Coming soon…campaign to raise £100,000 in four days for a new monument to Coastal Forces and the RNVR
The Wren signaller element of the monument will represent all Wrens, and she will be modelled on one exceptional Wren: Eve Branson, founder of the Eve Branson Foundation, who served as a signaller during WW2 from 1943-44.
Model of the monument featuring Robert Hichens with rating signaller Seymour ‘Peter’ Pike who was awarded the DSM for his role in the St Nazaire raid, ‘the greatest raid of all
People across the UK are being urged to come together next weekend to help fund a major new monument honouring some of the Second World War’s most daring – and least recognised – naval personnel.
The Coastal Forces Heritage Trust is launching a four-day crowdfunding campaign from 8–11 May, aiming to raise £100,000 to complete a monument to the Coastal Forces and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR).
The monument, by celebrated sculptor Amy Goodman, is already under construction and will be installed in Portsmouth Historic Quarter and will feature two bronze figures on the bow of a motor gun boat – one of them is Lieutenant-Commander Robert Hichens DSO* DSC** RNVR, the most decorated Coastal Forces officer of the Second World War, known for his extraordinary courage and leadership in dangerous night-time operations.
Alongside him, the figures draw on real wartime stories: the signaller is based on Leading Seaman Seymour Pike DSM, a young German-speaking sailor who played a crucial role in the daring St Nazaire Raid. The WRNS figure is modelled on Eve Branson, a Signaller in WW2, representing the thousands of women who served, often working under intense pressure to support operations at sea.
Together, the figures are intended to capture not just individual bravery, but the teamwork, skill and determination that defined Coastal Forces operations.
The monument is due to be unveiled in May 2027 and will be the first of its kind to include a female WRNS figure, recognising the vital role played by women in naval operations.
Coastal Forces crews carried out some of the most dangerous missions of the war, often at night in small, fast boats, engaging enemy vessels and disrupting supply lines. Many were volunteers, and most were very young.
Despite their bravery, their story remains relatively unknown.
The campaign will run on the Charity Extra platform, with donations from the public matched pound-for-pound by our sponsors. The matching stops once the £100,000 target is reached.
Supporters are being encouraged to give whatever they can – with organisers stressing that small donations, if enough people take part, will make a huge difference.
A network of volunteer “Champions” will also play a key role – including the current Coastal Forces Squadron – each reaching out to their own friends, families and colleagues to build momentum during the four-day appeal.
The monument is due to be unveiled in May 2027 and will be the first of its kind to include a female WRNS figure, recognising the vital role played by women in naval operations.
Organisers say the project is already well advanced, with most of the funding secured – but this final push is crucial to bring it to completion.
“We’re very close now,” said Richard Farrington, Monument Project Director. “We need the public and members of the naval community to get behind this, then we can finish the job and create something we can all be proud of for generations to come.”