Memorial plan for lost crew
Plans for a new memorial for those lost during the sinking of HMS Royal Oak in the Second World War have been submitted to Portsmouth City Council.
A planning application for the erection of an 8ft obelisk near the Historic Dockyard has been submitted by the HMS Royal Oak Association as it looks to provide a publicly-accessible remembrance point.
Despite having the money in place to fund the project, the association had been hampered by city council rules restricting the number of memorials in Portsmouth.
HMS Royal Oak was one of fiveRevenge-classbattleships built during the First World War and more than 800 people died when it sank after a torpedo attack in Scapa Flow early in the Second World War.
Theassociationwasfounded in Portsmouth with many of the sailors either coming fromorhavinglivedinthecity.
Speaking ahead of last year’scommemorationevent, itshonorarysecretary,Gareth Derbyshire,saiditwasimportant the memorial was erected.
‘It is probably the single biggest maritime loss tied to Portsmouth,’hesaid.‘Theonly dedicated memorial is one we unveiledtocoincidewith80th anniversary,andthat’sastone plaque on the wall of St Ann’s Church in the naval base.
'We’re very fortunate to have it, but the only slight drawback is that you need security clearance to get in there.’
The association has already collected the funds for its installation but the planningapplicationhasonlynow beensubmittedduetothepolicy which said the city already has ‘enough’ memorials.
‘Unfortunately, it is not possible to continue to accommodatenewmonuments/ statues and commemorative benches in the same way as in the past as suitable sites are limited,’ the council’s Monuments and Memorials Policy says.
The policy focuses on four ‘saturation zones’ where new memorials are not allowed, unless there are ‘exceptional circumstances’. These are: VictoriaPark,theseafrontand SouthseaCommon,Guildhall Square and Old Portsmouth.
Thechoiceoflocationnow means the proposed obelisk fallsoutsideofthese,allowing its erection.
A deadline of June 15 has been set for a decision on the application.