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Urban Geology in London No. 23 ©Ruth Siddall; UCL, November 2014 1 The Stones of London’s War Memorials ‘If I should die, think only this of me; That there’s some corner of a foreign field That is forever England’ The Soldier, Rupert Brooke (1887-1915) Memorial at the Tower of London for the centenary of the outbreak of WWI: 'Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red' by ceramicist Paul Cummins. The opening lines of Rupert Brooke’s famous poem (above) illustrates much of the sentiments associated with the design of war memorials and war graves. It has become traditional, on the most part, for stones representing the soldiers’ countries of origin to be used in memorials constructed to commemorate them. For example, the war memorials commemorating the British Forces killed during WWI in France and Belgium, such as Thiepval and the Menin Gate, are built from brick, with piers, vaults, columns and the panels bearing the inscriptions of names in Portland Stone. As we will see below, stones have been imported from all over the World to commemorate the soldiers from those countries who fought in the European theatres of the first half of the 20 th Century. Indeed there are corners of foreign fields, or in fact London, that are forever Australian, Canadian or Maltese. I am predominantly focusing on memorials to WWI and WWII. Many of the War Memorials and their stones catalogued below have been previously described in other Urban Geology in London Guides. These include the memorials in the vicinity of Hyde Park Corner (Siddall & Clements, 2013), on the Victoria Embankment (Siddall & Clements, 2014) and the Malta Memorial near the Tower of London (Siddall, 2014). Detailed descriptions of these memorials is provided in these texts and they are simply listed here. The war memorials in UCL are described in Siddall et al. (2014). Further information is also available from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the War Memorials Trust. War Memorials Cenotaph | Whitehall SW1A The Cenotaph on Whitehall is the focus of Britain’s remembrance ceremonies. It was designed by architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and completed in 1920. The word means ‘empty tomb’. It is built from Portland Stone and is a largely unadorned pillar, with a carved wreath at both ends. Replicas of the London Cenotaph occur in Auckland, New Zealand; London, Ontario and in Hong Kong. Of these certainly the Auckland cenotaph is in Portland Stone imported from England.
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TheStonesofLondon’sWarMemorials

‘IfIshoulddie,thinkonlythisofme;Thatthere’ssomecornerofaforeignfieldThatisforeverEngland’TheSoldier,RupertBrooke(1887-1915)

MemorialattheTowerofLondonforthecentenaryoftheoutbreakofWWI:'BloodSweptLandsandSeasofRed'byceramicistPaulCummins.TheopeninglinesofRupertBrooke’sfamouspoem(above)illustratesmuchofthesentimentsassociatedwiththedesignofwarmemorialsandwargraves.Ithasbecometraditional,onthemostpart,forstonesrepresentingthesoldiers’countriesoforigintobeusedinmemorialsconstructedtocommemoratethem.Forexample,thewarmemorialscommemoratingtheBritishForceskilledduringWWIinFranceandBelgium,suchasThiepvalandtheMeninGate,arebuiltfrombrick,withpiers,vaults,columnsandthepanelsbearingtheinscriptionsofnamesinPortlandStone.Aswewillseebelow,stoneshavebeenimportedfromallovertheWorldtocommemoratethesoldiersfromthosecountrieswhofoughtintheEuropeantheatresofthefirsthalfofthe20thCentury.Indeedtherearecornersofforeignfields,orinfactLondon,thatareforeverAustralian,CanadianorMaltese.IampredominantlyfocusingonmemorialstoWWIandWWII.ManyoftheWarMemorialsandtheirstonescataloguedbelowhavebeenpreviouslydescribedinotherUrbanGeologyinLondonGuides.TheseincludethememorialsinthevicinityofHydeParkCorner(Siddall&Clements,2013),ontheVictoriaEmbankment(Siddall&Clements,2014)andtheMaltaMemorialneartheTowerofLondon(Siddall,2014).Detaileddescriptionsofthesememorialsisprovidedinthesetextsandtheyaresimplylistedhere.ThewarmemorialsinUCLaredescribedinSiddalletal.(2014).FurtherinformationisalsoavailablefromtheCommonwealthWarGravesCommissionandtheWarMemorialsTrust.WarMemorialsCenotaph|WhitehallSW1ATheCenotaphonWhitehallisthefocusofBritain’sremembranceceremonies.ItwasdesignedbyarchitectSirEdwinLutyensandcompletedin1920.Thewordmeans‘emptytomb’.ItisbuiltfromPortlandStoneandisalargelyunadornedpillar,withacarvedwreathatbothends.ReplicasoftheLondonCenotaphoccurinAuckland,NewZealand;London,OntarioandinHongKong.OfthesecertainlytheAucklandcenotaphisinPortlandStoneimportedfromEngland.

