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
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.
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].
