Weekend Deviation – Remebering the Blitz Some More and the National Firefighters Memorial

Who’d be the person in charge of deciding memorials in London! not me. Some think the National Firefighters Memorial in London should be a more general memorial to the Blitz, all those like wardens etc involved in the civilian war effort and those ordinary Londoners who perished in the attacks. But then the firemen are special and need their own statue while the Blitz affected numerous British cities and ports, not just London. Problems, problems…

Anyway in this Blitz anniversary year the National Firefighters Memorial, symbolically close to St Paul’s Cathedral and depicting firemen fighting the blazes around Wren’s masterpiece during the Blitz (though commemorates the bravery of fireman across the nation and not just London, nor just during the Blitz) has been a bit of a symbolic location this year for those interested in those horrible events in late 1940 and beyond.

Personally I like it. It redolent of some of the great Blitz photos of firemen in action and the image of St Paul’s standing tall and surrounded by fire during the Blitz was a potent piece of propaganda – ‘London Can Take It’. It’s proximity to the cathedral and also to the new Jubilee Walkway over the Thames ensures plenty of visitors who stop and take time to investigate or consider the memorial.

The monument with St Paul’s behind

Fighting the real Blitz

The Cathedral stands amid the attacks – the picture that’s guaranteed to bring a tear to any true Londoners eye!