main content Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Memorial

Crystal Palace Park, London, SE20

During the First World War, Crystal Palace was used as a training establishment for the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve - the nearest the navy had to the army's TA. Formed in 1903, these volunteers trained to serve in ships of the fleet as seamen, signalmen, telegraphists and engineers. However with the outbreak of war it was thought there were too many for the numbers of ships available. Winston Churchill, as First Lord at the Admiralty, ordered that these men be formed into two Naval Brigades to act as infantry to defend the port of Antwerp. Although disembarked and recalled within three days without firing a shot, the Naval Brigade went on to see extensive action at Gallipoli, Salonika, the Somme, Pusieux, Oppy, Mericourt and Passchendaele and at many other battles. They were in action up to a quarter of an hour before the ceasefire on Armistice Day, after having advanced through Gavy and crossed the Mons - Gavy Road almost at the point of the first British involvement four years before. In this final action in Belgium, six officers and 25 men were killed just minutes before the end of a long and costly war.

For the Naval Brigades the cost was 10,795 killed and 30,892 wounded. The Crystal Palace establishment under its official title of `HMS Victory IV` but always known locally as `HMS Crystal Palace` trained 125,000 men as replacements for the Brigades and as sailors for the Fleet.

The original RNVR Commemorative Memorial (then termed a `Trophy` in the Navy fashion) was unveiled at Crystal Palace on 6th June 1931 by the then Prince of Wales (later Edward VII and then Duke of Windsor), as a memorial to all who had served in the RNVR and trained at Crystal Palace, and in particular those who had lost their lives. It then stood on the terraces in front of the bandstand. It was not damaged in the great fire of 1936 and remained in situ for many years.

It was moved in the 1980s by the then owners of the park, the Greater London Council. However because of increased vandalism and theft from the memorial, a replica was cast which this now is. It is not known where the original is.

It was again refurbished and re-dedicated in the presence of the Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Henry Leach. GCB on Saturday 6th June 1992.

It now is in the care of the London Borough of Bromley, within the Crystal Palace Park.

The bronze plaques are normally removed and held elsewhere for safe keeping.