Page 19 - BPW-UK - E-news - Edition 122 - June 2024 - PDF Format

This year’s D-Day commemorations brought the city international coverage,
with a number of high profile events and we were lucky enough to get ring-side
seats at one in particular.

On 4 June my Mum, Trevor and I were guests of the Beaulieu and Exbury
Estates. We travelled by boat from Bucklers Hard, to witness the unveiling of
‘AVE ATQUE VALE’ Hail and Farewell; a sculpture on the banks of the Beaulieu River,
forming a tribute to our D-Day Wrens and the women who were left behind. We had
everything going on, in addition to the D-Day Veterans in attendance, an introduc-
tion by Alistair Morrison (internationally renowned photographer) who commissioned
the sculpture as part of his work in creating an art trail with his ‘Time to Connect’
project, a piper piping, a ‘toss oars’ salute from the RN Gig on the river, received by
Cdre Catherine Jordan LVO RN, a fabulous rendition of Amazing Grace by Jaki Gra-
ham, symbolic handkerchief waving, Sea Cadets, Solent URNU Students, an impres-
sive turn out of former WRNS and the most generous hospitality of Nick de Roth-
schild. Truly an occasion that will live long in the memory and I was so happy to be
able to share it with my mum and my husband.

‘The Lady of the South’
AVE ATQUE VALE
Hail and Farewell
It incorporates the figure
of a lady waving a white
handkerchief and a boat
that was found washed up
on the shore.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cl55jkg0k08o

Gathering of
former Wrens
with the photo-
grapher Alistair
Morrison - who
commissioned
the sculpture
part of his ‘Time
to Connect’ pro-
ject - the sculp-
ture really ought
to be one of the
pics - seeing as
that's why we
were all there.