Tree

D-Day Tree

Erection date: 1994

Inscription

{On the two plaques to the north:}
D-Day, 6th June 1944, 50th Anniversary, 1994, City of Westminster

{On the two plaques to the south:}
Operation Overlord

These 4 plaques, each about 7" (we didn't actually measure them) are laid into the 4 corners of the metal tree-pit cover around the Ginkgo biloba, Maidenhair tree. We've created a composite image showing the plaques as arranged when viewed from the east, with your back to North Audley Street. The symbol used on the Operation Overlord plaques is the SHAEF insignia.

Erected in 1994, while not grand, this is an unusual memorial so we have studied it. Two puzzles: We can see no reason for this particular arrangement of the plaques; for example why put the 2 D-Day plaques to the north? Secondly, we need to go back and check with our fingers, but it seems that in each pair of plaques one has the text in relief and on the other the text is incuse (sunken). Perhaps all these binaries are symbolic of the two countries that achieved the victory, UK and USA. Or is this too fanciful?

Site: D-Day Tree (1 memorial)

W1, Grosvenor Square

This tree, so close to the US embassy, celebrates the US involvement in WW2 victory. We can find no record of the planting of this tree. In contrast we have found a record of the unveiling of a stone to commemorate D-Day but we cannot find the stone.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
D-Day Tree

Subjects commemorated i

Normandy Landings / D-Day

The landings, also known as Operation Neptune, were the landing operations in...

Read More

Operation Overlord

The allied campaign in WW2 for the liberation of North West Europe including ...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Hiroshima tree - Furnivall Gardens

Hiroshima tree - Furnivall Gardens

W6, Furnivall Gardens

This tree is a memorial to the dead of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

1 subject commemorated
Lidice

Lidice

E8, Mare Street, Lidice Rose Garden

This rose garden was planted in 1947, just 5 years after the massacre. There is possibly also another plaque (that we missed) commemorati...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Salter vault

Salter vault

SE1, Druid Street, Dr Salter playground

It's difficult to interpret "this vault" since all there is, is a low brick wall in front of a planting bed, with the tree. Is it possibl...

2 subjects commemorated
Ealing YMCA tree

Ealing YMCA tree

W5, Ealing Green

Psalm 119 Verse 9, in the King James Bible reads: "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy...

2 subjects commemorated
Punters' trees

Punters' trees

N7, Liverpool Road, St Mary Magdene Garden

We decided against transcribing the apostrophe in "tree's" and using the Latin "sic" - that would just make us look nerdy and pedantic.

2 subjects commemorated

Previously viewed

George Croydon Marks

George Croydon Marks

SE18, Artillery Square, Royal Arsenal, Greenwich Heritage Centre

The plaque is in the dimly lit museum of Greenwich Heritage Centre.

1 subject commemorated
First Synagogue in Hackney

First Synagogue in Hackney

British History Online gives the following information: 'Benjamin Mendes da Costa and Jacob de Moses Franco were among the first members of the Jewish Board of Deputies in 1760, when every member o...

Building, Property, Religion

1 memorial
T. V. and Anthony Edwards

T. V. and Anthony Edwards

Anthony is a senior partner of the law firm T. V. Edwards which was established by his uncle, T. V., in 1929.  Their offices at 33 Mile End Road had a large blank wall.  Anthony commissioned the mu...

Group, Benefactor, Law

1 memorial