| Sir Arthur Harris | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Artist | Faith Winter |
| Completion date | 1992 |
| Subject | Arthur Harris |
| Location | London |
| Coordinates | 51°30′47″N0°06′52″W / 51.5131°N 0.1144°W /51.5131; -0.1144 |
Thestatue ofArthur Harris is one of three statues outside the front ofSt Clement Danes church on theStrand inLondon. It is one of two by the sculptorFaith Winter, the other beinga statue ofHugh Dowding.
Harris served as Commander-in-Chief ofRAF Bomber Command during theSecond World War, earning him the nickname "Bomber Harris". During this time he led air raids on many German cities.[1] His participation in theBombing of Dresden, a controversial event, led to the statue commemorating him being caught up in controversy of its own. The unveiling of the statue saw protests and the statue has faced vandalism on numerous occasions.[2]
The statue was funded by the Bomber Command Association;[3] it was commissioned in 1989 and was completed three years later on the centenary of Harris's birth. St Clement Danes was chosen as the site alongside the statue to Dowding as St Clement Danes had largely been gutted by bomb damage during the war. After its reconstruction and 1958 reconsecration, it has served as a place of remembrance for members of the RAF who died fighting in the war.[3]
Media related toArthur Harris, statue in London at Wikimedia Commons