Memorial to Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Thousands of motorists drive past this monument every day without ever seeing it. Set 15m back from the road between South and Mid Holmwood on the western verge of the A24 no footpaths lead to it. Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Gwynne_Vanderbilt" class="extiw" title="en:Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt">Alfred_Gwynne_Vanderbilt</a> was lost in the sinking of the RMS Lusitana <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Lusitania" class="extiw" title="en:RMS Lusitania">RMS_Lusitania</a> (designated an armed merchantman by Jane's Book of Ships), by  U-20, a German U-boat. Although unable to swim he gave up his life jacket to a woman with a young child.
<p>The inscription reads:
</p><p>"In Memory of Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt a gallant gentleman and a fine sportsman who perished in the Lusitania May 7th 1915. This stone is erected on his favourite road by a few of his British coaching friends and admirers"
</p>
I can't help but wonder what he would think of the road today.
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/profile/6997">Andy Potter</a>
CC BY-SA 2.0
From <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1219585">geograph.org.uk</a>