16/07/2018

Calne War Memorial

The Calne War Memorial stands proudly in the grounds of St. Mary the Virgin, is Grade II listed, and is based on a design by Sir Reginald Blomfield, who had visited Calne to provide advice and guidance.


This memorial dates from around 1921 and is constructed from Portland Stone and the shaft of the cross has a downward facing bronze sword affixed to it. The cross, which was assembled by Blackford and sons of Calne is set into an octagonal plinth, which lists 133 names of the fallen from the Great War, the inscription reads:
IN GRATEFUL
AND
ABIDING REMEMBRANCE
OF THE MEN
WHO WENT FROM THE
PARISH OF CALNE
TO THE
GREAT WAR
1914 - 1918
AND GAVE THEIR LIVES
IN THE CAUSE OF
FREEDOM AND RIGHT 

Below this, a second plinth lists the names of the fallen from World War II, with an instription that reads:
ALSO
IN MEMORY OF THOSE
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
IN THE WAR OF
1939 - 1945.

Below the plinth are three octagonal steps, which are surrounded by paving.

 Re-dedication of the War Memorial





























In 2018, after four years of fund raising and planning by the Calne branch of the Royal British Legion, the extensive restoration of the memorial took place. This £10,000 project entailed replacing old and broken stonework, cleaning the memorial with a pressure steam jet, and the re-cutting and re-painting of the inscriptions and the names of the fallen. This work was undertaken by The War Memorial Restoration Company and took just over a month to complete.

Upon completion there was a re-dedication service took place on May 26 2018. During this service, the names of the 177 men listed were read aloud by children from the Brownies, police cadets, RAF cadet force and the Scouts. The event was well attended with many gathered to watch as Lord Lansdowne unveiled the re-dedicated war memorial and Calne Mayor, Glenis Ansell and Paul Mayo, Chairman of Calne Royal British Legion, laid wraths on the monument to commemorate the occasion.

See the outstanding video below recorded by Pete Stedman that shows some of the repair work, preparations for the re-dedication and the re-dedication service itself.

Since the restoration work was completed, Calne Town Council look after the maintenance of the War Memorial with a dedicated fund.

History of the Cross of Sacrifice Design

The Calne memorial is based on the Cross of Sacrifice, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield, a senior architect overseeing the design of British war cemeteries, in 1918. He designed the monument to be abscract, impersonal and infinite, adding the downward facing sword as an overtly Christian symbol - an idea that came to him from a sword that hung in his own home in Rye. 

The Imperial War Graves Committee (now the Commonwealth War Graves Committee), funded the construction of 3 cemeteries to ensure that the architects ideas would work well in the field. This lead to the formal adoption of the Cross of Sacrifice, in January 1919, the only cross that the IWGC ever used.

It was such a popular design and there are 1000's of this memorial and duplicates, such as Calne's, all over Europe, the United States, and Gibraltar. While nobody knows how the Cross of Sacrifice actually got its name, this hasn't stopped it from becoming an iconic piece of artwork, comfort, and solice to those that visit any one of the thousands of this design.

The Great War commemoration

The commemoration for those who died in The Great War is on the upper level of the memorial base. I have created a images, so that all the inscription for this commemoration can be seen. Under the collages, I have typed the names in the order they appear on the memorial.
















In grateful and abiding remembrance of the men who went from the Parish of Calne to the Great War 1914-1918 and gave their lives in the cause of freedom and right.
Andrews E
Bristow FJ
Cooper ER
Andrews H
Bridges PG
Culley A
Andrews J
Brindel W
Cox CTS
Angell AE
Brewer G
Dean EG
Angell AJ
Brewer VJ
Dolman PA
Angell F
Bull RT
Dunne AS
Angell FEG
Bull VA
Drew FG
Angell E
Brown BH
Drew EJ
Angell PH
Burden AB
Drewett AC
Angell W
Butler HJ
Fell CG
Archard H
Bye VEB
Franklin W
Barton FH
Carpenter E
Freegard G
Beer S
Carpenter EW
Freegard A
Beazley HW
Chivers PG
Ford HJ
Bennett W
Cleverley AJ
Fry A
Blackford E
Cleverley HR
Fussell W
Blackford L
Clifford RI
Gale HA
Blackford S
Corderoy WE
Gingell FW
Bridgeman M
Cooper AP
Gingell G