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TheCenotaph,Whitehall;9thNovember2014RAFMemorial|VictoriaEmbankmentThisisasimplepillarinPortlandWhitbed,commemoratingairmenlostinbothWorldWars.ItwasdesignedbySirReginaldBlomfieldin1923,thegildedeagleonthetopisbysculptorWilliamReidDick.BattleofBritainMemorial|VictoriaEmbankmentThismemorialwaserectedin2003bysculptorPaulDayandarchitectsDonaldInsallAssociates.Itrecycledand25mlongDalbeattieGranitesuperstructuretoaair-ventwhichhadbeeninstalledwhentheembankmentwasconstructedinthe1860s.Anewgranite,probablyKemnayGranitefromAberdeenshirewasusedonthetopofthemonument.SubmarineWarMemorial|VictoriaEmbankmentThismonumentontheembankmentwaserectedin1922,designedbyA.H.RyanTennisonwithbronzeattachmentsbyF.BrookHitch,thismemorialiscoveredinsmallbronzeanchorswhichactashookstowhichwreathscanbeattachedonRemembranceSunday.ThismonumentprobablyutilisedtheexistinggranitealreadyinplaceontheVictoriaEmbankment.Unfortunately,theoriginofthisstoneisunknown.Itisacoarsegrainedgranitewithpinkorthoclasefeldspars,whitefeldsparandbiotite.Thereareafewmegacrysts,2-3cminlength,ofwhitefeldsparswithrimsofpinkfeldspar(Siddall&Clements,2014).CamelCorpsMemorial|VictoriaEmbankmentGardensTheImperialCamelCorpsBrigadeservedintheMiddleEastduringtheFirstWorldWar.Althoughinitiallyasmalloutfit,fourbattalionswereeventuallyformed,twoAustralian,aNewZealandBattallionandanotherwithsoldiersfromGreatBritain,whichincludedmenfromIndia.Thismemorial,featuringabronzeridermountedontheshipofthedesertwasmadebyasculptorwhowasalsoamemberofthecorps,MajorCecilBrown.HestandsonaplinthofPortlandStone.Themonumentwaserectedin1921.MaltaMemorial|BywardStreet,EC3ThissimplemonumentcommemoratestheGeorgeCrossIslandofMaltawhichunderwentsiegefrom1940-42anddefendedtheMediterraneanforthealliedconvoys.Itisageologicalgem,beingcomposedof

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theScutellaBedoftheLowerCorallineLimestone,quarriedonthesmallislandofGozointheMaltesearchipelago.Itispackedwithfossilsanddollarechinoids,Scutellasubrotunda(Siddall,2014).

TheMaltaMemorial,BywardStreet,nexttothechurchofAllHallows-by-the-Tower;9thNovember2014MerchantNavyMemorial|TrinitySquareGardens,TowerHill,EC3ThisimpressivemonumentinbronzeandPortlandStone,commemoratestheMerchantNavyandfishingfleetswhowerelostatseasinboththefirstandsecondWorldWars.TheWWIsection,bySirEdwardLutyenswascompletedin1928andcommemorates12,000menwhohaveagraveatsea.SirEdwardMaufedesignedtheWWIIsection,withsculpturebyCharleswheeler(inPortlandStone),commemorates24casualties.Thiswascompletedin1955(CommonwealthWarGraves).RoyalArtilleryMemorial|HydeParkCorner,SW1ThismonumentfeaturesaHowitzercravedfromPortlandStoneonaplinth,withveryfinereliefcarvingandbronzesbysculptorCharlesJagger.JaggerworkedarchitectLionelPearsonandthemonumentwascompletedin1925(Siddall&Clements,2013).MachineGunCorpsMemorial|HydeParkCorner,SW1ThissmallmemorialstandsonthenorthernsideoftheHydeParkCornerroundaboutgarden.Thewhitelimestoneplinthissurmountedbyabronzemalenude,andrealVickersmachinegunscoatedinbronzeandwithbronzewreaths.ItwasdesignedbyFrancisDerwentWoodandcompletedin1925.ThemonumentwasvilifiedbyPevsner(Bradley&Pevsner,2003)whofundittobewoefullyinappropriate.Thewhitestoneusedontheplinthcontainsabundantstylolitesandfossilfragments.ItsoriginisnotconfirmedbutitbearsastrikingsimilaritytoPietraD’Istria,aJurassicLimestonefromtheCroatiancoast.Ifso,thisisanunusualcaseofanon-BritishstonebeingusedonamonumenttocommemorateBritishForces.AustralianWarMemorial|HydeParkCorner,SW1Completedin2003,thewallofgreencharnockitethatistheAustralianWarMemorialwasdesignedbyTonkinZulaikhaGreerArchitectsandartistJanetLaurence.ThestoneisLagunaVerdefromJerramungupin

