Hunmanby War Memorial

First World War memorial, 1921, with Second World War additions.

MATERIALS: Yorkshire stone, lead lettering

DESCRIPTION: Hunmanby War Memorial is situated adjacent to the Grade II-listed Denmark House and in close proximity to the Market Cross, and Osgoodby House (also listed Grade II). The memorial takes the form of an obelisk with a Latin cross bearing a sword in relief; it rises off a pedimented tapering pedestal, placed on a three-stepped plinth, with a square slab base. Each of the four pediments contain a carving in relief; the east elevation has an infantryman within a laurel wreath, flanked by an 18-pounder quick-firing gun to the left and a 60-pounder breech-loading gun to the right. The north pediment has a scrolled cartouche, displaying the motto: READY AYE READY, above an anchor and beneath a naval crown. The cartouche is flanked to each side by a white ensign and a pennant, one reading: JUTLAND and the other: HELIGOLAND. The west pediment bears a laurel wreath, within which were formerly the words: PRO/ PATRIA, reduced to: .../ PA..IA; the wreath is flanked by billowing ribbons bearing the words: AUXILIARY FORCES. Finally, the south pediment has a winged RAF emblem. The pedestal has a plain cornice terminated by a torus moulding, and each elevation bears a carving of a Yorkshire rose, under which are the inscriptions in lead lettering.

The dedication on the east elevation reads: IN/ HONOUR/ OF/ HUNMANBY MEN/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR/ FREEDOM/ KING AND COUNTRY/ IN THE/ GREAT WAR/ 1914 – 1918./ LIVE THOU FOR FREEDOM/ WE FOR FREEDOM DIED; the names of the 33 Fallen from the First World War are recorded on the remaining sides of the pedestal. Each plinth step has a chamfered upper surface and the east elevation of the top step reads: IN/ HONOURED MEMORY OF/ THOSE MEN WHO/ LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE/ WORLD WAR 1939 – 1945, with the names of the nine Fallen from this conflict recorded on the step below. The names from the First World War are recorded in order of surname, initial, and regiment, or the name of their warship; however, the names of the men who served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War are simply recorded as: ROYAL NAVY.