Tomb of Flight Sub Lieutenant Reginald Warneford VC on northern approach to Great Circle, Brompton Cemetery

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 16 May 2023 to reformat the text to current standards

TQ2577 249/59/10224

OLD BROMPTON ROAD, (South, off) Brompton Cemetery Tomb of Flight Sub Lieutenant Reginald Warneford VC on northern approach to Great Circle, Brompton Cemetery

01-FEB-01

GV II Funerary monument. c1915. Designer unknown. Portland stone memorial in the form of a Roman altar on a tall, two-stage base with a grey granite vault cover in front. Upper part has an eared pedimental cover with a relief of a Victoria Cross. Below, flanked by inverted torches, is a portrait relief of Flight Sub-Lieutenant Warneford over a bay leaf festoon and the words 'COURAGE INITIATIVE INTREPIDITY'. Below is a relief of Warneford's successful action against a Zeppelin with the inscription 'ERECTED BY THE READERS OF THE DAILY EXPRESS TO COMMEMORATE THE HEROIC EXPLOIT IN DESTROYING A ZEPPELIN AIRSHIP NEAR GHENT ON JUNE 7 1915'.

History: Warneford, a pilot in the Royal Naval Air Service, was the first aviator to destroy an airship and was awarded the Victoria Cross for this exploit. He was killed in an accident soon after. Perhaps the earliest depiction of aerial warfare upon a public memorial.

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, 16 June 2017.