Great War Tourism - London

[kenneth505]

Im get ready for another visit to fabulous London and thought I'd ask for suggestions of how to find interesting Great War connections in that city. I'm aware of and have been to the 'big ones' IWM and the one next to the Royal Chelsea Hospital, Churchill War Rooms. I've seen the lists on the GWF of various museums around England but I'm wondering if there are any suggestions for things to get to that are still within zones 1-7, Oyster card range?

I've put David Cohen Fine Art on my list and am sure there is more. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

[Khaki]

I don't know as its been too long, but is there anything worth seeing at 'Enfield Lock' pattern room

Local knowledge please.

khaki

[kenneth505]

also, best used book stores to find Great War material ...

[Khaki]

Ken you might want to consider the airline weight factor in checked bags before you get too carried away.

khaki

[Sepoy]

I don't know as its been too long, but is there anything worth seeing at 'Enfield Lock' pattern room

Local knowledge please.

khaki

I am afraid the "Pattern Room" left Enfield years ago and now resides at the National Firearms Centre, National Armouries, at Leeds.

Sepoy

NB Some good memorials in London like the Imperial Camel Corps Memorial at Victoria Gardens on the Thames Embankment or WW1 Bomb damage as on Cleopatra's "Needle".

[kenneth505]

NB Some good memorials in London like the Imperial Camel Corps Memorial at Victoria Gardens on the Thames Embankment or WW1 Bomb damage as on Cleopatra's "Needle"

Ideal, thank you, this is exactly the stuff. I enjoy having a destination for a walk and getting to see the camel or some battle splash is perfect.

[WilliamRev]

Hi Ken,

I haven't been to this yet, but am planning a visit in the next month.... the Royal Artillery Museum at Woolwich, which I understand has plenty of WW1 stuff. Website here.

William

[seaJane]

Tower Hill Memorial commemorates men and women of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who died in both World Wars and who have no known grave. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_Hill_Memorial

Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey - and look for the railway staff memorial tablets if you are using the mainline stations. There are other memorial tablets at the head of the entrance steps of, for example, the Royal Academy, and the British Museum.

[kenneth505]

Ah yes, I've seen the memorial at Waterloo. So large and so many it's almost possible to walk past w/o noticing.

[Phil Wood]

If the National Archives at Kew is within Oyster range there is plenty of WW1 stuff there.

[spof]

Tower Hill Memorial commemorates men and women of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who died in both World Wars and who have no known grave. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_Hill_Memorial

Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey - and look for the railway staff memorial tablets if you are using the mainline stations. There are other memorial tablets at the head of the entrance steps of, for example, the Royal Academy, and the British Museum.

Near the Tower Hill Memorial is All Hallows Church which has some interesting items including hte tomb of "Tubby" Clayton, founder of TocH.

In the Hyde Park Corner area are memorials to the RA, MGC, Australians, New Zealanders and, very close by, Animals at War.The Rifle Brigade Memorial near the Palace to the Royal Fusiliers Memorial in Holborn

Some more museums:

National Army Museum

http://www.nam.ac.uk/

RAF Museum

http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/

National Maritime Museum

http://www.rmg.co.uk/

Also go to War Memorials Online and search for London.

[Seadog]

Hyde Park Corner is a "must see"

Norman

PS If any member is near Tower Hill on the 8th September 2013 a commemoration service will take place for Merchant Navy Day which in the UK is today 3rd September.

Details

http://www.seafarers-uk.org/merchant-navy-day-service-reunion-on-8-sept/

[Steven Broomfield]

A good walk round SW1 will keep you happy: a circular tour round from Hyde Park Corner to Whitehall will reward the effort, plus a few decent boozers for a bit of refreshment.

For eaxmple, round the immediate area of Horse Guards you have the Guards memorial, the RND memorial, the new(ish) Gurkha memorial, plus a lot of statuary to famous blokes and suchlike. Westminster Abbey's worth dropping in, too, and there's quite a bit of "battle splash" to see in the area.

When are you over? It might be possible to meet up with a few London-based members to treat you to some proper beer.

You can also catch a train from Waterloo to Winchester and visit the museums at Peninsula Barracks. (Rifles, Gurkhas, Adjutant General's Corps, Royal Hampshires and King's Royal Hussars - Saturday for best value), plus the magnificent sight of Winchester Cathedral (quite a lot of splendid memorials inside, plus the 60th Rifles' and Hampshire county memorial outside). I know a man who could give you a tour ... It's only an hour from Waterloo.

