Ossett War Memorial

Ossett War Memorial

A First World War memorial erected in 1928 with Second World War additions, which has been relocated twice since its original installation.

History

The memorial was raised in the aftermath of the First World War, when tens of thousands of memorials were erected across England. This unprecedented wave of public commemoration reflected both the devastating impact on communities of the loss of three quarters of a million British lives and the official policy of not repatriating the dead, which meant memorials became the primary focus for public grief.

The memorial was designed by the borough surveyor Mr H Holmes and local architect Mr C Kendall. The life-sized bronze figure was sculpted by Mr R Lindsay Clark, who died before the unveiling, and cast by Walkers of Idle. The memorial was originally positioned on a traffic island at the east end of Kingsway near the town hall, with the statue facing east. It was unveiled on Armistice Sunday, 11 November 1928, in front of a large crowd by the Rt Hon the Lord Viscount Lascelles. The ceremony included a procession, the unveiling itself, a speech by Lord Lascelles, and the singing of hymns accompanied by the Ossett Military Band.

The memorial was relocated in 1954 to the south side of Kingsway, approximately 25 metres west of the town hall, with the statue facing north-east. It was listed in 1988 at that location. A further relocation took place in 2001 to its present position in the market place, facing north-east towards the front of the town hall. On 11 November 2018, the names of 315 fallen from the First World War and 85 fallen from the Second World War, including two women, were unveiled by children from 11 Ossett schools, engraved on granite stones laid around the foot of the memorial. Seven additional names were added in November 2019: four from the First World War and three from the Second World War.

Description

The memorial comprises a life-size bronze figure of an infantryman standing on a square grey granite obelisk with pedestal and two-stepped base. The lower step is rock-faced with a sloping top, whilst the upper step is polished with a flat top. The pedestal flares to a wide base and features a cavetto moulding where it meets the obelisk. The obelisk tapers towards a moulded capital upon which the statue stands.

The soldier wears a cap, 1902 pattern service dress and 1908 pattern webbing, and is positioned standing easy with both hands leaning on the muzzle of his rifle. Below the statue on the north-east face is a bronze laurel wreath above the inscription in raised lettering reading: TO THE MEMORY / OF THE MEN OF / THIS TOWN / WHO GAVE / THEIR LIVES IN / THE GREAT WAR / 1914-1918. Around the foot of the obelisk runs a bronze laurel-leaf garland. The pedestal bears the inscription: AND OF / THOSE WHO GAVE / THEIR LIVES IN THE / WORLD WAR / 1939-1945.

The memorial is constructed of grey granite with bronze statue, lettering, wreath and garland, and stands facing the listed town hall from the centre of the market place in the heart of the Ossett Conservation Area.