Lt Wilfred Watts War Memorial, Blandford Cemetery
Blandford Cemetery, Salisbury Road, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 7LR
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1435897
- Date first listed:
- 20-Jul-2016
- List Entry Name:
- Lt Wilfred Watts War Memorial, Blandford Cemetery
- Statutory Address:
- Blandford Cemetery, Salisbury Road, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 7LR
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1435897
- Date first listed:
- 20-Jul-2016
- List Entry Name:
- Lt Wilfred Watts War Memorial, Blandford Cemetery
- Statutory Address 1:
- Blandford Cemetery, Salisbury Road, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 7LR
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- Blandford Cemetery, Salisbury Road, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 7LR
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Dorset (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Blandford Forum
- National Grid Reference:
- ST8925907436
Summary
First World War memorial to Lieutenant Wilfred Watts, pilot of the Royal Flying Corps.
Reasons for Designation
Lieutenant Wilfred Watts War Memorial is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of First World War events upon a family;
* Architectural interest: as a stone of remembrance with decorative details of the Royal Flying Corps and plane signifying Lieutenant Wilfred Watts' distinguished career as a pilot.
History
The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across England. One such memorial was raised at Blandford Forum as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by Lieutenant Wilfred Watts, pilot of the Royal Flying Corps.
Lieutenant Watts was born in Blandford Forum in 1893 and was 23 years old when he was killed in action on 17 January 1916 whilst flying over German Lines at Dadizeelem in Belgium and his body was interred at Ledeghem, Belgium. A site at Blandford Cemetery had been purchased in 1892 by Clarence E J Watts for his six month old son John but no memorial was erected. Lieutenant Wilfred Watts was the second son of Clarence E J and Jessie Watts and a memorial was installed on John's grave site commemorating their second son.
In 2015 a project was undertaken to repair the memorial as it had been broken and was no longer upright. The project was completed with the help of grant aid from War Memorials Trust.
Details
MATERIALS: white marble.
DESCRIPTION: This memorial is a stone of remembrance with arched pediment. It has a leaded inscription in Gothic script which reads: IN / LOVING MEMORY / OF / LIEUT. WILFRED (VAL) WATTS, / PILOT / ROYAL FLYING CORPS. / IN HIS 23RD YEAR. / SECOND SON OF / C. E. J. & JESSIE WATTS / OF BLANDFORD. / KILLED ON JAN. 17TH 1916, / WHILST FLYING OVER THE GERMAN LINES / AT DADIZEELEM AND INTERRED AT LEDEGHEM, / BELGIUM. / WAS AWARDED THE CROIX DE GUERRE / WITH PALM AT THE BATTLE OF LOOS, / SEPT 25TH 1915. / FOR KING AND COUNTRY.
Above the inscription is an image of a plane carved in relief with Union Jacks on the underside of each wing. This is flanked by a carved representation of the Croix de Guerre on the left hand side and the Royal Flying Corps badge on the right with leaded motto underneath.
The memorial sits on a single stepped stone base.
Sources
Websites
War Memorials Trust, accessed 11 May 2016 from www.warmemorials.org/search-grants/?gID=1280
War Memorials Online, accessed 11 May 2016 from www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/183305
Blandford Forum Town Council News, accessed 11 May 2016 from http://www.blandfordforum-tc.gov.uk/What's%20On/News.html
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 21-Jun-2026 at 15:47:25.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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