Gingell, JA
Manners R
Selby A
Taylor E
Godfrey GL
Marshman WL
Slade F
Taylor JJ
Gough L
Mercer Nairne LORD CHA
Slade J
Toogood W
Gough M
Mepham V
Smart F
Topp J
Green A
Moody GH
Smith AH
Tuck A
Green HW
Onslow JW
Smith AC
Waite R
Gunning HJ
Oxx GA
Smith FC
Watkins WH
Haddrell FW
Panting HG
Stapleford F
Weston A
Hai LSE
Park FJ
Stone G
Weston T
Hawkins SC
Parsons RE
Strange AE
Weston WJ
Henly AW
Perrett HL
Strange F
Wheeler FG
Henly F
Pottow EG
Strange HH
Wheeler F
Hillier H
Powell EE
Sumbler AJ
Williams F
Hillier D
Ponting G
Sumbler H
Wild EF
James CJ
Ralph F
Summers EH
Wild W
James RHG
Rawlings JF
Summers FH
Wiltshire W
Large AE
Rumming GCP
Summers AR
Zebedee P
Lawrence LEJ
Rutherford A
Sutton HJ
Henly LF
Lawrence MH
Sage FW
Soley WA
Orton TE

World War II commemoration

The commemoration for those who died in World War II is on the lower level of the base. I have created an image, so that all the inscription for this commemoration can be seen. Under the collage, I have typed the names in the order they appear on the memorial.

 

Also in memory of those who gave their lives in the war of 1939 - 1945





Angell AE
Dodson HG

Neale RT
Robinson D
Angell DR
Fitzmaurice. Lord Edward Norman

Oliver N
Ross W
Angell WA
Freegard EC

Palandri RS
Sadler EGM
Ash A
Gegg JHK

Pegler HRD
Schubert GE
Ashfield FB
Hall GEJ

Phelps JO
Smart EW
Bowery RHS
Hitchens AEJM

Philbrick N
Smith R
Bowery SSC
Hood GK

Pinniger AF
Somers WA
Bright FA
Kepner W

Ponting B
Stephens J
Brittain H
Lansdowne. The Marquess of.

Ponting R
Trunkle MT
Burgess EWA


Powell J
Turner FW
Dew DA


Ramsay JC
Whale VR
Dixon DI


Topp RJ
Witchell DT

Each November, in Calne, the steps are covered in poppies - a simple way to reflect on those lost in wars past and present. This shows that the monument, installed nearly 100 years ago, is still our thoughts and, perhaps, the first place we'll go when needed to thank those that died to protect the rest of us.



Want to know more?

Download the history of the Calne War Memorial as compiled by Rod Rhodes as part of the funding process for the restoration project. This document details the issues of site choice, funding, and provides copies of the original memorial diagrams by Reginald Blomfield.



An interesting snippet from the June 1930 issue
of the C&T Harris magazine.
Courtesy of Calne Heritage Centre.


 

Sources:
Calne War Memorial, Calne - 1438174| Historic England. 2018. Calne War Memorial, Calne - 1438174| Historic England. [ONLINE] Available at: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1438174. [Accessed 05 July 2018].
Cross of Sacrifice - Wikipedia. 2018. Cross of Sacrifice - Wikipedia. [ONLINE] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_of_Sacrifice#Blomfield_appointment. [Accessed 05 July 2018].
The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. 2018. War memorial is a fitting tribute | The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/towns/calneheadlines/16261912.War_memorial_is_a_fitting_tribute/. [Accessed 05 July 2018].
The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. 2018. War memorial restoration work is underway | The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/16155965.War_memorial_restoration_work_is_underway/. [Accessed 05 July 2018].

