANDING/ IN HISTORY./ 28 APRIL 1944 749 AMERICAN PERSONNEL KILLED/ OFF PORTLAND DURING D-DAY/ TRAINING EXERCISE 'TIGER.'/ THE DEAD AND INJURED WERE/ BROGUTH ASHORE AT PORTLAND./ JUNE 1944 WEYMOUTH AND PORTLAND WAS/ THE EMBARKATION POINT FOR/ FORCE 'O' WHO WERE TO/ SPEARHEAD THE INVASION OF/ NORMANDY AT OMAHA BEACH./ MORE THAN 500,000 TROOPS AND/ 144,000 TANKS AND VEHICLES/ LEFT FROM THESE HARBOURS./ AFTER D-DAY RETURNING VESSELS BROUGHT/ OVER 26,000 DEAD AND WOUNDED/ ALLIES AND REFUGEES AND 40,000/ GERMAN PRISONERS INTO WEYMOUTH/ AND PORTLAND./ 10 MAY 1945 THE FIRST GERMAN U-BOATS TO SURRENDER ON CESSATION OF/ HOSTILITIES WERE BROUGHT INTO/ WEYMOUTH HARBOUR./ 120 CIVILIANS WERE KILLED IN MORE THAN 50/ AIR RAIDS WHICH DAMAGED 10,000 HOMES/ MORE THAN 350 LOCAL PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN ACTION./ WE WOULD ALSO REMEMEBR THE INNOCENT/ VICTIMS OF ALL NATIONS IN ALL WARS./ AS THIS MILLENIUM CLOSES WE COMMIT/ THIS MEMORY TO HISTORY./ JUNE 1999.
- War
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- War
- Second World War - civilians
- Maker(s)
Mr D. Julian, Designer
Tecan Ltd, Weymouth, Makers
- Costs
- £600
- Sponsor Type
- corporate
Ceremonies
Unveiled
June 1999
Mayors of Weymouth and Portland
Components
- Plaque
Height: 680mm
Width: 570mm
Depth: 50mm
Made from: Brass
Condition: Good
- Backboard
Made from: Wood
Condition: Good