- Type of Memorial
- Stone of remembrance
- WMR Reference Number
- 72042
- Description
- Upright rectangular stone of remembrance of roughcast grey/white stone with polished black granite tablets affixed to each face of the stone. The principal tablet has an engraving of the insignia of the RNPS; the other tablets have engravings of minesweepers and fishing vessels. Dedications are inscribed in gold lettering on the tablets. On the top of the stone is a naval mine. The memorial stands on a square stone base.
- Inscription
- At 6 o'clock: H.M.S.EUROPA/ ROYAL NAVAL PATROL SERVICE/ (Insiginia) "IN IMIS PETIMUS"/ "HARRY TATES NAVY"/ WE WENT TO SEA IN SMALL SHIPS,/ THE TRAWLER, THE DRIFTER, THE SMACK,/ WE FOUGHT OUR WAR THE HARD WAY/ AND MANY OF US NE'ER CAME BACK,/ SO WHEN YOU BLESS THE NAVY,/ JUST SAY A LITTLE PRAYER,/ FOR THE MEN OF THE HARDY SMALL SHIPS,/ TO PUT THEM IN GOD'S CARE."/
At 9 o'clock: (Engraved picture of fishing vessels at sea)/ FORMED IN AUGUST 1939 AT H.M.S. EUROPA/ WITH THE CALL UP OF 6000/ FISHERMEN AND VOLUNTEERS/ AND THE REQUISITION OF SOME/ 200 FISHING VESSELS, THE R.N.P.S./ SERVED IN EVERY THEATRE OF WAR./
BY THE END OF HOSTILITIES THE FLEET HAD/ EXPANDED TO 66000 MEN, 600 WRENS/ AND OVER 2000 SHIPS./
MAIN DUTIES INCLUDED MINE-SWEEPING,/ U-BOAT DETECTION AND CONVOY ESCORTING./
CASUALTIES WERE HIGH, OVER 450 SHIPS/ FAILED TO RETURN TO PORT/ AND 2385 MEN ARE LISTED AS HAVING/ NO KNOWN GRAVE BUT THE SEA./ MANY MORE ARE BURIED IN GRAVES/ ALL OVER THE WORLD.
At 12 o'clock: (Engraved picture of minesweeper)/ "FROM THE FROZEN ARCTIC TO THE SOUTH PACIFIC"/ "IN IMIS PETIMUS"/ "IN THE DEPTHS WE SEARCHED"/ NORTH SEA/ NAMSOS, NORWAY/ DUNKIRK/ ATLANTIC, RUSSIAN, MALTA CONVOYS/ ICELAND/ WESTERN APPROACHES/ NEWFOUNDLAND, CANADA/ NORTH AFRICA/ TOBRUK/ SICILY/ ITALY/ GREECE/ NORMANDY 'D' DAY/ U.S.A./ PACIFIC OCEAN/ INDIAN OCEAN/ AUSTRALIA
At 3 o'clock: (Engraved picture of minesweepers at sea)/B.Y.M.S./ THROUGH MANY DANGERS, TOILS AND SNARES/ I HAVE ALREADY COME,/ TIS GRACE THAT BROUGHT ME SAFE THUS FAR/ AND GRACE WILL LEAD ME HOME/ FROM THE HYMN/ "AMAZING GRACE"/