Tong War Memorial

First World War memorial, 1925 by Messrs B Watson and Sons.

MATERIALS: granite figure, on a granite and sandstone pedestal and base.

PLAN: square in plan.

DESCRIPTION: the memorial comprises an accurate, life-size carved figure of an infantryman supported by a tree stump, wearing a soft cap, with his head bowed; his hands resting on the butt of his Lee-Enfield rifle, with its muzzle placed on his left foot. The figure stands on a square two-stepped base, the lower step is of sandstone and is inscribed: TONG'S TRIBUTE. The figure is mounted on a pedestal, with a carved moulded sandstone cornice, a granite dado and a moulded two-step sandstone plinth, raised on a four-step ashlar base. The north-west polished granite panel of the dado is inscribed in black letters: IN HONOUR/ OF THE MEN WHO FELL/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 - 1919, with the names of the fallen inscribed in alphabetical order on all four panels. The upper step of the plinth has a torus moulding and the north-west elevation is inscribed; " SO THEY PASSED OVER,/ AND THE TRUMPET SOUNDED/ FOR THEM ON THE OTHER SIDE.", and the remaining elevations are inscribed with the names of an additional 14 fallen soldiers. The lower step of the plinth has a chamfered upper surface and the north-west elevation has a laurel wreath with billowing ribbons carved in relief.