New Malden War Memorial

New Malden War Memorial is situated on the pavement adjacent to the High Street, New Malden.

The memorial comprises a tall, three-tiered cenotaph on a plinth and two-stepped base. The whole is surrounded by a chain supported by short posts. The front face of the upper tier of the cenotaph bears a laurel wreath carved in relief and it is topped with anti-pigeon spikes. The middle tier bears a bronze sword. The lower tier bears the inscription IN / GRATEFUL MEMORY OF / THOSE WHO GAVE / THEIR LIVES / FOR KING AND COUNTRY / IN THE GREAT WAR / 1914 - 1918. Resting on the join between the lower tier and the plinth is a plaque which reads AND THE / 1939 - 1945 WAR. The front face of the plinth bears a plaque which reads THIS PLAQUE IS TO COMMEMORATE THE CENTENARY OF / THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1919 / AND / IN MEMORY OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES / INCLUDING POLICE FIRE AND AMBULANCE SERVICES / WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE OF OUR COUNTRY / SINCE THE END OF BOTH WARS / LAID BY THE MALDEN AND COOMBE BRANCH OF THE / ROYAL BRITISH LEGION / WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

The right and left faces of the cenotaph are inscribed with the names of the Fallen; on the lower tier these have been overlaid with bronze plaques bearing a fuller list of names. The right-face plaque commemorates Armed Forces casualties of the Second World War, there being also a smaller, newer plaque commemorating Lieutenant HOB Firman, VC. The left-face plaque honours the Fallen of the First World War, and the rear-face plaque Civilian casualties of the Second World War. The rear-face of the plinth bears a plaque reading DAMAGE TO THIS MEMORIAL / WAS CAUSED BY A GERMAN BOMB / WHICH FELL TWENTY FEET AWAY / ON 16TH. OCTOBER 1940.

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 16 March 2017.