South African Military History Society

HMSAS Parktown Memorial


Photo: Derek Walker

Location
Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa
In Pieter Roos Park, Parktown, bounded by Victoria Avenue, Empire Road, St Andrews Road and Queens Road.
The Memorial is in the park, close to the basketball courts along Victoria Road

GPS: 26 deg 10 min 59.56 sec S, 28 deg 2 min 29 sec E


Photo: Derek Walker

Significance
The Memorial commemorates the sinking of HMSAS Parktown on 21 June 1942.

It is inscribed:

TO THE
MEMORY
OF
HMSAS PARKTOWN

TER NAG-
GEDAGTENIS
AAN
HMSAS PARKTOWN


Photo: Derek Walker

English and Afrikaans plaques on the sides of the memorial read:

TO THE MEMORY OF THE MINESWEEPER
HMSAS PARKTOWN AND TO THE MEN WHO SERVED
IN HER, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES
IN HER FINAL GALLANT ENCOUNTER WITH THE ENEMY
AFTER THE FALL OF TOBRUK ON 21 JUNE 1942

ROLL OF HONOUR
AB PS BROCKLEHURST
STO JA COOK
LT LJ JAGGER
STEW WA McEWAN
PO AP TREAMER

UNVEILED BY THE CHIEF OF THE NAVY, VICE-ADMIRAL
L J WOODBURNE DVR, SD, SM, ON 21 JUNE 1992


Photo: Derek Walker

The Memorial was in a poor condition in 2012 and the anchor originally secured to the base was missing.

Further reading
The Story of a Warship's Crest by F V Demartinis

South African Military History Society / scribe@samilitaryhistory.org