Cross of Sacrifice, Dundonald Cemetery, 743 Upper Newtownards Road Belfast, Co.Antrim, BT16 2QY

Dundonald War Memorial is set at the highest point of Dundonald Cemetery and is a five metre high, grey limestone war memorial, facing north/south, which honours the dead of World War 1. Commissioned by the Imperial War Graves Commission and designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield, the memorial was erected between 1927 and 1931. On the north and south faces of the cross are two large bronze Excalibur-type swords, echoing the shape of the cross. The base of the war memorial is an octagon with two rows of rusticated limestone blocks topped with smooth limestone slabs. Above this sits a smaller octagonal limestone plinth topped with slim, smooth, overlapping slabs. On this rests the stepped octagonal base to the stone cross which is inscribed on three sides with the wording: "This cross of sacrifice is one in design and intention with those which have been set up in France and Belgium and other places throughout the world where our dead of the Great War are laid to rest. Their name liveth for evermore." A limestone cross rises from this base. The cross is octagonal on plan with the upright shaft swept in from a shallow base and tapering slightly as it rises towards the horizontal members. The exposed ends to the vertical and horizontal members step out to create the illusion of lightly larger octagonal stone end pieces. Surmounted on the north and south faces of the cross are two large bronze Excalibur-type swords the hilt of which are centred at the crossing point. Materials: Plinth: Limestone Cross: Limestone Ornamentation: Bronze Setting: The War Memorial is located at the highest point of Dundonald Cemetery on the main roadway within the site which leads directly from the main gates.