Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regimental War Memorial

The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regimental War Memorial is a Neo-classical monument erected between 1920 and 1921 to the design of architect George Allen and built by Samuel Foster of Kempston. It stands on the north side of Bedford Road opposite the former Kempston Barracks. An obelisk commemorating the fallen of the Second World War was added in 1950.

The memorial comprises a circular temple of Portland Stone ashlar flanked by two obelisks in front and a concave screen wall behind, forming a symmetrical composition.

The central circular temple has a semi-circular portico with two Ionic pilasters supporting a frieze inscribed "THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE", a dentilled cornice and a dome. The dome roof is covered in slate and terminates in a finial with a gilded cross. Beneath the portico, a cella wall has two Ionic pilasters, two niches either side of a central doorway with moulded architrave and an eight-panelled bronze door. The interior is lit by three stained glass windows depicting Jesus Christ, St Alban and St George. The floor is paved in three types of marble—Dove colour, pale Sienna and white Sicilian—and there is a moulded and ribbed plaster ceiling. The roll of honour book rests on an oak altar.

The concave screen wall flanks the temple with a stone bench set into its whole length. It terminates in a pier on each side with carved rectangular panels and reliefs in the form of classical military trophies. The left panel comprises a rose and garland, Lewis gun, entrenching tool, base plate for a trench mortar, laurel wreath and four hand grenades. The right panel has a rose and garland, Vickers machine gun, entrenching pick axe, water bottle, haversack, laurel wreath, helmet and four hand grenades.

The First World War obelisk stands to the left of the temple. It has a two-tiered stepped base, pedestal and shaft decorated with a Sword of Sacrifice and the regimental badge carved in relief and surrounded by a laurel wreath. The dates 1914 and 1919 are inscribed between the badge and sword. The south side of the pedestal carries a dedication to the officers, warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the Bedfordshire Regiment who fell in the Great War. The east side records that 366 officers and 5,745 other ranks of the Bedfordshire Regiment fell overseas, though the roll of honour includes hundreds more names of those who served in the regiment during the war, were transferred to other regiments, and died in those regiments. The west side lists the twenty-two units of the Bedfordshire Regiment during the Great War: 1st Battalion, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Reserve Battalion, 4th Extra Special Reserve Battalion, 5th Territorial Force Battalion, 6th Service Battalion, 7th Service Battalion, 8th Service Battalion, 9th Service Battalion, 10th Service Battalion, the Bedfordshire Training Depot, 2/5th Territorial Force Battalion, 3/5th Territorial Force Battalion, 1st Garrison (F.S.) Battalion, 2nd Garrison (F.S.) Battalion, 3rd Garrison (F.S.) Battalion, 11th Territorial Force Battalion, 12th Transport Works Battalion, 13th Transport Works Battalion, 51st Graduated Battalion, 52nd Graduated Battalion and 53rd Young Soldiers' Battalion.

The names and dates of battles and operations in which the regiment engaged are carved on three sides of the obelisk. The east side reads: 1914 Mons, Le Cateau, The Marne, The Aisne, La Bassée, Messines, Armentieres, Ypres, 1915 Neuve Chapelle, Hill 60, Aubers Ridge, Festubert, Givenchy, Ypres, Loos, Sulva Bay, Anzac. The west side: 1916 The Somme, Montauban, Longueval, Trones Wood, Thiepval Ridge, The Ancre, Schwaben Redoubt, Sinai Peninsula, 1917 Arras, Messines, Ypres, Cambrai, Umbrella Hill, Gaza, Jaffa. The north side: 1918 The Somme, The Lys, Amiens, Arras, Hindenburg Line, The Selle, Megiddo.

The Second World War obelisk stands to the right of the temple, matching the design of the adjacent obelisk with a stepped base, pedestal and shaft decorated with a Sword of Sacrifice and regimental badge. The dates 1939 and 1945 are inscribed between the badge and sword. The south side of the pedestal carries a dedication to the officers, warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment and the Hertfordshire Regiment who died in the Second World War. The west side records that 1,074 all ranks were killed in action or died of terrible privations in enemy hands.

The names and dates of battles and operations are carved on two sides. The west side reads: Dunkirk 1940, N.W. Europe 1940, Tobruk 1941, Tobruk Sortie, Belhamed, Tunis, North Africa 1941-43, Cassino II, Trasimene Line, Italy 1944-45, Athens, Greece 1944-45, Singapore Island, Malaya 1942, Chindits 1944, Burma 1944. The east side: Normandy Landing, N.W. Europe 1944, Montor Soli, Gothic Line, Monte Gamberaldi, Monte Ceco, Monte Grande, Italy 1944-45.

The plinth lists the battalions of the regiment during the Second World War: the Bedford and Hertfordshire Regiment 1st Battalion, 2nd Battalion, 5th Battalion (Territorial Army), 6th Battalion (Territorial Army), 7th Battalion, 8th Battalion (which became 14th Beds. and Herts. Medium Regiment R.A.), 9th Battalion, 30th Battalion, 70th Battalion, 71st Battalion, and the Hertfordshire Regiment 1st Battalion (Territorial Army) and 2nd Battalion (Territorial Army).

The north side of the obelisk is inscribed: "Unveiled by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, Colonel in Chief of the Regiment, on 11th November 1950".