"ELVEDEN WAR MEMORIALS"
To the eternal memory of the men of ELVEDEN who died in the service of their country
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old,
Twenty Nine in the Great War of 1914-1919 and Three in 1939-145
There are four memorials within the Church of St Andrew and St Patrick, London Road, Elveden. Elveden St. Andrew & St.Patrick.
2 towers, 2 naves and a cloister, a most unusual church, which since the re-routing of the A11 is now much safer to visit, and well worth the time. The
original church of St Andrews was much altered in 1869 by Prince Duleep Singh. Later the estate was purchased by the Guinnness family. The 1st Lord Iveagh,
insisting all his staff attend church, enlarged the church by the simple ? expedient of building another nave alongside the north side the original, adding a
bell tower and a cloister and the rear. This was done 1904-1906, with the bell tower being added as a memorial to Lord Iveagh's wife in 1922. Thus the church
became St Patrick and St Andrew. The main entrance is the west end of the new church.
On the west wall are two Ketton stone memorials (height 56" x width 69") recessed into the wall, the left names 29 men, in surname order with initial, in three panels, who fell in the Great War. Above the three panels
is inscribed:-
BE THOU FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH AND
I WILL GIVE THEE A CROWN OF LIFE
and under the name panels
AND SO THEY PASSED OVER AND
ALL THE TRUMPETS SOUNDED
FOR THEM ON THE OTHER SIDE
The memorial on the right gives thanks for the 95 men who were engaged in the Great War and returned home and is inscribed:-
TO:THE:GREATER:GLORY:OF:GOD:
THE PARISHIONERS OF ELVEDEN DESIRE
TO COMMEMORATE THEIR GRATITUDE TO
ALMIGHTY GOD FOR THE PRESERVATION
OF NINETY FIVEMEN FROM THIS VILL-
AGE WHO TOOK THEIR SEVERAL PARTS
IN THE GREAT WAR AND RETURNED IN
SAFETY TO THEIR HOMES
1914-1919
The memorial for World War two is a stone tablet on the west wall, above the door, with an Gothic canopy and side columns supported by a male and a female crowned head. This memorial was unveiled on Date: 11 Jan 1948, attended by the Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich.
The inscription reads:-
+ IN MEMORY OF +
THE MEN OF THIS PARISH
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN
THE SECOND WORLD WAR
1939 ---1945
ARTHUR Viscount Elveden
CECIL CHARLES HOLDEN
JOHN STILES
and on a small lower panel
In the sight of the unwise
they seem to die
but they are in peace
The Memorial to Arthur, Viscount Elveden is a stained glass window of three lights, depicting St George and the Dragon and along the bottom edges of the lights
PRAISE GOD AND REMEMBER ARTHUR, VISCOUNT ELVEDEN, WHO GAVE HIS LIFE IN THE WAR OF 1939-1945.
Also in the south wall of the old church is a memorial window commemorating the American airmen from the local bases who fell in 1942-1945
IN HONOUR AND MEMORY OF MEMEBERS OF THE UNITED STATES THIRD AIR DIVISION
WHO BASED IN BRITAIN FELL WHILE ON AIR OPERATIONS IN THE CAUSE OF WORLD FREEDOM
1942-1945
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them.