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south-westernAustralia.Thisisanancientrock,2.6Ga,fromtheYilgarnCratoncontainingbluegreenmicroclinefeldspar,hornblende,plagioclaseandquartz(Siddall&Clements,2013).RAFBomberCommandMemorial|Piccadilly,SW1AlargeneoclassicalstructurebyLiamO”ConnorhousetheRAFBomberCommandMemorialerectedin2012.ItisbuiltofPortlandWhitbedfromJordan’sQuarry.Inside,thebronzeairmenstandonaplinthofpurpleporphyryfromtheEasternDesertofEgypt.ThisstonewasknowntotheRomansasImperialPorphyryanditisnowmarketedsimplyasEgyptianRedPorphyry(Siddall&Clements,2013).CanadaMemorial|GreenParkSW1ThismemorialcommemoratesCanadianforceswhofoughtanddiedinbothWorldWars.Itismainlyconstructedfrompolished,brownAnticostiGranitefromQuebec,a1Gacharnockiticgranite.DecorativeinlaysofpalebrownAppalachiangraniteareusedtomakethecompassrose(Siddall&Clements,2013).RAFCoastalCommandMemorial|Cloister,WestminsterAbbey,SW1Thismemorial,erectedin2004,commemoratestheairmenoftheRAFCoastalCommandSquadronswhofoughtintheBattleoftheAtlantic(WWII),whichwasatitspeakin1944.ThememorialismadefromalightgreyCarraramarblewhichperfectlyechoesthestormyseasandskiescarvedinreliefbyNeilandRichardTalbot.ThegreyvarietiesofCarraramarble,showingthiscloudypatterningaremarketedasBardiglioNuvolato.TheCarraramarbles,geologicallytheHettangianMarbles,belongtoaformationofTriassicandJurassiclimestones,metamorphosedintheMioceneandarequarriedintheAlpiApuaneofTuscany.

RAFCoastalCommandMemorial,WestminsterAbbeyIntelligenceServicesMemorial|Cloister,WestminsterAbbey,SW1ThismemorialcommemoratesallmembersoftheBritishIntelligenceServicessince1909,includingthosewhoworkedintheGovernmentCodeandCypherSchoolduringWWIIatBletchleyPark.Itisbysculptor

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JohnMaineandwasdedicatedbytheQueenin2009.Ittakestheformofaconvexbowl,withapatternreminiscentofthedesignofthe13thCenturyCosmatiPavementintheAbbey’sSanctuary.Itisashapeknownasaquincunx,thearrangementof5dotsondice.ThestonesusedcommemorateintelligenceworkersaregranitesderivedfromEngland,NorthernIreland,ScotlandandWales.UnfortunatelytheiroriginsarenotrecordedontheAbbey’swebsite.Themainbowlisofagreygneiss.IfthisisaBritishstone,thenthemostlikelycandidateisoneofthegneissesfromtheLewisianComplexofScotland.Howeveritmaywellhavebeenderivedfromabroad.Theroundelontheleft,asonelooksatthemonumentrepresentsEngland.Thisis300MaCornishMegacrysticGranite,probablyfromeithertheLand’sEndorStAustellPlutons.Thetoproundel,unfortunatelyoutofmyreach,isabluegreyporphyrywithwhitefeldsparphenocrysts.ThisisprobablyWales’scontributionandIbelieveittobeGreyTreforPorphyry,a450MagraniticrockfromtheGarnforIntrusionontheLleynPeninsula.Thegraniteroundelatthebottomhasslightlypurplishorthoclasefeldspars,whiteplagioclase,hornblendeandbiotite.ItisalmostcertainlyMourneGranitefromtheTertiaryintrusionsofCountyDown,NorthernIreland.ThismeanstheroundelontherightisScottishGranite.Unfortunatelyitisnon-typicalbeingcutthroughbyaveinofinkgranitewhichdominatestheroundel.Theoatmealtextureofthesurroundingbrown-greygranitesuggestthatitmightbefromKemnay.

JohnMaine’sIntelligenceServicesMemorialatWestminsterAbbey.Ontherightaretop;theScottishGranitecutbyapinkorthoclase-richvein.BelowistheCornishMegacrysticGranite.AnimalsatWarMemorial|BrookGate,ParkLane,W1Thismemorialrecognisesalltheanimalsthathaveplayedapartinwarfromhorsesandcamelstopigeonsandeventheglow-wormsthatprovidedlightinthetrenches.Itdepictswar-wearyanimalswalkingthroughagatewayinawallofPortlandStonetofreedomandanopenfieldbeyond.ThesculptorwasDavidBackhouse.ThemonumentwasunveiledinNovember2004.ConscientiousObjectors’Memorial|TavistockSquareGardens,WC1HArough-hewnblockofLakeDistrictGreenSlatesitsintheNWcornerofTavistockSquareGardens.Thismonumentcommemoratesthestrugglesofconscientiousobjectorstoasserttheircommitmentnottobeinvolvedintheviolenceofwar.Itwaserectedin1994anddesignedbyarchitectHughCourt.Thisstoneis

