The Tank Museum welcomed HRH The Duke of Kent as he opened a new Royal Armoured Corps memorial and unveiled a plaque to commemorate the Museum’s Centenary.
The new Memorial Room commemorates the sacrifice of almost 13,000 Royal Armoured Corps soldiers who have died in service since the Corps was founded in 1939.
In a speech at the event, The Duke of Kent said:
“Today we commemorate the opening of the newly revitalised and re-invigorated Memorial Room, a place for reflection and remembrance of the sacrifice made by so many over the years.
“As we formally dedicate this new Royal Armoured Corps Memorial, I am confident it will help us all to continue our shared duty to never forget the sacrifices of these men. We will remember them.”
His Royal Highness, who is the patron of both The Tank Museum and the RAC Memorial Trust, was reunited with a Centurion tank, a vehicle he served in during his 20-year service in the Royal Scots Greys.
The Duke met families of veterans honoured in the Memorial Room, including Sally Muldowney, who was given the Elizabeth Cross in 2010 in honour of her father, Trooper Cyril Adams who passed away as a prisoner of war in Korea.
Sally Muldowney who attended the dedication said:
“The Tank Museum has always been a special place for my family, and the new memorial is incredibly important to tell the individual stories of the soldiers, who, like my father, served with the Royal Armoured Corps.”
2023 marks 10 years of The Tank Museum, which was founded shortly after the First World War. A centenary on, it has become one of the world’s leading military museums and a popular Dorset visitor attraction.