Victoria Gardens, Portland

Victoria Gardens is a public garden, located at Underhill, Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It is found close to Fortuneswell village and overlooks both Victoria Square and Chiswell. The gardens, which were created to mark the 1897 Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, have remained a focal point since their opening in 1904.^[1]

The gardens are made up of grassed and formal bedding areas, with a large rockery running along its centre. There is a children's play area, tennis courts and a bowling green managed by the Portland Victoria Bowls Club.^[1]

The idea of transforming the land known as Little Common into a public garden was first suggested in 1896, along with the transformation of another Portland site, Easton Square, into Easton Gardens. Plans for Little Common were drawn up by the surveyor Mr E. J. Elford in 1897 and approved in 1901.^[2] Once funding was secured, work began in November 1902 and Victoria Gardens were officially opened on 25 May 1904 by Mr Henry Sansom, Chairman of the Portland Urban District Council. The event was attended by thousands of local residents and visitors, and performances were provided by the Portland Town Band.^[2]

The original lower gate of the gardens was later replaced by a new set in 1953, made by the inmates of HM Prison The Verne.^[3] These were later removed but not replaced until 2015.^[4]

In 1944, Portland Harbour and its naval base were commissioned as part of USNAAB Portland-Weymouth, which was used as a major embarkation point for American troops during D-Day, particularly the US 1st Division who embarked for "Omaha Beach" in June 1944.^[5] Portland's role in the landings was celebrated on 22 August 1945, when American ambassador John Gilbert Winant unveiled a commemorative stone in the gardens.^[6][7]

石に取り付けられた銘板には、「1944年6月6日のDデイにフランスの海岸に上陸したアメリカ軍攻撃部隊の大部分は、ポートランド港から出撃した。1944年6月6日から1945年5月7日までの間に、418,585人の兵士と144,093台の車両がこの港から乗船した。この銘板は、車両と兵士が乗船地点に向かう途中で通ったルートを示している。アメリカ陸軍第14主要港より寄贈」と記されている。署名は、ハロルド・G・ミラー少佐（TC、副港湾司令官）とシャーマン・L・キボー大佐（TC、港湾司令官）である。^{[ 8 ]}

北緯50度33分43秒、西経2度26分50秒/北緯50.562度、西経2.4473度/北緯50.562度、西経2.4473度