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fromtheOrdovicianvolcanicrocksofCumbria,pyroclasticdepositsaccumulatedinalakeandthusdevelopingthestrikingsedimentarystructureswhichhaveearnedthemthename‘ornamentalslates’.MemorialstoIndividualsEdithCavellMemorial|StMartin’sPlace,WC2EdithCavellwasaBritishRedCrossnurseworkinginBrussels,whofoundherselfbehindenemylineswhenGermanyinvadedBelgiumin1914.ShewaschargedwithhelpingalliedsoldierstoescapeandexecutedbytheGermanson12thOctober1915.HermonumentisbySirGeorgeFramptonandwascompletedin1920.ThestatueofEdithCavellisinwhiteCarraraStatuariomarble,whilstthepillarbehindherisinCornishDeLankGranite(right).NoorInayatKhan|GordonSquareGardens,WC1EThemonumenttoWWIIResistancefighter,NoorInayatKhanisdescribedinSiddalletal.(2013)NoorwasaradiooperatorforSpecialOperations,workinginFrance.HowevershewasbetrayedandexecutedbytheGermansinSeptember1944.HermemorialhasabronzebustbyKarenNewman(2012)whichsitsuponaplinthofLakeDistrictGreenSlate.ChelseaWarMemorial|SloaneSquareSW1TheWarMemorialstandsattheeasternendoftheSquareandcommemoratesthemenandwomenofChelseawhodiedintheFirstandSecondWorldWars.Thestyleofthememorialisa‘crossofsacrifice’,amuchrepeatedformdesignedtobereproducedinarangeofsizesbySirReginaldBlomfieldin1918.Characteristicallyabronzelongswordisattachedtooneside.ThisstyleofmemorialisfoundinmostlargewarcemeteriesandisusedfortownmemorialsintheUK,CommonwealthandtheUnitedStates.Likemanyofitsbrethren,thiscrossanditsplinthisconstructedfromPortlandWhitbed.

References&FurtherReading

AnimalsatWarMemorial:http://www.animalsinwar.org.uk

Bradley,S.&Pevsner,N.,2003,TheBuildingsofEngland:London6:Westminster.YaleUniversityPress.,872pp.

CommonwealthWarGravesCommission:http://bit.ly/1yj8kdi

MIA,2011,MarbleInstituteofAmerica;GlossaryofStoneIndustryTerms;https://www.marble-institute.com/consumers/glossary.pdf

Price,M.T.,2007,DecorativeStone:TheCompleteSourcebook.ThamesandHudson,288pp.

Siddall,R,2014,SpitfiresandSand-Dollars:TheMemorialtotheSiegeofMalta,BywardStreetEC3;UrbanGeologyinLondonNo.19,http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucfbrxs/Homepage/walks/MaltaMemorial.pdf

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Siddall,R.&Clements,D.,2013,TheWarMemorialsatHydeParkCornerandGreenPark.UrbanGeologyinLondonNo.4,http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucfbrxs/Homepage/walks/HydeParkCorner.pdf

Siddall,R.&Clements,D.,2014,Neverinthefieldofurbangeologyhavesomanygranitesbeenlookedatbysofew!AstrollalongtheVictoriaEmbankmentfromCharingCrosstoWestminster&BlackfriarsBridge.,UrbanGeologyinLondonNo.21,http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucfbrxs/Homepage/walks/Embankment.pdf

Siddall,R.,Kirk,W.&Robinson,E.,2014,TheUrbanGeologyofUCLandtheUniversityofLondon;urbanGeologyinLondonNo.1,20pp.,http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucfbrxs/Homepage/walks/UCL&UoL.pdf

WarMemorialsTrust:http://www.warmemorials.org|https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk

WestminsterAbbey:RAFCoastalCommandhttp://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history/people/raf-coastal-command

WestminsterAbbey:IntelligenceServices:http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history/people/intelligence-services-mi5,gchq,sis

TheRoyalArtilleryMemorialatHydeParkCornerHowtocitethisarticle:Siddall,R,2014,TheStonesofLondon’sWarMemorials;UrbanGeologyinLondonNo.23,http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucfbrxs/Homepage/walks/WarMemorials.pdf©DrRuthSiddall,UniversityCollegeLondon,GowerStreet,LondonWC1E6BT,UK:[email protected]

Downloadsfromhttp://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucfbrxs/Homepage/UrbanGeology.htm;Facebook|Cultural&UrbanGeology|Twitter:@R_Siddall|#UrbanGeology


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