John Oram's photos with the keyword: Memorial

On a walk along London's Caledonian Road, I came across a poignant memorial to Alan Cartwright. Alan was stabbed to death on 27 February 2015 during the attempted theft of his bicycle. He was 15 years old. The memorial and a plaque are located close to the place where he died, outside the Cally Pool & Gym, a short distance from the scene of the assault. Four years later, knife crime in the capital continues unabated with the Mayor and Metropolitan Police seemingly helpless to prevent or reduce the incidence of assaults and murders. TZ70_P1000308R

On a walk along London's Caledonian Road, I came across a poignant memorial to Alan Cartwright. Alan was stabbed to death on 27 February 2015 during the attempted theft of his bicycle. He was 15 years old. This plaque and a memorial are located close to the place where he died, outside the Cally Pool & Gym, a short distance from the scene of the assault. Four years later, knife crime in the capital continues unabated with the Mayor and Metropolitan Police seemingly helpless to prevent or reduce the incidence of assaults and murders. TZ70_P1000309R

This simple but important memorial stone stands in the grounds of the Deutsches Museum Verkehrszentrum and looked, I think, particularly striking in the January snow. "Bei Muenchens 800-Jahrfeier denken die Freunde des Automobils and den Pionier der Kraftfahrzeugtechnik, Carl Benz, und an seine Verbundenheit mit Muenchen - 12 Sept 1958" I have used my own working knowledge of German to translate the inscription thus: "On the occasion of the 800th anniversary of Munich's founding, motor car enthusiasts remember Carl Benz, the pioneer of powered vehicle technology and his association with Munich - 12 September 1958". 200_3_P1090427C

The plaques around the base of the war memorial at Perranporth Airfield commemorate the Spitfire, the squadrons which flew from there, the casualties and a tragic individual case. Memorial

The inscription on this memorial in Sibelius Park, Helsinki is difficult (for me) to translate even with online assistance but it commemorates the fallen in the so-called Continuation War (1941-1944) between Finland and the then Soviet Union. The text refers specifically to East Karelia and Ingria. 200_2_P1120779

Plaque attached to the plinth of 'The Waiting Miner' (1966) by H Phillips, bronze on concrete base. I found the statue, now at the entrance to Betteshanger Country Park, very moving. When one recalls the decline of the mining industry, most think, I imagine, of Wales, the north of England and Scotland but there was an important coalfield with five collieries in Kent also. Betteshanger was one of the five. The statue has a long and sometimes controversial history of being moved around Kent and this plaque was attached only in its more recent history. I commend to you the following two articles amongst others: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-14354786 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteshanger_Country_Park 200_2_P1110105

A bright cold day in April. The beach at Stokes Bay, Gosport. The pink and the cellophane catch the eye but reveal no story. Was there an accident? Did some pass peacefully away? Is there another memory associated with this spot? The flowers will fade. The sun will rise and set and the past will become the more distant past but, for someone, a memory will persist. 200_2_P1100452

This simple but sobering memorial in Canada Square Park, Canary Wharf commemorates three construction workers who died in a crane accident in 2000. 200_2_P1060077

The Quay, St Peter Port, Guernsey. 200_2_P1040944

2014 will see the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings and the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I. There will be a lot to reflect upon including the apparent lack of development of the human race. My brief reflection today was at this simple but important memorial at Stokes Bay, Gosport, a memorial already 20 years old having been placed to mark the 50th anniversary of D-Day. 16 December 2013

N'oublions Jamais - Let Us Never Forget This is undoubtedly the single most important photograph I have taken on this holiday and I am spending a lot of time on the text to bring to all the details of the inscription, the message of horror it conveys and the exhortation to 'never forget'. I am privileged that my French extends to passable translation (my own) but more than privileged to live in a Europe from which these dark clouds have passed. This simple but moving memorial is affixed to a wall of platform A of Nice Ville station. There are two plaques: ___________________________________________________________________________ En Haut/Upper La République française en hommage aux victimes des persécutions racistes et antisémites et des crimes contre l'humanité commis sous l'autorité de fait dite "Gouvernement de l'Etat français" (1940-1944) N'oublions jamais The Republic of France in recognition of the victims of racist and anti-semitic persecution and of crimes against humanity committed by authority of the self-styled "Government of the French state" (1940-1944) Let us never forget ___________________________________________________________________________ En Bas/Lower Le 31 AOUT 1942, 554 JUIFS, DONT UNE VINGTAINE D'ENFANTS, HABITANT LES ALPES.MARITIMES, LES BASSES.ALPES ET MONACO, ARRETE SUR ORDRE DU GOUVERNEMENT DU VICHY FURENT LIVRES A LA GESTAPO APRES AVOIR ETE REGROUPES A LA CASERNE AUVARE: UN TRAIN LES A EMMENES A LA GARE SAINT.ROCH AU CAMP DE DRANCY EN ZONE OCCUPEE, D'OU ILS FURENT DEPORTES VERS AUSCHWITZ. DU 10 SEPTEMBRE 1943 AU 30 JUILLET 1944, PLUS DE 3000 JUIFS, DONT ENVIRON 300 ENFANTS, ONT ETES ARRETES PAR LA GESTAPO DANS LES ALPES.MARITIMES, LES BASSES ALPES ET MONACO ET DEPORTES VERS AUSCHWITZ APRES AVOIR ETE TRANSFERES DE LA GARE CENTRALE DE NICE AU CAMP DE DRANCY. PRESQUE TOUS LES DEPORTES ONT ETE ASSASSINES: MOINS DE 3% D'ENTRE EUX ONT SURVECU. ON THE 31st AUGUST 1942, 554 JEWS, INCLUDING TWENTY CHILDREN, LIVING IN ALPES-MARITIMES, BASSES-ALPES AND MONACO, ARRESTED ON THE ORDERS OF THE VICHY GOVERNMENT WERE DELIVERED TO THE GESTAPO AFTER HAVING BEEN COLLECTED TOGETHER AT THE AUVARE BARRACKS. A TRAIN TOOK THEM TO SAINT ROCH STATION AT DRANCY CAMP IN THE OCCUPIED ZONE FROM WHERE THEY WERE DEPORTED TO AUSCHWITZ. BETWEEN 10 SEPTEMBER 1943 AND 30 JULY 1944, MORE THAN 3000 JEWS INCLUDING AROUND 300 CHILDREN WERE ARRESTED BY THE GESTAPO IN ALPES-MARITIMES, BASSES ALPES AND MONACO AND DEPORTED TO AUSCHWITZ AFTER BEING TRANSFERRED FROM NICE CENTRAL STATION TO DRANCY CAMP. ALMOST ALL THOSE DEPORTED WERE MURDERED: FEWER THAN 3% SURVIVED. ___________________________________________________________________________ Any errors in the transcription from the photograph or inadequacies in translation are mine and invite correction. X20_DSCF2160

Memorials and sculpture can be very difficult to photograph especially in bright light. The inscription reads: La Città di Ventimiglia Ai Suoi Figli Caduti Per La Libertà 1943-1945. X20_DSCF2071