War Memorial Monday - Kemmel Hill, Belgium

The Kemmelberg (English: Kemmel Hill, French: Mont Kemmel) is a hill formation in Flanders, Belgium. It is located less than a kilometre from the village of Kemmel, part of the municipality in the province of West Flanders. The Kemmelberg is the highest point in the province with an altitude of 154 metres (505 ft).

During World War I, it was the location of one of the war's most ferocious battles, the Fourth Battle of Ypres, because of its strategic importance. On 25 April 1918, German imperial forces, hoping to force a breakthrough to the North Sea, started attacking the French troops on the Kemmelberg with gas grenades. At 6 a.m. the German Alpenkorps seized and captured the Kemmelberg, causing Allied troops to withdraw from all the hills in the region. Thousands of French soldiers were killed. Several streets and army barracks in Germany were named after this event. Friedrich Sixt von Armin and Prince Franz of Bavaria were commanders, but Karl Höfer was celebrated as the hero of Kemmelberg. It was recaptured during the Battle of the Peaks of Flanders in late September 1918, as a precursor to the Armistice of 11 November 1918.

Two war cemeteries are located to the northeast of the hill, the Kemmel Number 1 French Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery and the Klein Vierstraat British Cemetery with the remains of World War I soldiers. At the top of the Kemmelberg there is a commemorative war memorial, the Monument aux soldats français, constructed in 1932 and inaugurated by French general and war hero Lacappelle. The memorial column is 17 metres (56 ft) high and depicts the Roman victory goddess Victoria. In the area, the monument is colloquially called "The Angel".

The French Memorial to the French troops who died in Belgium, was unveiled in 1932 by Marshal Pétain – at that date still considered to be a heroic figure. Originally, there was a poilu’s helmet on the top. Not far away, on the western slope, is an Ossuaire containing the bones of 5,294 unknown French soldiers who died in the German assault in 1918.

The mass grave at the foot of Kemmel Hill contains the remains of 5 294 French soldiers, of whom just 57 are identified. Their names can be seen on the central monument.Most of those men died during the battle for Kemmel Hill in April 1918. The panorama of the surroundings from this point is impressive.

War Memorial Monday - Great Houghton

The Great Houghton War Memorial is a Grade II listed building located in Great Houghton, England. It was unveiled on 3 October 1920 by General Lord Horne KCB and stands in a small garden across the road from the Grade II* listed Church of St Mary the Virgin. The memorial is situated at the west end of The Cross, an open space in the village that affords views of the memorial from all bar the northern side. The raised location, accessed from the road by six steps, is said to mark the position of a tree around which the commemorated First World War servicemen had played as young children. The memorial is made of sandstone and features a cross with a foliate wheel-head, set on a square-sectioned shaft, rising from a square plinth that stands on a three-stage octagonal base. The inscriptions on the plinth are carved but have become heavily eroded in places. The memorial's inscription reads: "IN MEMORY OF THE MEN/ OF GREAT HOUGHTON WHO/ GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR/ THEIR COUNTRY IN THE/ GREAT WAR 1914 –1919./ WORLD WAR 1939 – 1945." 

The condition is pretty good overall. However: The gravel surrounding the war memorial has loads of weeds but all quite small [possibly they are cleared once per year]; The stone steps up to the memorial are worn and in a few places the pointing is crumbling; the names are engraved into the stone and although legible are getting covered in lichen and moss.

The war memorial is accessed via a flight of stone steps that lead directly off the main village street – which was quite busy when I was there. It is opposite the church and on a bend. I would imagine that the street is closed on Remembrance Sunday otherwise people would be hit by cars speeding round the corner. There is plenty of space at the top of the steps where there is a gravel area surrounded by grass around the memorial. I guess up to 40 people could stand there easily. We might need to post somebody on the bend to flag down cars if a lot of people attend our visit.

The White Hart pub is only 50 yards from the war memorial. Their website says that they are open every day 12 noon to 3pm and 6pm to 11pm, so if you are going to visit time your trip accordingly. There is only a small car park at the pub, but there are no on-street parking restrictions and – at least when I was there – loads of places to park.  There is another pub further away but still in the village. There is also a village shop and a hairdressers in the village. .

 

Leicester Sikh Troops War Memorial

The Leicester Sikh Troops War Memorial is a bronze statue unveiled in Victoria Park, Leicester, on 30 October 2022, honouring Sikh soldiers who served in the British Indian Army and fought in multiple campaigns from the 19th century through the two World Wars

The memorial stands in Victoria Park, near the University of Leicester and opposite De Montfort Hall, forming part of the park’s Centenary Walk that leads to the Arch of Remembrance and other war memorials. It is clearly visible to visitors and complements the existing memorials in the park.

The statue commemorates Sikh soldiers who served in the British Indian Army and fought in numerous campaigns, including the Anglo-Sikh Wars (1845–1849), World War I (1914–1918), and World War II (1939–1945).
At the outbreak of WWI, Sikhs made up about 22% of the Indian Army’s 161,000 troops, despite being less than 2% of India’s population. Many earned the Victoria Cross and Indian Order of Merit for their service.

