turntable gallery was delighted to be awarded the incredible opportunity to preserve the memorial to the memories of those valiant minesweepers who lost their lives, clearing the estuary and beyond, of enemy mines.
As part of the gallery’s ongoing commitment to preserving out material heritage, and restoring the artifacts of our shared past, this project was one we relished. The task required sympathetic cleaning, re-establishing the worn lettering, and replacing the lost badges. The latter involving extensive research and contact with specialists in the field. These new ceramic pieces have been sourced from Italian artisans, and now adorn the central stone.
To restore this important monument, and preserve its legacy for future generations to remember these heroes by, has felt incredibly poignant, considering the hardships people face to this day, in the channel. Working on repainting the lettering of the faded names, and learning a little of the lives they lived, and left behind, has made their stories incredibly immediate. Would that their sacrifices be an end to wars, but sadly, not. All were left with is the too long list of names, etched in marble, defiant against the harsh gales and haunting waters. The least we can do is ensure the record of their passing is preserved.
