Royal Naval Division memorial to be rededicated in London

The national memorial to the Royal Naval Division will be rededicated at Horse Guards Parade on Thursday, 13 November 2025, marking 100 years since its installation in the capital.

The ceremony, which will include senior officers and serving personnel, commemorates sailors who fought as soldiers throughout the First World War at Antwerp, Gallipoli, the Somme and Ypres. The Royal Naval Division accounted for more than 40 per cent of the Royal Navy's losses during 1914–18, with 11,500 sailors and Royal Marines killed from a total of 47,000 casualties.

Originally formed in 1914 from sailors without ships, the division retained its naval character throughout the war. Battalions bore admirals' names – Drake, Anson, Hood, Nelson – rather than numbers. Men held naval ranks, flew the White Ensign and spoke of 'going ashore' when leaving camp.

The memorial, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and taking the unusual form of a fountain, was dismantled during the Second World War for protection. After periods at Greenwich (1951–2003), it returned to its original location 22 years ago.

The rededication date coincides with the anniversary of the Battle of the Ancre (1916), where the division took more ground and prisoners than any other unit during 141 days of fighting on the Somme – a feat that led Winston Churchill, the division's creator, to regard it as one of the finest formations on the Western Front.

Descendants invited

The WFA encourages members with family connections to the Royal Naval Division, or those with an interest in this unique formation, to attend the ceremony. The event begins at noon (muster 11.40am).

For attendance, contact NAVYNRCEE-EVENTS@mod.gov.uk. Dress code: military personnel 1B, civilians smart attire.

Source: Royal Navy News, 24 October 2025

WW1 divisional memorials

The Royal Naval Division memorial is one of many British divisional memorials from the First World War. For a comprehensive survey of these monuments, including their history and locations, see our article Divisional Memorials on the Western Front, which includes an interactive map and explores the relationship between divisional histories and memorial construction.