The memorial is a bronze statue of a Sikh soldier on a granite plinth, created by artist Taranjit Singh (Taran3d). It was commissioned by the Sikh Troops War Memorial Committee, funded through donations from Sikh congregations, the public, and Leicester City Council.

The unveiling on 30 October 2022, which I was proud to attend, featured speeches from Leicester’s Mayor, Deputy Mayor, military officials, and community leaders, followed by a ceremonial parade led by the Panj Pyare (Five Beloveds) Sikhs, motorbikers, a bagpiper, schoolchildren, and other groups. The event was attended by local councillors, MPs, and members of the Sikh community from across the UK.

War Memorials - Grafton Underwood

  

The village of Grafton Underwood is charming, quiet and small – it has less than 150 inhabitants. But it was not always like this. Back in 1944 Grafton Underwood was the home of a massive American military base. Thousands of servicemen lived here, belonging to the 384^th Bombardment Wing of the 8^th Air Force of the United States Army Air Force. I had been told that there was a fine memorial to the Americans, and knowing from experience that the American military tend to do things in style, I drove into Grafton Underwood with high hopes. They were not to be disappointed.

A signpost in the village pointed towards the American monument. When I pulled up, I found it was a great stone obelisk standing beside the road. A helpful parking layby had been provided. The obelisk records the fact that the first and last bombs dropped during the Second World War were dropped by aircraft flying from Grafton Underwood. Squadron names and badges emblazon the obelisk and the stone pillars nearby, as do pictures of B17 bombers. Impressive as this is, it is only a tiny part of the memorial. The monument is backed by trees. There are hundreds of them, lining the route of the old runway. Each tree was planted to commemorate one of the men who died flying from this base. It is humbling to see them stretching off into the distance.

Having paid my respects there, I returned to the village church to find the stained glass window that also shows one of the B17 bombers. These were the famous “Flying Fortresses”, or “Forts” that equipped most of the American bomber squadrons flying out of England to bomb the German Reich. Far too many of them failed to return. Grafton Underwood is a fitting tribute to those brave men.

 

 

 

 

Brockenhurst War Memorial

Nestled in the New Forest, Brockenhurst as a touching war memorial. The village first erected a temporary shrine for their war dead. When the campaign to build stone war memorials gathered pace, this was replaced by an obelisk in 1921. 

Meanwhile, a large house in the area had been commandeered for use as a war hospital for the Indian troops of the Lahore and Meerut Divisions. In 1916 it was moved to care for New Zealand troops. 

Writing a few years after the First World War in 1923, Lt-Col Myers of the New Zealand Medical Corps described “the delight [patients] exhibited when they found that they were in a hospital which bore the name of their own country, was officered and run by New Zealanders, and above all else, had a New Zealed “atmosphere” permeating its wards and surroundings… The delight of our lads in meeting their old friends in New Zealand hospitals was always evident”.

The hospital consisted of a main tented and hutted section, known as “Tin Town”, together minor medical sections at Balmer Lawn and Forest Park and several auxiliary hospitals in and around Brockenhurst.

Over 21,000 (predominantly) New Zealand casualties were treated at No.1 New Zealand General Hospital between 1916 and its closure at the end of January 1919.  

Sadly all too many of the Indians and Kiwis succumbed to their wounds and were buried in the churchyard, so many thousands of miles from home. There are now 93 New Zealand graves and 6 Indian. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission maintains the gravestones and has erected a large stone cross to mark the site. 

The Defence Dog Memorial at Melton Mowbray

 

Commissioned in 2014 from the artist Loyd LeBlanc, the Defence Dogs Memorial stands outside the offices of the Melton Borough Council in Burton Street, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. The memorial consists of a German shepherd dog, a springer spaniel and a Labrador retriever. The memorial recognizes the courage and partnership of military dogs and their handlers, trained at at the nearby Defence Animal Centre since 1946. Two of the dogs trained here have been awarded the PDSA Dicken Medal for gallantry and devotion to duty while serving. It is considered to be the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross.

The project was made possible through contributions of Melton Council, Leicestershire County Council and fundraising of the Defence Animal Centre personnel.

Learn more about the Defence Animal Centre here: https://www.army.mod.uk/news/behind-the-scenes-at-the-defence-animal-training-regiment/

Thurnby Lodge War Memorial

In November 2021 a new war memorial was unveiled on the green at Thurnby Lodge. The monument was revealed in Willowbrook Park after local city councillors & residents worked together to bring the idea to fruition.

Cllr Aldred and local resident Chris Hopewell  fundraised thousands of pounds towards the memorial. The unveiling was attended by around 300 people including the Lord Mayor of Leicester, Councillor Deepak Bajaj, Lady Cadets, local clergyman the Reverend Paul Savage and bagpiper Tommy Lierd. Benches and other features were added later.