St John the Baptist Church and HMS Hood Memorial

​​On 24 May 1941 at 06:00, Royal Navy Battlecruiser HMS Hood sank in icy water off the coast of Iceland. The Hood had a crew of 1,418 men, only 3 men survived following a duel with the German Battleship Bismarck. The impact of the sinking of the Hood was felt by the nation, more so the loss of 1,415 sailors. 

​One of the sailors to go down with the Hood was Vice Admiral L. E. Holland CB. He, along with his wife and family, had been regular parishioners at St John the Baptist Church in Boldre. After the war it was clear that no national memorial would be erected to commemorate the crew of HMS Hood. It was at this point Mrs Phyllis Holland the widow of the Vice Admiral began to form a lasting memorial at the church in Boldre. 

​Within the church is a small area dedicated to HMS Hood as a lasting memorial. Around the church are carved benches, prayer cushions with the crest of the Hood and numerous paintings. Each year in May, a commemorative service is held at the church to mark the anniversary of the Hood sinking. 

​The names of 1,383 sailors who have no known grave are also Remembered with Honour on Portsmouth Naval Memorial. 

​Within the churchyard the Commonwealth War Graves Commission plot contains 24 burials of men who died during the Second World War. Fifteen of these men are from the Royal Canadian Air Force and were stationed at airfields around the New Forest.  ​ 

​Within the Church is the flag of Canada, presented in 1993 as part of a short service at the grave of the Canadians. Several served with 405 Squadron and were killed whilst conducting coastal command patrols from Beaulieu Airfield. There is also a flag of the United States of America, with 48 stars. This was presented to St John the Baptist Church after the Second World War in memory of US Servicemen who died on operations having trained for the office of Strategic Services, the forerunner of the CIA, at Walhampton House and Elmers Court in Hampshire.