09/07/2018

Calne War Memorial - World War II commemoration

The commemoration for those who died in World War II is on the lower level of the base. I have created an image, so that all the inscription for this commemoration can be seen. Under the collage, I have typed the names in the order they appear on the memorial.

 

Also in memory of those who gave their lives in the war of 1939 - 1945





Angell AE
Dodson HG

Neale RT
Robinson D
Angell DR
Fitzmaurice. Lord Edward Norman

Oliver N
Ross W
Angell WA
Freegard EC

Palandri RS
Sadler EGM
Ash A
Gegg JHK

Pegler HRD
Schubert GE
Ashfield FB
Hall GEJ

Phelps JO
Smart EW
Bowery RHS
Hitchens AEJM

Philbrick N
Smith R
Bowery SSC
Hood GK

Pinniger AF
Somers WA
Bright FA
Kepner W

Ponting B
Stephens J
Brittain H
Lansdowne. The Marquess of.

Ponting R
Trunkle MT
Burgess EWA


Powell J
Turner FW
Dew DA


Ramsay JC
Whale VR
Dixon DI


Topp RJ
Witchell DT

02/07/2018

Calne War Memorial - The Great War commemoration

The commemoration for those who died in The Great War is on the upper level of the memorial base. I have created a images, so that all the inscription for this commemoration can be seen. Under the collages, I have typed the names in the order they appear on the memorial.
















In grateful and abiding remembrance of the men who went from the Parish of Calne to the Great War 1914-1918 and gave their lives in the cause of freedom and right.
Andrews E
Bristow FJ
Cooper ER
Andrews H
Bridges PG
Culley A
Andrews J
Brindel W
Cox CTS
Angell AE
Brewer G
Dean EG
Angell AJ
Brewer VJ
Dolman PA
Angell F
Bull RT
Dunne AS
Angell FEG
Bull VA
Drew FG
Angell E
Brown BH
Drew EJ
Angell PH
Burden AB
Drewett AC
Angell W
Butler HJ
Fell CG
Archard H
Bye VEB
Franklin W
Barton FH
Carpenter E
Freegard G
Beer S
Carpenter EW
Freegard A
Beazley HW
Chivers PG
Ford HJ
Bennett W
Cleverley AJ
Fry A
Blackford E
Cleverley HR
Fussell W
Blackford L
Clifford RI
Gale HA
Blackford S
Corderoy WE
Gingell FW
Bridgeman M
Cooper AP
Gingell G


Gingell, JA
Manners R
Selby A
Taylor E
Godfrey GL
Marshman WL
Slade F
Taylor JJ
Gough L
Mercer Nairne LORD CHA
Slade J
Toogood W
Gough M
Mepham V
Smart F
Topp J
Green A
Moody GH
Smith AH
Tuck A
Green HW
Onslow JW
Smith AC
Waite R
Gunning HJ
Oxx GA
Smith FC
Watkins WH
Haddrell FW
Panting HG
Stapleford F
Weston A
Hai LSE
Park FJ
Stone G
Weston T
Hawkins SC
Parsons RE
Strange AE
Weston WJ
Henly AW
Perrett HL
Strange F
Wheeler FG
Henly F
Pottow EG
Strange HH
Wheeler F
Hillier H
Powell EE
Sumbler AJ
Williams F
Hillier D
Ponting G
Sumbler H
Wild EF
James CJ
Ralph F
Summers EH
Wild W
James RHG
Rawlings JF
Summers FH
Wiltshire W
Large AE
Rumming GCP
Summers AR
Zebedee P
Lawrence LEJ
Rutherford A
Sutton HJ
Henly LF
Lawrence MH
Sage FW
Soley WA
Orton TE