Silent sentinels beneath the waves. They served their country with unwavering dedication. This is the National Submarine War Memorial Plaque. It stands here on the Victoria Embankment.
This memorial honors the Royal Navy submariners. They gave their lives in the First and Second World Wars. The Royal Navy Submarine Service started with 57 vessels in 1914. By 1918 it had grown to 137. Another 78 were being built. During the First World War 54 submarines sank. Over 1300 Royal Navy submariners died.
Public subscriptions funded this memorial. Arthur Heron Ryan Tenison designed it. Frederick Brook Hitch created the bronze sculpture. The Parlanti Foundry cast it. Tenison and Hitch also collaborated on another memorial. It honored the 8th and 9th Submarine Flotillas at St Mary’s Church, Shotley. This memorial incorporates a granite pier. It was once part of the entrance to Temple Pier. Temple Pier was a boat landing stage on the Victoria Embankment.
The National Submarine War Memorial Plaque sits on granite steps. It supports a large bronze bas relief. It is set within an architectural frame. The bas relief shows the inside of a submarine. Nereids swim on either side. Allegorical figures of Truth and Justice stand to the right and left. Forty bronze wreath hooks shaped like anchors flank the central bronze plaques.
At the top of the memorial are words. They read: “Erected to the memory of the officers and men of the British Navy who lost their lives serving in submarines 1914–1918 and 1939–1945.” The left side lists 50 submarines lost in the First World War. The right side lists 82 submarines lost in the Second World War.
Rear Admiral Sir Hugh Sinclair unveiled it on December 15, 1922. He was the Chief of the Submarine Service. Archdeacon Charles Ingles dedicated the memorial. He was the Chaplain of the Fleet.
Additional panels were added later. They commemorate the Second World War. Rear-Admiral Bertram Taylor unveiled them on November 15, 1959. In 1992 another plaque marked the memorial’s 70th anniversary.
The National Submarine War Memorial Plaque became a Grade II listed building in 1972. It was upgraded to Grade II* in January 2017.
Look closely at the bronze relief. Notice the naval figures inside the submarine. They are battling the ocean’s forces. Sea creatures try to trap the submarine in a net. The prows of boats decorate the ornamental border. You can also spot the badge of the Royal Navy.
Take a moment to remember those who served. They faced danger and hardship in the depths of the sea. This memorial stands as a tribute to their courage. It’s a reminder of their sacrifice. It is a place for reflection. The National Submarine War Memorial Plaque ensures their stories live on.