Picture gallery - Eastbourne war memorial unveiling

The new memorial to the 180 civilians who died in bombing raids on Eastbourne in World War Two was formally unveiled at the weekend.
By The Newsroom
Published 3rd Jul 2018, 17:16 BST
Updated 16th Jul 2018, 17:03 BST
Eastbourne Civilian Memorial unveiling at the Wish Tower SUS-180307-133905001Eastbourne Civilian Memorial unveiling at the Wish Tower SUS-180307-133905001
Eastbourne Civilian Memorial unveiling at the Wish Tower SUS-180307-133905001

The memorial, which lists the names of all those killed, stands in the moat surrounding the Wish Tower.

The area surrounding the granite boulder to which the memorial plaque is fixed, has been transformed to create a Peace Garden and is close to the site of the original Wish Tower Restaurant – built in 1960 in memory of the bombing victims but demolished in 2012 after falling into a state of disrepair.

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Scores of people attended the unveiling including those who lost loved ones and whose homes were devastated in German bombing raids during the conflict.

Eastbourne Civilian Memorial unveiling at the Wish Tower SUS-180307-133905001Eastbourne Civilian Memorial unveiling at the Wish Tower SUS-180307-133905001
Eastbourne Civilian Memorial unveiling at the Wish Tower SUS-180307-133905001

The memorial was unveiled by 89-year-old Gillian Rogers whose father, William Edmonds, was among 11 people who died when a shelter in Eastbourne’s Spencer Road was directly hit by a bomb.

Former international ballerina Dame Beryl Grey, now 91, released white doves during the ceremony as a mark of peace.

Members of Eastbourne Silver Band played during the opening ceremony.

Photos by Steve Pook.