Plaque

Free French Naval Forces

Inscription

La vague ne détruit pas le granit. Vous, les marins de la France Libre, ce que vous avez fait pour la France en poursuivant la lutte sur la mer, envers et contre tout, dans le plus grand drame de notre histoire, rien, ni le temps, ni les passions ne l'effaceront jamais. Je vous salue, mes camarades!
Charles de Gaulle

{Translated from the French:}
Waves do not destroy granite. You, the sailors of Free France, what you have done for France in pursuing the war at sea, against all opposition, in the greatest drama of our history, nothing, neither time nor passions, will ever erase. I salute you, my comrades.
Charles de Gaulle

Thanks go to our French consultant, John Hartley, for the translation. We believe the text comes from a speech made by de Gaulle, after, or towards the end of, the war but we cannot find it documented. 

Site: Free French Naval Forces (1 memorial)

SW1, Stafford Place, Stafford Mansions

During WW2 Stafford Mansions housed the headquarters of the Free French Naval Forces. It is the rather duller building to the left in our photo.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Free French Naval Forces

Subjects commemorated i

World War 2

Sorry, we've done no research on WW2, it's just too big a subject. But do vis...

Read More

Free French Forces

Formed, in concept at least, on 18 June 1940 in de Gaulle's 'Appeal of 18 Jun...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Free French Naval Forces

Created by i

Charles de Gaulle

Born Lille, France. Height 6 ft, 5 inches, nicknamed Le Grande Asperge. Presi...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Fourt-Wells + Stocking

Fourt-Wells + Stocking

EC1, Grand Avenue, Smithfield Market

To mark the 60th anniversary of the fire this plaque was unveiled, on one of those temporary easel things (looks like a flip-board stand ...

3 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Brunel's Engine House

Brunel's Engine House

SE16, Railway Avenue, Brunel Engine Museum

Brunel's engine house The tunnel shaft and pumping house for Marc Brunel's tunnel was constructed between 1825 and 1843. This was the fir...

4 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Beechwood - William Sebright

Beechwood - William Sebright

E2, Coate Street

Beechwood House This building was built in 1948 by the London County Council and was named after Beechwood in Bedfordshire the home of Wi...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Kingston Spiritualist Church - Foundation Stone 1 - Welbeloves

Kingston Spiritualist Church - Foundation Stone 1 - Welbeloves

KT1, Villiers Road, 40

We have numbered the foundation stones from left to right.

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Frank Dobson

Frank Dobson

SW10, Harley Gardens, 14

English Heritage Frank Dobson, 1886-1963, sculptor lived here.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator