Monument to the Victims of the USS Maine (Havana) Monument to the Victims of the USS Maine (Havana) The Monument to the Victims of the USS "Maine" (Spanish: "Monumento a las víctimas del Maine") was built in 1925 in on the Malecón boulevard at the end of Línea street, in the Vedado neighborhood of Havana, Cuba, built in honor of the American sailors that died in the explosion of in 1898, which served as the pretext for the United States to declare war on Spain thus starting the Spanish–American War. The ship had anchored at Havana three weeks prior at the request of American consul Fitzhugh Lee. The monument
111th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps Regiment had been serving in 126th Infantry Brigade of 42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division, which had fought in France and been evacuated at Dunkirk. The brigade and division were later redesignated 11th Armoured Brigade (later 11th Tank Brigade) and 42nd Armoured Division respectively. At the time of conversion, 111 RAC was based at Bingley, West Yorkshire. It began receiving its first tanks (Cruiser Mk IVs) in April 1942; but, from June, it began receiving Churchill infantry tanks - it was at this time that 11 Armoured Bde was detached from 42nd Armoured Division and became an independent Army Tank Brigade.