Chatham Naval Memorial

Chatham Naval Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Chatham Naval Memorial
For members of the Royal Navy who died during the First and Second World War and have no known grave
Unveiled	15 October 1924
Designed by	Robert Lorimer
Total commemorated	18,621
Statistics source: Cemetery Details. Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Chatham Naval Memorial is a large obelisk situated in the town of Chatham, Kent, which is in the Medway Towns. The memorial is a feature of the Great Lines Heritage Park. The huge expanse of the Great Lines was in its own right a layer of defence to protect Chatham Dockyard from attack.

Chatham was a principal manning port of the Royal Navy during the First World War and thus was dedicated as the site of one of three memorials to sailors, airmen and marines of the Royal Navy who lost their lives during the conflict but who have no known grave.

The other memorials were situated at Portsmouth and Plymouth. The obelisks were designed by Sir Robert Lorimer and the one at Chatham originally contained 8,515 names. They include two Victoria Cross recipients, Skipper Thomas Crisp (Merchant Marine), and Major Francis John William Harvey (Royal Marines Light Infantry), besides poet Flight Commander Jeffery Day (Royal Naval Air Service) and England rugby international, Surgeon James (Bungy) Watson. Of the three obelisks, Chatham's is the only one sited on a hill, making it visible over a wide area.

It is made of Portland stone with bronze plaques in 1920. It has steps up to a plinth with inscription plaques, and projecting corners with reclining lions, beneath a stepped base to the obelisk, which has a stepped top to an elaborate finial with corner ships prows and bronze supports to a ball.