Member

While the Government’s rationale captures some of the memorials that one might pass if marching south down Whitehall, the current list in Schedule 12, Part 1, overlooks several figures and events of profound national significance. Why, for instance, other than the grade at which they happen presently to be listed, are the statues of Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery and Field Marshal Viscount Slim excluded from this list? Monty secured a key turning point of the Second World War through victory at El Alamein, then served as Commander in Chief of the Allied ground forces for Operation Overlord and the D-Day landings. Field Marshal Slim, meanwhile, transformed a demoralised and defeated force in Burma into a highly effective fighting machine, leading to victory in the Eastern theatre. The brilliant leader of the Forgotten Army does not deserve to be a forgotten statue today.