Women Of World War II monument, London
Written by gerard on Friday 21 August 2009
In 2005, Queen Elizabeth II unveiled this sculpture by John W Mills dedicated to the effort of women in the second World War. The sculpture stands in Whitehall in London north of the Cenotaph.
The lettering on the sides replicates the typeface used on war time ration books. There are 17 individual sets of clothing and uniforms around the sides, symbolising the hundreds of different jobs women undertook in World War II and then gave back for the homecoming men at the end of the war.
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Comments
Sculpture
Well, it's an interesting concept piece, but strikes me, at first look, as rather weird. Is there some underlying comment here about women's obssession with clothes? I'd rather see faces and bodies or hands or something. A uniform is clothes you put on for a specific purpose and then take off at the end of the day--there's nothing particularly personal in it. This monument strikes me that way, impersonal and cold. IMHO, of course!
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I used to walk past this on
I used to walk past this on my way to work. It was a bit delayed, but I'm glad it was finally constructed and has such a prominent place on Whitehall.
Daily comment
Just chanced upon you and was delighted to see the monument. On Sept 1st there's to be a service in St Pauls for evacuees from WW2 and I was one. Too far to come from Oz though. There's to ve a similar monument to 'us' too I hear! I'll be back.