Welsh National War Memorial

Coordinates: 51°29′12″N 3°10′49″W / 51.48658°N 3.18041°W / 51.48658; -3.18041
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Welsh National War Memorial
Cofeb Ryfel Genedlaethol Cymru
Cardiff Council
For Welsh soldiers who fought in World War I
and World War II
Unveiled12 June 1928; 96 years ago (1928-06-12)
Location51°29′12″N 3°10′49″W / 51.48658°N 3.18041°W / 51.48658; -3.18041
Cathays Park, Cardiff
Designed bySir Ninian Comper
Outer frieze
I feibion Cymru a roddes eu bywyd
dros eu gwlad yn Rhyfel MCMXIV–MCMXVIII[1]
('To the sons of Wales who gave their lives
for their country in the war of 1914–1918')
Inner frieze
Remember here in peace those who in tumult of war
by sea, on land, in air, for us and for our victory
endureth unto death
Above figures
In hoc signo vinces
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official nameWelsh National War Memorial [2]
Designated25 January 1966; 58 years ago (1966-01-25)[2]
Reference no.13742[2]

The Welsh National War Memorial (

Second World War
, added in 1949.

Design and construction

Welsh National War Memorial statues
Victory on top of the central stone pylon
Sailor (Navy) surrounding the central stone pylon
Soldier (Army) surrounding the central stone pylon
Airman (Air Force) surrounding the central stone pylon

The Memorial was first suggested in 1917.

William Goscombe John and Sir Hamo Thornycroft
.

The memorial takes the form of a circular colonnade surrounding a sunken court. On the frieze above the columns are inscriptions in Welsh, on the outer side, and in English, on the inner side. The English inscription was composed by Comper himself. At the centre of the court is a group of three bronze sculptures arranged around a stone pylon. Around the base stand three figures, a soldier, sailor and airman, holding wreaths aloft. There are appropriate inscriptions above the figures e.g. 'Over the sea he went to die', above the sailor. Above them, crowning the structure, is a winged male nude representing Victory.

The memorial's form was inspired by two visits to French North Africa and particularly

Imperial War Graves Commission is echoed within the central element of the Shrine (this memorial having been opened in 1927 by the Prince of Wales as the Scottish National War Memorial, and consequently presumably in some form associated with that of Wales and possibly others[citation needed]). In order for Pegram to find a model for the bronzes, the crews of two battleships were invited to the Union Jack Club
in Waterloo, London. The sculptor selected a young sailor called Frederick William Baker, an Englishman from Brixton, in the nude and in uniform.

The memorial was unveiled on 12 June 1928 by

Edward, Prince of Wales.[5] The ceremony was broadcast by the nascent BBC.[5][6]

The Memorial is Grade II* listed.[2]

See also

Sources

  • Anthony Symondson and Stephen Bucknall, Sir Ninian Comper (Reading: Spire Books, 2006)

References

  1. ^ Hammerton, John Alexander (1925), "Our War Memorials: II – The Great Cities and Some Others", Wonderful Britain: Its Highways Byways & Historic Places, vol. 3, retrieved 25 February 2017
  2. ^
    National Historic Assets of Wales
    . Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "Welsh National War Memorial". Public Monuments and Sculpture Association. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  4. ^ a b c "Welsh National War Memorial". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Wales". BBC Hand Book 1929 (PDF). BBC. 1928. p. 95.
  6. ISSN 0033-8060
    .

External links
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Welsh_National_War_Memorial&oldid=1216003694"