St George's Church Memorial Cross, Deal

The memorial stands in front of St George’s Church (Grade II*-listed) on Deal High Street. It takes the form of a 3m tall granite Celtic cross, with a wheel-head cross set on a tapering shaft. The arms of the cross are decorated with interlace patterns carved in relief, and a central boss surrounded by 12 small hemispheres.

The front face of the shaft is divided by horizontal bars into three sections. The uppermost section is a blind panel. The middle section bears the Tisdall arms carved in relief. A bronze of the Victoria Cross, hanging from a wreath, is mounted on the lower section. Encircled by the wreath is a bronze of the reverse side of the University of Cambridge’s Chancellor’s Medal for Classical Learning. The form of the wreath mirrors the wreath depicted on the medal, decorating the base of a statue of Athena.

The heraldic achievement of Deal is carved in relief near the base of the rear of the shaft. Below this a dedication in applied metal lettering reads IN PROUD & LOVING MEMORY/ OF THE MEN WHO FROM/ THE PARISH & CONGREGATION/ OF ST GEORGE’S DEAL/ HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES/ FOR THEIR COUNTRY

The shaft is set on a tapering plinth, on which are recorded dedications and names in applied metal lettering:

(East face) AD · GLORIAM · DEI/ TO THE BRIGHT & BEAUTIFUL MEMORY OF/ ARTHUR WALDERNE ST CLAIR TISDALL, V.C./ SUB LIEUT. R.N.V.R/ SCHOLAR OF TRINITY COLLEGE (B.A. DOUBLE 1ST CL. HON.)/ & CHANCELLOR’S GOLD MEDALLIST IN THE/ UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE/ SON OF REV. W. ST. C. TISDALL, D.D./ VICAR OF ST. GEORGE’S CHURCH, DEAL,/ & OF MARIAN (NÉE GRAY) HIS WIFE/ BORN JULY 21, 1890, KILLED FIGHTING GALLANTLY/ IN THE ATTACK ON ACHI BABA, GALLIPOLI,/ MAY 6, 1915

(North face) ALSO OF HIS BROTHER/ JOHN THEODORE ST. CLAIR TISDALL./ LIEUT. 1ST THE KING’S (LIVERPOOL) REGT./ SCHOLAR OF PETERHOUSE COLLEGE/ AND BELL SCHOLAR IN THE/ UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE/ BORN OCT. 9. 1893. KILLED GALLANTLY LEADING/ HIS COMPANY AT GUILLEMONT, FRANCE./ AUG. 8. 1916./ (1 NAME)

(West face) (18 NAMES)

(South face) (18 NAMES)

The plinth stands on a tapering step, on which are recorded a further dedication and additional names in applied metal lettering:

(East face) AWARDED THE VICTORIA CROSS BY HIS KING & COUNTRY/ IN RECOGNITION OF HIS MOST CONSPICUOUS BRAVERY/ & DEVOTION TO DUTY IN RESCUING MANY WOUNDED/ OFFICERS & MEN UNDER VIOLENT & ACCURATE FIRE, DURING/ THE LANDING OF THE BRITISH TROOPS/ FROM THE S.S. “RIVER CLYDE” AT V BEACH GALLIPOLI APRIL 25. 1915

(North face) (2 NAMES)

(West face) (9 NAMES)

(South face) (8 NAMES)

The memorial is raised on a square step on which is carved an inscription [illegible], placed in the centre of the path from the High Street.

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, 30 November 2016.