Women of World War II Monument

Women of World War II Monument, Whitehall, London

History | Access | Nearby | Statues in Britain

The Women of World War II Monument on Whitehall by sculptor John W. Willis was unveiled in 2005. The monument is located close to the Cenotaph and other war memorials and statues on Whitehall in central London.

Women of World War II Monument, Whitehall, London

The bronze memorial stands on Whitehall in central London

History

Money for the monument came from public fund-raising led by the politician Baroness Boothroyd along with Dame Vera Lynn and also HRH Princess Anne.

The bronze monument is 6.7 meters high, 4.9 meters long, and 1.8 meters wide. It depicts 17 sets of uniforms and clothing that women wore during their service for the country in World War II. The typeface of the lettering on the structure mirrors that of wartime ration books.

Queen Elizabeth II unveiled the memorial in July 2005, just days after the 7/7 bombings in London. Dignitaries such as Margaret Thatcher and Dame Vera Lynn along with female veterans of World War II attended the official ceremony.

Vandals painted graffiti on the memorial after the Conservative election victory of 2015. A subsequent Twitter storm involving Jack Monroe and Katie Hopkins resulted in a subsequent High Court libel case over the issue. As a result of the case, Jack Monroe won significant damages.

Seven million women volunteered for the armed services in World War II

Access – Getting There

The memorial is on Whitehall just opposite Downing Street, close to the Montgomery Statue, the George Duke of Cambridge Statue outside the Old War Office, and also the Cenotaph. Westminster on the Circle, District, and Jubilee lines is the nearest tube station. St James’s Park tube station is also close by, just a 5-minute walk away.

London buses that run along Whitehall include the numbers 11, 12, 24, 87, 88, 159, and also the 453. In addition, the following London night buses stop on Whitehall, the N11, N44, N87 and N109.

Nearby

Within easy walking distance are various London attractions. These include the National Gallery, Admiralty Arch, the Churchill War Rooms, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, as well as the London Eye. Horse Guards’ Parade is also on Whitehall. The Red Lion on Parliament Street is a well-known London pub in the area.