Reasons for Designation
The war memorial to 22nd Battalion The London Regiment (The Queen's) on Old Jamaica Road is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by this battalion in the World War I, it is of strong historic and cultural significance both at a local and a national level. The commemoriation of the Fallen of the 6th (Bermondsey) Battalion of the Queen's Royal Regiment during World War II adds further interest.
* Historic interest: the memorial commemorates the role of a Territorial unit in World War I; the first time that part-time volunteers, with civilian occupations, served en masse in a war abroad.
* Architectural interest: the memorial is a restrained but handsome monument, on a scale which is uncommon for memorials dedicated to individual battalions.
Details
636-1/0/10144 OLD JAMAICA ROAD
09-JUL-10 War memorial of 22nd Battalion, The Lo
ndon Regiment (The Queen's)
II
First World War memorial, unveiled 1921; plaque added following World War II. The memorial has been incorporated into the east wall of a later building which is not of special architectural or historic interest.
DESCRIPTION: Built of Portland stone blocks, the memorial is in the form of a wall, set back from the edge of the pavement by approximately 1m, and to either side flanking walls advance to the pavement edge. Along the top of the wall is the inscription: 22nd BATTN LONDON REGT 1914-1918. Above the inscription is a carved relief of the regimental crest; the Paschal lamb over a banner reading THE QUEEN'S, and beneath is the Roll of Honour carved into the face of the stone. The ends of the flanking walls bear Latin inscriptions with English translations beneath. These read: BE THOU MINDFUL OF THE COURAGE OF HIM THAT IS FALLEN and FOR HIS VERY ASHES DO CRY OUT IN TRIUMPH. To the inside of the flanking walls is a list of campaigns and battles in which the battalion fought, including the ten for which they were awarded battle honours by Army Order 55 of 1925.
To the centre of the memorial, beneath the Roll of Honour is a bronze plaque to commemorate all ranks of the 6th (Bermondsey) Battalion of the Queen's Royal Regiment who fell in World War II. The Roll of Honour for this conflict is held at the parish church. In the left and right corners of the memorial are planters dating from the 1990s; one dedicated to Col CH Nice, TD, DL, and the other to Col JG Bevington, TD.
A mid C20 building has been constructed around the memorial; the flank walls of the memorial are connected to the building by a short brick linking wall with stone quoins. This later building is not of special interest and is not included in the listing.
HISTORY: The memorial honours of the officers and soldiers of the Territorial battalion: 22nd Battalion The London Regiment (The Queen's), who lost their lives in World War I. It was erected adjacent to the yard of the Battalion's drill hall, along the boundary fronting onto Old Jamaica Road, and was unveiled by General Sir Charles Monro.
Following the end of World War II, a plaque was added to the memorial to commemorate those of the 6th (Bermondsey) Battalion of the Queen's Royal Regiment (as the battalion was by this time known), who fell in the 1939-1945 conflict. In 1953 the drill hall was extended and the memorial was incorporated into the exterior wall of the new building. The memorial originally had a chain across the front which hung from the inside of the flank walls and was supported along its length by two low tapering stone piers. The chain and the piers have now been lost. In 1994 the memorial was restored; the lettering was re-cut into the stone where it had suffered from environmental damage.
The Battalion traces its origins to the C19. In 1859, fear of a French invasion led by Napoleon III, and the resulting wave of patriotism which this invoked, resulted in a national movement for improved civil defence, and the formation of a large number of Rifle Volunteer units. The 26 Rifle Volunteer Corps which were based in Surrey were later grouped into the Surrey Rifle Volunteer Battalions. In 1908 the Territorial Force (later to become the Territorial Army) was formed with the merging of the various volunteer, militia and yeomanry units across the country into a unified structure which could be called upon for a national emergency. As part of this reorganisation, the 4th Battalion of the Surrey Rifle Volunteers, became 22nd Battalion of the London Regiment (The Queen's). In 1937, the battalion was reorganised as the 6th (Bermondsey) Battalion of The Queen's Royal Regiment.
SOURCES
Website of the Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment, www.queensroyalsurreys.org.uk, [accessed 7 April 2010]
REASONS FOR DESIGNATION
The war memorial to 22nd Battalion The London Regiment (The Queen's) on Old Jamaica Road is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historical: as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by this battalion in World War I, it is of strong historic and cultural significance both at a local and a national level. The commemoration of the Fallen of the 6th (Bermondsey) Battalion of the Queen's Royal Regiment during World War II adds further interest.
* Historical: the memorial commemorates the role of a Territorial unit in World War I; the first time that part-time volunteers, with civilian occupations, served en masse in a war abroad.
* Architectural interest: the memorial is a restrained but handsome monument, on a scale which is uncommon for memorials dedicated to individual battalions.
This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 17 February 2017.
