National Memorial Arboretum & Armed Forces Memorial.

As someone who lives less than 10 miles away from the NMA (and goes every few weeks) if anyone needs info only too willing to Help.

 

Whilst looking foe information on another casualty I found this at Home | Armed forces memorial 24772442 LCpl Mark Howells Welsh Guards died age 22 this was a friend of mine I was in comprehensive school with and he joined up when he left school, he was killed in an accident,in about 1991 his car crashed near his barracks in N.I and despite efforts by fellow Guardsman they were unable to get him out of the car.I have been searching for his details for a little while and thanks to this forum I have finally found them. R.I.P Mark.

 

In the Allied Special Forces Memorial Grove section, there has recently been erected a memorial to women of the SOE.



View attachment 59976


According to Mike Colton, Secretary to the Allied Special Forces Association, the tree was planted in 2006, grown from a seed found in a cone brought back from Natzweiler concentration camp.

In 2010 a metal base frame in the shape of the Star of David was installed around the tree and this year a seat made from ash and pine was added. Plaques with the names of 15 SOE women agents and their controller were installed.

View attachment 59977 Bayard, Byck, Rudellat
Borrel, Beekman, Bloch
Leigh, Damerment, Lefort
View attachment 59980 Olschanezky, Inayat-Khan, Rolfe
Rowden, Plewman, Szabo
Atkins

The memorial will be dedicated in a ceremony on 24th September this year.
Be there!

It remains unclear exactly why the memorial was made in the shape of the Star of David.

Carpetbagging the women of SOE

 

The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund





View attachment 60103

 

Commando winners of the Victoria Cross

 

Fleet Air Arm:







View attachment 60142

 

...

It remains unclear exactly why the memorial was made in the shape of the Star of David.
.....



Mike Colton (see quoted post) has now supplied the information that the shape was chosen to represent Vera Atkins' religious heritage.

 

If you want to know what the Mother of one of the fallen thinks of the memorial have a listen to the first few minutes of this.

BBC - BBC Radio 2 Programmes - Jeremy Vine, The Songs My Son Loved, Sergeant John Jones



Sgt John Jones has a tree (Willow) and plaque there.