Waggoners' Reserve Memorial

A large cylindrical stone column with a pitched roof, bearing elaborate carvings. There are four small external columns with geometric patterned carvings set around the main column, rising to tapered pinnacles at the top. The whole is surmounted by a pyramid roof and is mounted on a five-stepped base. The carved scenes on the main column depict: the Waggoners on their farms; a plan of a field at Fimber; signing enlistment papers with Captain Sykes; being mobilised; leaving Sledmere; joining the ASC; training; crossing to France; supplying the front; German pillage and defending the wagons.

Inscription

LT COL SIR MARK SYKES BART MP DESIGNED THIS MONUMENT AND SET IT UP AS A REMEMBRANCE OF THE GALLANT SERVICES RENDERED IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 BY THE WAGONERS RESERVE A CORP OF 1000 DRIVERS RAISED BY HIM ON THE YORKSHIRE WOLDS FARMS IN THE YEAR 1912 THESE STEANES A NOBLE TALE DO TELL/ OF WHAT MEN DID WHEN WAR BEFELL/ AND IN THAT FOURTEEN HARVEST-TIDE/ THE CALL FOR LADS WENT FAR AND WIDE/ TO HELP TO SAVE THE WORLD FRO' WRONG/ TO SHIELD THE WEAK AND BIND THE STRONG./ WHEN FRA TEASE WOLDS XII HUNDRED MEN/ CAME FORTH FRO' FIELD AND FOLD AND PEN/ TO STAND AGAIN' THE LAW OF MIGHT/ TO LABOR AND TO DEE FOR RIGHT/ AND SO TO SAVE THE WORLD FRO' WRONG/ TO SHIELD THE WEAK AND BIND THE STRONG/ THESE SIMPLE LADS KNEW NOWT OF WAR/ THEY ONLY KNEW THAT GOD'S OWN LAW/ WHICH SATAN'S WILL CONTROLS MUST FALL/ UNLESS MEN THEN DID HEAR THAT CALL/ TO GAN TO SAVE THE WORLD FRO' WRONG/ TO SHIELD THE WEAK AND BIND THE STRONG./ ERE BRITAINS HORDES WERE PAVED OR PLANNED/ THE LADS WHAE JOINED THIS HOMELY BAND/ TO NORMANDY HAS PASSED O'ER SEA/ WHERE SOME WERE MAIMED AND SOME DID DEE/ AND ALL TO SAVE THE WORLD FRO' WRONG/ TO SHIELD THE WEAK AND BIND THE STRONG/ GOOD LADS AND DAMES OUR RIDINGS PRIDE/ THESE STEANES ARE SET BY THIS ROADSIDE/ THIS TALE YOUR CHILDRENS BAINS TO TELL/ ON WHAT YE DID WHEN WAR BEFELL/ TO HELP TO SAVE THE WORLD FRO' WRONG/ TO SHIELD THE WEAK AND BIND THE STRONG.

Inscription legible?

yes

Commemorations

First World War (1914-1918)
Total names on memorial: 0
Served and returned: 0
Died: 0
Exact count: yes
Information shown: Undefined
Order of information: Undefined

Components

Column
Measurements: height C 20FT
Materials: Stone

Listing information

WAGONERS' MEMORIAL
Grade I
This memorial is protected, and listed on the National Heritage List for England maintained by Historic England. View list entry
More about listing and the protection of historic places can be found on the Historic England website

Condition

Sledmere Wagoners' Reserves Pillar
WMO ID: 187483
Condition: Good [last updated on 19-06-2019]
Help update these details if the condition is wrong

Trust fund/Scholarship

No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A

Sponsorship

Other

Reference

Carter Postcard Collection
'Waggoners' Memorial', The 'Snapper', date unknown, pp. 159-161
'Sledmere's memorial to World War I', The Visitor's Guide to the North York Moors, York and the Coast, p. 184.
'Waggoners Monument, erected in 1912. Sledmere House', Postcard R81186, Colourmaster Limited, Kelvin Way, Crawley, Sussex
War Memorials Trust Bulletin, May 2016 (No. 69), p. 10 (for listing information)
'The Wolds Wagoners: An unusual formation with a controversial memorial', Paul Cobb, STAND TO!, January 2010, pp. 24-25
The Glorious Dead: Figurative Sculpture of British First World War Memorials, Geoff Archer, 2009, p. 50
STAND TO!, January 2000, Western Front Association
'The Wolds Wagoners: The story of the Wagoners' Special Reserve', Ian Sumner (Driffield: Sledmere Estate, 2000)
'The Yorkshire Wagoners', David Kellock, Crown Imperial, Winter 1998 (No. 93), pp. 29-30
'The Wagoners Special Reserve', John McKenzie, Military Brand Collectors Club Newsletter, July 1998 (No. 92), p. 4
'4. The Wagoners' Memorial', A Walk Around Sledmere Village: An Architectural Guide, Melanie Hall & Michael Oakenfull, 1990
'Wagoners at War: A General Service Wagon driven by members of the Wagoners Special Reserve, early in the Great War', Postcard, Wagoner Cards, Hagues/Sledmere House: 1988
The Times, 1 September 1938, p. 7, col. f
The Brasses of our Homeland Churches, W.E. Gawthorp (Homeland Association: 1923)

This record comprises all information held by IWM’s War Memorials Register for this memorial. Where we hold a names list for the memorial, this information will be displayed on the memorial record. Please check back as we are adding more names to the database.

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