War memorials

Newhaven’s Memorial Garden in South Way is home to three important war memorials and is the site of the town’s annual remembrance ceremonies. These take place not only each November, but also every August to mark the anniversary of the Dieppe Raid of 1942.

Royal Canadian Engineers Memorial
The first memorial to be placed in the gardens was the Royal Canadian Engineers Memorial, installed in 1977. It honours members of the Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers who died as a result of the Dieppe Raid on 19 August 1942. The memorial was funded by veterans from Sarnia, Ontario, many of whom had trained in Newhaven before departing for Dieppe, and because many wounded soldiers were brought back to Newhaven after the Raid. Although dedicated specifically to 27 engineers, it is now regarded as a tribute to all Canadian forces who took part in the Raid—and to all who served during the Second World War.

Newhaven Transport Memorial
The second memorial in the gardens is the Newhaven Transport Memorial. It commemorates officers and men of the Merchant Navy who lost their lives transporting vital supplies to troops in France during the First World War. Featuring 99 names, it was the first memorial unveiled in the town after the War, in August 1920. Originally located at the junction of Dacre Road and Meeching Road, it was later moved to the Riverside in the 1970s due to the new one-way system, and finally relocated to the Memorial Garden in the 1990s during redevelopment of the West Quay.

Newhaven Town Memorial
The third memorial is the Newhaven Town Memorial, originally sited at the junction of Chapel Street, South Road and Fort Road. Designed by Newhaven’s Town Surveyor, Mr. C. T. Hooper, it honours the local men who gave their lives during the First World War and lists 120 names. In 2005 the memorial was moved into the Memorial Garden, bringing all three memorials together for the first time. The names of the 90 Newhaven residents who died in the Second World War were added in 2007.