Lowestoft War Memorial

Summary

First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.

Reasons for Designation

Lowestoft War Memorial, which stands in a prominent position on Royal Terrace, close to the seafront and South Pier, 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 local community, and the sacrifices it has made in the conflicts of the C20.

Architectural interest:

* as an elegant and imposing granite obelisk.

Group value:

* with a statue of Triton (Grade II) and the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club (Grade II*).

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. This was the result of both the huge impact on communities of the loss of three quarters of a million British lives, and also 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 Lowestoft as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community who lost their lives in the First World War.

It was designed by Messrs Roberts, Green and Richards (architects) and the builder was James E Proudfoot who also erected the war memorials at nearby Carlton Colville and Pakefield. The memorial was unveiled on Thursday 11 August 1921 by the Admiral of the Fleet Lord Wester Wemyss and dedicated by the Reverend E C Morgan.

Further inscriptions commemorating those parishioners who fell during the Second World War and those who died during the Battle of Britain were subsequently added to the memorial.

Details

First World War memorial, 1921, with later additions for the Second World War.

MATERIALS: Cornish granite.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial stands in a prominent position on Royal Terrace, close to the seafront and South Pier and a short distance from a statue of Triton (Grade II) and the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club (Grade II*).

The memorial comprises a substantial Cornish granite-block obelisk measuring over 6m high, on a square pedestal and two-stepped base. On the west face of the obelisk is a bronze laurel wreath.

The main inscription in incised and black-painted lettering within recessed panels on the faces of the plinth reads (west face) TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD/ AND IN MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF/ THIS TOWN WHO/ GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1919./ AND THE/ SECOND GREAT WAR/ 1939 – 1945. (North face) THIS MEMORIAL/ WAS UNVEILED BY/ ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET/ LORD WESTER WEMYSS/ GCB CMG MVO/ 11TH AUGUST 1921. (East face) PRO PATRIA/ A ROLL OF HONOUR/ BEARING THE NAMES/ OF THOSE WHO MADE/ THE GREAT SACRIFICE/ LIES BENEATH THIS/ STONE. (South face) “LEST WE FORGET”/ THIS MONUMENT/ WAS ERECTED BY/ THEIR GRATEFUL/ FELLOW TOWNSMEN.

An additional inscription on a rectangular granite plaque attached to the south face of the obelisk reads 1940 1990/ TO THE HONOUR AND GLORY OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF/ THE ROYAL AIR FORCE/ WHO DURING THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN 1940,/ TOGETHER WITH THOSE OF OTHER SERVICES/ MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE./ MAY THEIR COURAGE AND DEVOTION TO DUTY/ IN THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM BE REMEMBERED ALWAYS./ DEDICATED BY THE LOWESTOFT BRANCH OF THE/ ROYAL AIR FORCES ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER 1990.

Sources

Websites
War Memorial Register, accessed 9 August 2017 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/4972
War Memorials Online, accessed 9 August 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/147587/
Roll of Honour, accessed 9 August 2017 from http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Suffolk/Lowestoft.html

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