Statues - Hither & Thither

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Tamworth
Staffordshire
West Midlands

Church Square

Colin Grazier Memorial

Fazeley, Staffordshire 1920 - Mediterranean Sea 1942
Able Seaman, captured codebooks vital for the breaking of the German naval 'Shark' Enigma cipher from the sinking U-559
(Wikipedia)

Walenty Pytel
2002

Description

The sculpture consists of three ships' anchors held in place by a genuine anchor chain offered by a Portsmouth dockyard. The anchors represent three able seamen whose courage shortened the Second World War by up to a year. Local hero Colin Grazier and his comrade Tony Fasson died retrieving vital Enigma codes from a stricken German U-boat on 30 October 1942. A third man, 15 year-old Tommy Brown, survived only to die in a house fire two years later. All three men were awarded the George Cross for their bravery.

Inscription(s)

Colin Grazier
1920-1942

This memorial is dedicated to Able Seaman
Colin Grazier of Two Gates, Tamworth, who
gave his life recovering vital Enigma codes
from a sinking German U-boat.
His extraordinary bravery, together with that
of Lt Tony Fasson and Tommy Brown (all
of HMS Petard) changed the course of WWII,
saving countless lives worldwide.
While undoubtedly one of the world's
greatest war heroes, Grazier was also one
of the least known. Details of his actions
remained secret for decades, depriving him
of the true recognition he so richly deserved.
This tribute was erected in the Year 2002
following a campaign in the Tamworth
Herald which attracted worldwide interest.
It was made possible with the support of
local ex-service and civic organisations.
Erected in memory of all Tamworth
people who died for their country

Signature

(portrait): p...r hicks

Sculptor

Walenty Pytel (1941), Polish-born contemporary artist based in the United Kingdom, recognised as a leading metal sculptor of birds and beasts (Wikipedia – Website).

Sources & Information

Public Monuments and Sculpture Association, National Recording Project Database, no. 7448.

Locatie (N 52°38'1" - W 1°41'39") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

Item Code: gbwm042; Photograph: 7 June 2014
Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
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© Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt

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