The aftermath of the First World War saw the biggest single wave of public commemoration ever with tens of thousands of memorials erected across the country. One such memorial was raised in Waterloo outside St John’s Church as a permanent testament to the sacrifice made by the members of the local community. It was installed in late 1919, replacing a temporary wooden memorial. The bronze sculpture of Christ is believed to have been made in Paris (artist unknown).
The memorial consists of a wooden cross, replete with a bronze figure of Christ at Calvary and an INRI scroll. The cross stands on a limestone plinth, splayed at both ends.
The cornice bears the following inscriptions: on the front the initials A.M.D.G (an abbreviation of the Latin motto Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam – ‘For the greater glory of God’), on the right GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN, on the back THAN THIS: THAT A MAN LAY and on the left DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.
Jutting out at the centre of the cornice on the front face is a stone section bearing a bronze plaque which reads ERECTED BY THE NURSING STAFF / IN HONOUR OF THE PATIENTS WHO DIED / IN THE KING GEORGE HOSPITAL / HM STATIONERY OFFICE STAMFORD STREET / USED AS A MILITARY HOSPITAL DURING THE WAR.
The front of the main body of the plinth is inscribed:
IN MEMORY OF THOSE
WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR
LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY
THE NAMES OF THOSE
WHO DIED IN THE
KING GEORGE HOSPITAL
ARE INSCRIBED ON A
PARCHMENT ROLL PLACED
WITH THE CHURCH RECORDS
THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO
WERE PARISHIONERS OF
ST JOHN’S CHURCH ARE
INSCRIBED ON THE THREE
REMAINING PANELS OF
THIS MEMORIAL.
Above this, in larger type, it reads ETERNAL REST GRANT, with the inscription continuing on the right TO THEM O LORD AND, the back MAY PERPETUAL LIGHT and the left SHINE UPON THEM. The other three faces of the plinth bear the names of the Fallen on concave sections. The whole structure stands on a two-step base.
As of 2017, the War memorial is listed for its heritage.
Sources
- Books and journals
Cavanagh, T, PMSA – Public Sculpture of South London, (2007), 87 - Websites
Historic England Register, accessed 13 March 2023 from https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1441652?section=official-list-entry
London Remembers – WW1 Memorial at St John’s Waterloo, accessed 18 November 2016 from http://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/ww1-memorial-at-st-john-s-waterloo
War Memorials Online, accessed 3 March 2017 from https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/105958
War Memorials Register, accessed 18 November 2016 from http://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/18004
