An update from David McDonald - Technical Manager (Works) for Africa & Asia Pacific Area at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Back in February 2018 a team from 3D Scanners Uk created a 3D scan of the African Memorial to the Missing at Mwembe Tayari in Mombasa. This was the first phase of an exciting conservation project to record and preserve the Memorial in perpetuity by using the scans to accurately replace missing
pieces.
The memorial is "to the memory of the Arab and Native African troops who fought: to the carriers who were the hands and feet of the army: and to all other men who served and died for their king and county in Eastern African in the Great War 1914-1918". The plaque on the memorial goes on to say "if you fight for your country, even if you die, your sons will remember your name". Unfortunately the children, grand children and great grandchildren of over 1 million Kenyans who served in the East African Campaign have forgotten their names and what they did 100 years ago.
As part of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's commitment to ensure those who died in the First and Second World Wars around the world serving in the East African Campaign are not forgotten they have been doing a refurbishment on the Memorials
Replacing the missing staff of the Carrier on the Mombasa African Memorial.
Our 3D scans have allowed us to accurately replicate a new staff (1&2). This is printed in nylon (3), hand finished by an artist (4) & moulds will be taken to cast the final piece in metal.
The rear strap holding the Carriers water bottle has also been lost. We used our scanning data to 3D print a replica of a section of his back. Our specialist craftsman will use this to sculpt a new strap in clay, and then make a mould to cast a new strap in metal.
The panel from the Mombasa African Memorial has been beautifully restored by Andy Mitchell and 3D Scanned by 3D Scanners UK to create a permanent digital record of this historical piece. The panel will be back in Mombasa and reinstalled in late August
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