Somersham War Memorial, Somersham, Cambridgeshire

Entry Name: Somersham War Memorial

Listing Date: 10 November 2016

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1439232

ID on this website: 101439232

Location: Somersham, Huntingdonshire, Cambridgeshire, PE28

County: Cambridgeshire

District: Huntingdonshire

Civil Parish: Somersham

Built-Up Area: Somersham

Traditional County: Huntingdonshire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Cambridgeshire

Church of England Parish: Somersham St John the Baptist

Church of England Diocese: Ely

Tagged with: War memorial

Summary

Second World War memorial.

Description

Second World War memorial, erected in 1957.

MATERIALS: pale grey granite.

PLAN: the memorial is in the form of a tall rectangular slab with shouldered corners. It bears the sword of sacrifice in gold against a green circular wreath and underneath the inscription ‘IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THE MEN OF THIS PARISH WHO PAID THE SUPREME SACRIFICE 1939-1945’, followed by the names of the thirteen fallen. The slab rests upon a rectangular plinth inscribed with ‘AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNING WE WILL REMEMBER THEM’. The plinth rests on a shallow base set in a gravelled square area surrounded by a kerb.

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, 13 January 2017.

History

The concept of commemorating war dead did not develop to any great extent until towards the end of the C19. Prior to then memorials were rare and were mainly dedicated to individual officers, or sometimes regiments. The first large-scale erection of war memorials dedicated to the ordinary soldier followed the Second Boer War of 1899-1902, which was the first major war following reforms to the British Army which led to regiments being recruited from local communities and with volunteer soldiers. However, it was the aftermath of the First World War that was the great age of memorial building, both as a result of the huge impact the loss of three quarters of a million British lives had on communities and the official policy of not repatriating the dead, which meant that the memorials provided the main focus of the grief felt at this great loss. In many cases the names of the fallen from the Second World War were added to these memorials but in other, relatively rare instances, a separate memorial was erected.

The Second World War memorial in Somersham was erected by the Parish Council in November 1957 in the centre of the village on an area known locally as The Cross. The following account is taken from a report in the Hunts Post (21 November 1957): ‘Somersham's Memorial to the thirteen men of the village who fell in the 1939-1945 war was unveiled by Wing Commander A. M. Brown of RAF Wyton on Sunday 17th November 1957. It was dedicated by the Rector of Somersham, the Reverend G. W. Coupe. Crowds of people lined the village streets to watch a parade to the Memorial which was headed by Somersham Town Band. Eleven British Legion Standards were carried in the parade, including two county standards. Reverend Coupe conducted the service, assisted by the Reverend R. J. Stephens (Baptist Minister) and the church choir led the singing of "All people who on earth do dwell". Prayers were led by Reverend Coupe followed by the unveiling and Wing Commander Brown's address. He said the ceremony was an important and solemn one for Somersham. It was fitting that the names of those who sacrificed their lives should be recorded in stone, and fitting that people today should show their gratitude in singing hymns and in prayers. The hymn "O God our help" was sung, and wreaths were laid by representatives of the various organisations in Somersham as well as relatives of the fallen. The Town Band played for the singing of the National Anthem, and after the Benediction, Wing Commander Brown took the salute at a march past. He said it was an honour for a representative of RAF Wyton to be asked to unveil the Memorial and appropriate that the Royal Air Force should represent the Services at the unveiling for it was from this area that the Pathfinder Force and the bomber streams set off to battle and lost so many men. The roll of honour and the Legion's exhortation were read by Mr Cherrington (Clerk to the Parish Council) and the Last Post was sounded by an RAF sergeant bugler.’

Reasons for Listing

Somersham War Memorial, erected in 1957, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: as an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the conflicts of the C20;
* Rarity: as a separate memorial dedicated to the fallen of the Second World War, it is relatively rare;
* Group value: it has group value with numerous listed buildings in the centre of Somersham, particularly the mid-C19 houses and shops at 93, 95 and 97 High Street to the north, the early C19 Braunston House to the south, and the K6 telephone kiosk to the west, all listed at Grade II.

External Links

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.