Very much a work in progress, this is an absolutely stunning place. As the website says, it's 150 acres devoted to Remembrance - primarily, at present, military but that will probably change with time. Because it's such a young site - the first trees weren't planted until 1997 and the first memorial was dedicated in June 1998 - its appearance will change much in the coming years. Whereas now you can look around you and see a lot of memorials at once, eventually the site will be covered by fully grown trees with only avenues dividing them and the memorials will feel a lot more secluded.

How many memorials are there at present? Impossible to count as each individual tree is a potential memorial itself. Many already have their own plaques in place. The centrepiece of the site is the Armed Forces Memorial which lists the name of every man and woman of the Armed and Merchant Services who have lost their lives in the over 50 operations and conflicts since 1945. My advice would be to go early to appreciate the Memorial in peace and quiet before too many visitors arrive.

The other, at present, stunning memorial is the Polish Forces War Memorial. However, most memorials are quietly stated with the emphasis overall being of the importance to the site of the growing trees.

Free admission (donations welcome) 364 days of the year, car parking costs £2 for a day.

http://www.thenma.org.uk/

It should be noted that the chapel is the only place in the UK where a 2 minute silence is held every day of the year at 11am.

An early aerial view of the site; it's much bigger now




The Armed Forces Memorial in the distance




View of the Visitor Centre from the Armed Forces memorial


Royal Tank Regiment


'Shot At Dawn'


Showmen's Guild war memorial

RTTW 2010 2nd October. Organised by the UK Harley Owners Group but open to all riders/machines.

Over 7000 left Drayton Manor Park last year...An amazing event for an amazing cause.

I will be togging as usual.

Hawk

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I will get that Canon IS USM F/2.8 400mm lens. Any donations accepted