“ Commemorative statues, memorials, and the like are often targeted by destructive forces, both in terms of physical attacks and ideological objections raised against architectural or artistic styles. ”
Architect Liam O’Connor’s design of the memorial in Green Park, London, commemorating the men of RAF Bomber Command who perished in the Second World War (1) was opposed from several positions, including the dreary old chestnut that any Classical work of architecture was not “of our own time”.
Four sculptors were also appointed: Lisburn-born David Williams-Ellis for the main sculptural group of three larger-than-life bronze figures (6); the American Charles Bergen for the “Waymarker” depictions of events on the other invasion beaches; and the French Christophe Charbonnel and Valentine Herrenschmidt, who collaborated on the Wreath and Shield sculpture at the very heart of the memorial. A modest and separate monument (5), consisting of interconnected stone arches and panels (2), commemorates the 25,000 civilians who perished during the Battle, and hundreds of trees were planted in what was farmland to create a pleasing setting for the memorial.
