Robert Laurence Binyon; Kohima Epitaph; - Crewe War Memorial, Crewe, Cheshire East, UK
N 53° 05.883 W 002° 26.368
30U E 537532 N 5883324
A quote from the poem 'For the Fallen' by Robert Laurence Binyon, the Kohima Epitaph quote and Lift up Your Hearts from an English hymn, appear on the Crewe War Memorial.
Waymark Code: WM1700T
Location: North West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 11/10/2022
Views: 0
Crewe War Memorial is located in the Memorial Square on Earle Street in Crewe town centre.
"The memorial consists of a bronze sculpture of Britannia standing on a pedestal of Darley Dale limestone. This stands on a large square base that was added in 2006.
The bronze figure of Britannia stands on chains and is holding a trident and a palm leaf. It was sculpted by Walter Henry Gilbert and was cast in the foundry of H. H. Martin and Company.
The figure stands about 2.7 metres (8.9 ft) high, and the pedestal is about 3.3 metres (10.8 ft) in height.
The total cost of the memorial was £1,600, of which £600 was given by the railway company.
The memorial was unveiled on 14th June 1924 by General Sir Ian Hamilton, and dedicated by the Bishop of Chester, Luke Paget.
The names of those killed in both world wars and in later conflicts are inscribed on bronze plaques around the base, and there are further inscriptions on the paving around the memorial.
It originally stood in Market Square and was moved to Municipal Square in 2006. Municipal Square was renamed as Memorial Square on 11th November 2014." SOURCE: (
visit link)
The memorial is Grade II listed, the description given by Historic England reads as follows;
"CREWE MUNICIPAL SQUARE Crewe War Memorial (Formerly listed as: MARKET SQUARE, CREWE WAR MEMORIAL) 16-FEB-05 II First World War Memorial, 1924, by Walter Henry Gilbert of Birmingham, bronze statue by H H Martyn & Co. Limestone ashlar base and pedestal surmounted by bronze statue of Britannia. World War II, Falklands and Gulf War plaques added later.
Shallow square plinth with ashlar facings. Large square base (erected 2006), sides set with large bronze plaques (20 World War I, 7 World War II, 1 late C20) inscribed with names of fallen. Tapered ashlar limestone pedestal above with rusticated band to lower part, surmounted by bronze statue of Britannia standing on chains and holding trident and palm leaf.
Inscription to front of pedestal reads;'THIS STATUE WAS
PLACED TO COMMEMORATE
THE MEN OF CREWE
WHO SEEKING THE
WELFARE OF THEIR
COUNTRY GAVE THEIR
LIVES IN SO DOING
AND ARE NOW RESTING
IN AND BEYOND
THE SEAS'Inscription to base front of pedestal reads;'LIFT UP YOUR HEARTS' (Lift up your hearts! is an English hymn written in 1881 by the Anglican academic and clergyman H. Montagu Butler. The words echo the English translation of the Sursum corda, a part of the communion liturgy in Christian churches. (
visit link) )
Inscription to reverse reads;'1914 - 1918'Inscription to paving enclosing memorial reads; '(Kohima Epitaph)
When you go home,
Tell them of us and say
For your tomorrow
We gave our today.' (Kohima Epitaph
"The Kohima Epitaph is the epitaph carved on the Memorial of the 2nd British Division in the cemetery of Kohima (North-East India).
It reads as follows:
'When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say,
For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today.'
The verse is attributed to John Maxwell Edmonds (1875-1958), and is thought to have been inspired by the epitaph written by Simonides to honour the Greeks who fell at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480BC." SOURCE: (
visit link) (
visit link)
The Battle of Kohima
"One of the greatest battles of the Second World War, the Battle of Kohima was the turning point of the Japanese offensive into India in 1944.
It claimed the lives of thousands of men on both sides, and was fought around the town of Kohima in Nagaland between April 1944 and June 1944.
By the time the battles were done, more than 4,000 British soldiers had died, together with 7,000 Japanese forces.
Many of the latter died from starvation, disease, or took their own lives.
The war cemetery in Kohima for the 1,420 Allied dead lies on the slopes of Garrison Hill, and is regularly visited by people.")
SOURCE: (
visit link)
Inscription to paving in front of memorial reads;'They shall grow not old,
as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them,
nor the years condemn.
at the going down of the
sun and in the morning
We will remenber them.
'For the Fallen' Laurence Binyon 1914.'(The words come from the poem 'For the Fallen', written by Robert Laurence Binyon. They are the fourth stanza of the poem which was written in mid September 1914, a few weeks after the outbreak of the First World War. SOURCE: (
visit link) )
HISTORY: the War Memorial was unveiled on the 14th June 1924 by General Sir Ian Hamilton and was originally sited in Market Square. Plaques recording the names of those killed during World War II were added later, and most recently those killed during the Falkland and Gulf Wars and in 'Other Theatres'. The memorial was moved to its present location in Municipal Square in 2006. The Roll of Honour bronze plaques were originally set into a raised pavement but were relocated on to the sides of the memorial's base in 2006.
REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: The Crewe War Memorial is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* War memorials are generally considered to be listable on the grounds of their strong cultural and historical significance within both a local and national context
* The World War I memorial acts as a poignant reminder of the effects of the tragic world events of warfare on this local community.
* Unusually, the memorial also records the names of civilians killed during World War II and the names of those killed during the Falkland and Gulf Wars
* It is a well-designed monument incorporating a striking bronze figure of Britannia that forms a significant and prominent presence within Municipal Square
* It employs the use of high-quality materials and craftsmanship
This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register. These sources were not used in the compilation of this List entry but are added here as a guide for further reading, 26 January 2017.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number: 493273
Legacy System: LBS"
SOURCE: (
visit link)
The Cheshire Roll has 588 soldiers names on the memorial, the names can be seen at the following link: (
visit link)
(
visit link)
(
visit link)