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| Bremhill War Memorial |
Bremhill War Memorial, which sits in the churchard of St. Martin's church, was dedicated in November 1920 'in memory of the Men of 'this Parish who laid down their lives in the Great War, 1914-1918.
Each place of worship within Bremhill Parish was also presented with an illuminated and framed Roll of Honour bearing the names of the men who served the parish during the Great War by Mr Bull of East Tytherton.
The Wiltshire Times[1] reported on November 13, 1920, that after the cross was dedicated by Archdeacon Bodington, it was unveiled by Lady Lansdowne, who said:
"This ceremony is one of a great many in which, not only throughout our own country but throughout the British Empire, our people have been taking part during the last few months. How much these unveilings mean to us mothers. They are the expression of our gratitude to those who during the Great War, laid down our lives for us, and for all that we hold most precious, the love we felt for them while they were with us, and for the respect which we feel for their memory. It is because we desire that these feelings shall survive when we are no longer here that we are setting up in almost every village, a permanent memorial such as this, which shall remind our successors of the debt which they owe to these brave men"
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| Bremhill War Memorial Dedication |
The stone is inscribed with the following:
'SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF THOSE WHO / WENT FROM THIS PARISH TO SERVE THEIR / KING & COUNTRY & WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES / IN DEFENCE OF RIGHT, JUSTICE AND LIBERTY IN/ THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1918'
The 20 names that follow are:
Henry George Aspeck
Thomas Baker
Walter John Cook Brittain
George Charles Chubb
Clement James Eatwell
Charles Fortune
Reginald James Freegard
Albert James Harding
Frederick James Henley
Oliver Arthur Henley
Harold King
Jesse Edward Lewis
Percy James Matthews
Edwin Minty
Arthur Francis Ponting
Tom Ponting
Frederick Charles Robins
Herbery Henry Rumming
Sidney Selman
James Henry Summers
The Grade II listed memorial is constructed of Portland stone. Upon a tall, octagonal shaft, itself set on a square plinth and two stepped hexagonal base, is a Maltese Cross variant. A Maltese Cross consists of four 'V' or arrow shaped concaved quadrilaterals which converge at right angles in the centre. It developed from earlier forms, which consisted of eight-pointed crosses, and is known as a heraldic cross variant from the Knights of Malta. Malta was a medical recovery outpost during WWI.
References:
[1] Wiltshire Times, Saturday 13 November 1920 [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001557/19201113/299/0012 [Accessed on 8 November 2019]
