HMS VERNON MEMORIAL PROJECT.
Royal Naval veterans associations are running a campaign to erect a memorial statue
at Gunwharf Quays, to recognise the hazardous work carried out by
the Royal Navy's diving and minewarfare community, an elite component
of combat operations in the Senior Service.
Until as recently as 1996, the Fleet Clearance Diving Team and the
Portsmouth Area Clearance Diving Team, were based at HMS Vernon, which
after its closure was redeveloped as Gunwharf Quays.
The monument is being funded entirely by voluntary donations, raised
from both serving and retired service personnel, plus members of the
public and participating organisations.
"This is a special challenge we have considered undertaking for many
years" says Commander Paul Jones, Royal Navy, Chairman of the
Minewarfare and Clearance Diving Officers Association, one of the
professional service organisations closely involved in the project
that represent serving and retired diving and minewarfare specialists.
It's a challenge to be selected to join the world of mines, underwater
bomb disposal and demolitions. The training is rigorous; the working
conditions are, at best, daunting. Units regularly deploy globally to
war zones and, when the need arises, small teams go about their business
in hazardous waters and shorelines, generally unseen, the challenging
nature of their work being often discretely recognised as going
"beyond the call of duty" – as the list of honours and decorations
awarded to members of this community in the past hundred years confirms.
Whilst individuals are regularly awarded medals for operational campaigns,
gallantry and even heroism, the close-knit community of small ships and the
technical nature of support teams help to form strong bonds of trust and
friendship that last for decades: to portray this complex legacy in a statue
will be a tough task for the sculptor chosen at the end of this selection process.
The current management of Gunwharf Quays is supportive of the project,
Peter Emery, Centre Manager of the Gunwharf Quays site, now owned by
Land Securities plc, acknowledges: "We are very aware of the unique
historical legacy and nautical heritage of Gunwharf Quays. Working
in close partnership with Portsmouth City Council, to ensure the final
design meets rigorous conservation, design and safety criteria,
we are looking forward to having the finished monument mounted here
in the centre of the ex-HMS Vernon site – I’m sure it will prove a
very suitable addition to our collection of artwork and exhibits in
the public area."
Between the two World Wars, countless old, British, moored-mine casings were
converted to collect cash donations for nautical charities: these ex-weapons
were often found mounted conspicuously on seafront promenades, around the country.
Other than these well-known examples, there is no significant public monument to
those who perform the particular roles of diving & minewarfare, or the countless
others who supported, trained and served with them: many of whom passed through
HMS Vernon’s Main Gate, to learn and practice their respective trades.
For more information please contact:
David Carey
Project Manager, Vernon Monument
+44 (0)7920 703688
Project.Manager@Vernon-Monument.org
www.Vernon-Monument.org
December 2008 Project update.
The three sculptors we shortlisted in August each worked on 12-inch high miniatures of their own design, following a detailed specification.
On 24th November a Selection Panel of eleven selected Les Johnson as our the finalist sculptor.
Originally from Australia, Les is a Fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors.
The proposed location for the monument has been further refined down to two potential options, each in a specific site in Gunwharf Quays.
The current favoured location is in the western end of the ”Vernon Canal”, surrounded by salt water, which is very apt.
An updated underwater survey of the seabed of the Vernon Canal was undertaken in November, to ensure that it was fit for purpose.
Our thanks to the Southern Diving Group for their excellent support and detailed results.
