Hurley and Wood End War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial designed by Henry Charles Mitchell of Tamworth and unveiled on 25 July 1920.

Reasons for Designation

Hurley and Wood End War Memorial, designed by Henry Charles Mitchell of Tamworth and unveiled on 25 July 1920, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on this community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Architectural interest: a simple yet dignified granite obelisk.

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, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and the official policy of not repatriating the dead, which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. One such memorial was raised at Hurley as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

The war memorial was designed by Henry Charles Mitchell of Tamworth who was also responsible for other war memorials in the area such as that at Baddesley Ensor. Hurley and Wood End War Memorial was unveiled by Colonel H J Nutt of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and dedicated by the Rev A France on 25 July1920.

Following the Second World War, the names of those who lost their lives in that war were also added.

Details

MATERIALS: granite.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises an obelisk surmounting a plinth set upon a square three-stepped base. The memorial stands some 2.5m high.

The front of the obelisk bears the inscription in Gothic-style carved and black-painted letters which reads: THEIR/ NAME/ LIVETH/ FOR/ EVERMORE.

The other inscriptions are incised with black-painted letters. The front face of the plinth reads: TO THE REVERED /AND UNDYING MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF/ HURLEY AND WOOD END/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919.

On other faces of the plinth are inscribed 41 names of those who lost their lives in the First World War. On the back face of the plinth is inscribed 1939 – 1945 followed by the names of eight men who lost their lives in the Second World War.


This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Register. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 27 July 2017.

Sources

Websites
War Memorials Register, accessed 26 July 2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/19059
War Memorials Online, accessed 27 July 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/251157

Other
Hurley, Tamworth Herald, 31 July 1920

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