This monument was built by public subscription to commemorate the men of the Dover Patrol who were killed during the First World War. As a point of interest two other monuments were erected one at Cap Blanc Nez , France and the other overlooking New York Harbour. The Dover Patrol was vital to keeping the shipping lanes of the Channel open during the First World War as the German Navy was very active in the Channel with both surface and U-boat operations. The vessels used were not only Royal Navy ships and submarines but included, amongst others, fishing boats of various sizes, paddle steamers and barges. Such was the need for patrol operations to protect ships crossing to France and also vital supply convoys using the Channel as a route to and from Britain.
The Dover Patrol was not purely a defensive force as evidenced by the raid on Zeebrugge and Ostend on 22/23 April 1918.
From the collection of D.Price