Royal Artillery Memorial

The Royal Artillery Memorial is a First World War memorial, with later additions commemorating the Second World War, constructed from Portland stone and featuring bronze statuary. The original concept, by Jagger, envisioned a large howitzer on a characteristic emplacement, and this was developed by Pearson into a cruciform base with a multi-stepped lower section and stepped-back upper sections. Four bronze figures are supported on projecting blocks; these depict (north) a recumbent corpse draped in an overcoat; (south) an Artillery lieutenant holding an overcoat; (east) a carrier with shell panniers and outstretched arms; and (west) a driver wearing a cape and heavy protective boots. A frieze around the principal level of the base depicts scenes of active service, including a heavy battery of 60 pounder guns (north-east), anti-aircraft gunners (south-east), shell-spotting and signallers (south-west), and a horse-drawn 13 pounder battery being brought into action (north-west). A stone depiction of a 9.2 inch howitzer sits atop the base.

Inscriptions on the east and west sides of the projecting arms of the base, in Roman Capitals, commemorate the 49,076 officers and men of the Royal Regiment of Artillery who died in the Great War (1914-1919). Around the upper level of the base are listed the countries where the RA served. Running clockwise from the north-east, these are France, Africa, Persia, Egypt, Central Asia, Palestine, Russia, Italy, India, Arabia, Mesopotamia, Flanders, repeated, then France, Africa, Persia, Egypt, Central Asia, Palestine, Russia, Italy, Arabia, Egypt, Macedonia, Dardanelles, and Flanders. Below the corpse is inscribed “HERE WAS A ROYAL FELLOWSHIP OF DEATH,” a phrase taken from Shakespeare’s Henry V. A further inscription on the north end refers to the roll of honour buried below. Additional inscription panels to the south commemorate the 29,924 losses of the regiment in the Second World War, added in 1949.