Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry War Memorial

First World War memorial by Leonard Stanford Merrifield. Erected in 1924.

MATERIALS: Cast in bronze on a Cornish granite plinth.

DESCRIPTION: The Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry War Memorial comprises a bronze statue of an infantryman in 1907 pattern webbing, a Mk 1 helmet, and with a small box respirator in its case on his chest. The figure carries his rifle slung but with bayonet fixed and holds a Mills bomb (pin removed) in his right hand. The figure stands legs apart in a balanced, ready position, as if preparing to throw the bomb and is sculpted to appear as if he is stood in mud. The statue is signed L. S. MERRIFIELD. Sc. 1922. A. B. BURTON. FOUNDER.

The statue stands on an octagonal moulded Cornish granite plinth with a six stepped base. The front (north west) face carries a bronze cast of the coat of arms of the Duke of Cornwall surrounded by a laurel wreath, and with the motto ONE AND ALL. The front face is inscribed ERECTED / BY THE / DCLI / TO THEIR / GLORIOUS DEAD / 255 OFFICERS / 4027 OTHER RANKS / 1914-1919. The other faces all carry a bronze laurel wreath surrounding the number of a battalion. Clockwise from the front face they are inscribed: I / FRANCE & / FLANDERS / 1914 – 1917 / ITALY / 1917 – 1918 / FRANCE & / FLANDERS / 1918 – 1919 // IV / INDIA / 1914 – 1916 / SOUTHERN / ARABIA / (ADEN) / 1916-1917 / EGYPT AND / PALESTINE 1917 – 1919 // VI / FRANCE & / FLANDERS / 1915 – 1918 // VIII / FRANCE & / FLANDERS / 1915 / MACEDONIA / 1915 – 1919 // X / FRANCE & / FLANDERS / 1916 – 1919 // V / FRANCE & / FLANDERS / 1916 – 1919 // II / FRANCE / AND / FLANDERS / 1914 – 1915 / MACEDONIA / 1915 – 1919 //.

The memorial is flanked to the south and east by two coped granite kerbs inlaid with laurel wreaths, one for each battalion, and the regimental badges. The terminal piers of the walls are inscribed IN PROUD MEMORY OF THEIR COMRADES WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES 1939-45 / AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE REGIMENT WHO WERE SERVING WITH OTHER CORPS 1939-45. The wreaths contain the number of each battalion, with the associated battle honours inscribed alongside.