"WICKHAMBROOK WAR MEMORIAL"

To the eternal memory of the men of WICKHAMBROOK who died in the service of their country
Twenty in the Great War of 1914-1919 and six in 1939-1945

The war memorial now stands in the centre of the cemetery. Originally it was installed near Thorn's Corner on Shop Hill. It was moved to its present position and unveiled on Sunday 27th April 1924. A Latin cross with a voided decoration, presumably a stylised representation of the crossed arrows at the centre, and enclosed at the base by St Edmund's Crown, atop a slender column, set on a tapered plinth above a three stepped base, all of Portland stone.

2015 photo:- Gillian Cooper................................The memorial on Shop Hill.....................................front (NW) face

Designed by architect Charles Waymouth and created by sculptors Farmer and Brindley, it was unveiled by Lt-General Sir Charles Briggs KCB, KCMG.
The dedication and Great War names are inscribed on the plinth and the 1939-1945 details are on the base, the lettering being painted black. The dedication, on the north west face, below the arms of Edward the Confessor (West Suffolk County Council connection) reads:- IN GRATEFUL/MEMORY/OF THE MEN OF/WICKHAMBROOK/WHO LAID DOWN THEIR/LIVES IN THE/GREAT WAR/1914-1918
The names read from the SE panel (in alphabetical order of surnames):-
SW face
- Under "BE THOU FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH" are WILLIAM ALCOCK/JOSEPH BYFORD/JACK CHAPMAN/HARRY A COOK/C.WILLIAM COOK/ERNEST W CUTTS/ARTHUR EAGLE
SE face
- Under "AND I WILL GIVE THEE" are ADOLPHUS EDGELEY/WILLIAM W HAYGREEN/WILLIAM HURST/GEORGE KING/PETER KING/REGINALD E MARROW and below them "THE NUMBER OF MEN/FROM THIS PARISH/WHO SERVED WAS 134
NE face
- Under "A CROWN OF LIFE" are STANLEY P MURKIN/CHARLES H PEACOCK/THOMAS PETTITT/HARRY STIFF/CYRIL WALLADGE/WILLIAM WELLS/CHARLES WRIGHT.

The other war memorial to the Fallen of Wickhambrook is the clock in All Saints' church tower. This has a dedication of:-
"The tower clock is erected by the inhabitants to the Glory to God in thanksgiving for peace and in grateful memory of all who made the supreme sacrifice during the 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 wars".



The Bury Free Press of 2nd May 1947 reported
Church Clock Commemorates War Dead
- As a memorial to those who gave their lives during two world wars, a clock has been placed in the tower of All Saints Church, Wickambrook. This was the culmination of efforts by a committee led by the Vicar, the Rev.W.H.Cooke, together with the secretary. Miss B.Cant and treasurer, Mrs.I.Alexander.
THE DEDICATION
Recently a dedication service in the church was conducted by the Vicar. There was a large attendance. The Ven.H.R.Norton, of Horringer, performed the dedication, and a framed inscription was placed in a prominent position near the choir stalls by the c, Mr. F.A. Littlechild.
By their efforts the Vicar and the Committee had raised £236 for the memorial.


In the church, in a glazed frame is the associated Roll of Honour for both wars.


In addition a Memorial Hall was built after the 1939-1945 war.






They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them.

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