[phil andrade]

There is a poignant memorial somewhere near Brighton - on The Downs, I think - that commemorates the Indian soldiers who died from wounds in the Brighton Pavilion, which was used as a military hospital for Indians wounded at Neuve Chapelle, Ypres and Loos.

I believe that some of the dead were cremated there, in accordance with Hindu custom.

Forgive my vagueness....I haven't been there, yet.

Surely worth a visit.

Phil (PJA)

[mandy hall]

Wrong war, but the Bomber Command Memorial is very close to Hyde Park Corner.

Mandy

[seaJane]

There is a poignant memorial somewhere near Brighton - on The Downs, I think - that commemorates the Indian soldiers who died from wounds in the Brighton Pavilion, which was used as a military hospital for Indians wounded at Neuve Chapelle, Ypres and Loos.

I believe that some of the dead were cremated there, in accordance with Hindu custom.

Forgive my vagueness....I haven't been there, yet.

Surely worth a visit.

Phil (PJA)

That's the Chattri http://www.chattri.com/

sJ

[Staffsyeoman]

From Trafalgar Square, walk down Northumberland Avenue towards the Embankment. On your right are what used to be Northumberland House - a pre-war hotel commandeered by the War Office and kept by the MOD until the late 90s. Pass the Nigerian High Commission, past the Corinthian Hotel - this used to be the Metropole Hotel, same thing happened. Follow the road round to the right at the point of the building; the Royal Tank Regiment memorial is behind you. Stand by it, and look up four floors and about halfway along between here and the point is where Martel left his office to pitch the idea of a 'landship' across the street behind you - in the War Office. You can walk around the outside of the building (which is about to be sold... grrr) and see Britain's defence nerve centre for 50 years. Don't miss the Gurkha statue outside the Ministry of Defence. If you go the other way from the point of the War Office - towards Whitehall - there is a bridge over the street on the right. Through there is what was the MOD Library; in 1914 it was the Central London Recruiting Office - and a famous picture was taken there.

[kenneth505]

cannot say for certain, but am considering a tramp through downtown Londonon Friday the 22nd, (next Fri.)

to see all the monuments you all have kindly suggested

then let's have a pint

then let's go to Phil's famous, or nearly famous Christmas quiz on the boat just off the embankment

Sorry to say, have to say nearly since will be with the wife who is actually quite keen and with her

Mother who is unused to our ways.

But I'm hoping to explain that the Brits named their boats after gardening terms, thus combining

valor, heroism and gardening. Much like mid-sommer murders...

Well any way, Steven, and the rest of all y'all, what say ya? Shall we?

[Steven Broomfield]

I might be persuaded for the pint. Not sure I'll be allowed to stop late, but a swift half or two might go down well.

[Stoppage Drill]

Wrong war, but the Bomber Command Memorial is very close to Hyde Park Corner.

Mandy

They're all wrong, Mandy.

[Steven Broomfield]

So, Mr Drill, you don't subscribe to the "Good War" thesis?

[kenneth505]

An article in my paper today suggest that due to the economic disruption caused by the two world wars and the intervening economic depression global warming slowed. That's good, right?

[saw119]

I would second the recommendation to visit the Artillery Museum at Woolwich. I visited there this summer and found it brilliant. Covers all periods and has some fantastic guns, I especially liked their WWI Artillery Driver display as I had been researching a Driver in my family.

[David Ridgus]

I also loved the Artillery Museum, very much a hidden gem.

One monument you should definitely see is Jagger's Great Western Railway Memorial on Platform 1 at Paddington. I think it's the finest Great War statue in London

David

[kenneth505]

There is a poignant memorial somewhere near Brighton - on The Downs, I think - that commemorates the Indian soldiers who died from wounds in the Brighton Pavilion, which was used as a military hospital for Indians wounded at Neuve Chapelle, Ypres and Loos.

I believe that some of the dead were cremated there, in accordance with Hindu custom.

Forgive my vagueness....I haven't been there, yet.

Surely worth a visit.

Phil (PJA)

I wondered about this, never having heard of it but, just watched the first Paxman Great War episode and suddenly Phil, your post made sense!