The story of the inspiration for, establishment and evolution of the
National Memorial Arboretum is a fascinating one. Sited at Alrewas,
Staffordshire, the Arboretum has become the Nation's all year round
focus for remembering and paying tribute to all who have served their
country in both peace and war not only in the armed forces and merchant
navy but in the emergency services as well.
Planting began in 1997 and was supported by hundreds of organizations
both serving and retired. Among the early memorials was a life-size
wooded polar bear, for 49th Division, a grove of Irish trees for the
Royal Irish Regiment, an Avenue of Chestnuts for the Police and a Chapel
of Peace and Forgiveness to mark the coming of the Millennium. Britain's
war-widows had a rose-garden planted for them while the Far East
Prisoners of War managed to fund a small museum to stand alongside a
length of railway track brought back from the notorious Burma Railway.
In October 2007 H.M. the Queen confirmed the importance of the site when
she opened the Armed Forces Memorial to commemorate all service
personnel lost on active service since the end of the Second World War;
this is especially poignant given the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and
Afghanistan. The importance of the National Memorial Arboretum is well
demonstrated by the growing number of stands and the steady increase in
visitor numbers.
