Lowestoft War Memorial

The Lowestoft War Memorial is a First World War memorial built in 1921, with later additions for the Second World War. It is made of Cornish granite and is prominently located on Royal Terrace, near the seafront and South Pier, and not far from a statue of Triton and the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club.

The memorial features a large obelisk made of Cornish granite blocks, standing over 6 meters high, set on a square pedestal with a two-stepped base. On the west face of the obelisk, there is a bronze laurel wreath.

The main inscription is carved and painted in black within recessed panels on the plinth's faces. The west face reads: "TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF THE MEN OF THIS TOWN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1919. AND THE SECOND GREAT WAR 1939 – 1945." The north face states: "THIS MEMORIAL WAS UNVEILED BY ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET LORD WESTER WEMYSS GCB CMG MVO 11TH AUGUST 1921." The east face has the inscription: "PRO PATRIA A ROLL OF HONOUR BEARING THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO MADE THE GREAT SACRIFICE LIES BENEATH THIS STONE." The south face reads: "LEST WE FORGET THIS MONUMENT WAS ERECTED BY THEIR GRATEFUL FELLOW TOWNSMEN."

Additionally, there is a rectangular granite plaque on the south face of the obelisk that commemorates the men and women of the Royal Air Force who made the supreme sacrifice during the Battle of Britain in 1940. This plaque, dedicated by the Lowestoft Branch of the Royal Air Forces Association in September 1990, reads: "1940 1990 TO THE HONOUR AND GLORY OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE WHO DURING THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN 1940, TOGETHER WITH THOSE OF OTHER SERVICES MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE. MAY THEIR COURAGE AND DEVOTION TO DUTY IN THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM BE REMEMBERED ALWAYS."