People of Dover war memorial

The memorial stands within a Garden of Remembrance outside Maison Dieu House, Biggin Street near the junction with High Street and Effingham Crescent. It consists of a bronze figure atop a Cornish grey granite pedestal bearing bronze reliefs on three sides and principal inscription, along with low flanking walls bearing names. The whole is set atop a stepped plinth and base.

The memorial takes the form of a bronze sculpture of a life-size young boy representing Youth, standing with his arms stretched upwards and holding a flaming cross in his right hand; at his feet is a ring of thorns. The pedestal has the Arms of the Borough in bronze relief on the front face, below which is the principal inscription, in applied bronze lettering which reads: TO THE GLORIOUS/ MEMORY OF THE/ PEOPLE OF DOVER/ WHO GAVE THEIR/ LIVES FOR THEIR/ COUNTRY IN THE/ GREAT WARS/ 1914-1919 – 1939-1945.

The sides of the pedestal bear bronze wreaths. The back of the pedestal bears the additional First World War plaque that was added in 1934, as well as the small Second World War plaque added in 1949.

The low flanking walls carry a 4.2m long roll of honour of First World War names. The 0.45m tall plinth is 4.5m long and has sunken integral flower holders. An additional step with interpretive plaque was added at the foot of the plinth at the back of the memorial.

Under the bronze relief below the statue on the front of plinth is inscribed: VILLE ET PORTUS DOVOR.

There is a further stone with a dedication in the flower beds which reads: THIS MEMORIAL/ WAS ERECTED BY PUBLIC/ SUBSCRIPTION FUNDS/ COLLECTED FOR DOVER/ PRISONERS OF WAR BEING/ ALSO GIVEN AS A THANK/ OFFERING BY THOSE WHO/ RETURNED SAFELY.

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, 5 December 2016.