Memorial details

Memorial type
Board / Plaque / Tablet
District
Lewisham
Town
Lewisham
County
Greater London
Country
England
Commemoration
Second World War (1939-1945), First World War (1914-1918), Second World War - civilians, Boer War; Second (1899-1902)
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 28 May 1998
    Attended by: Roger Godsiff MP performed the unveiling of the mural wall; the Blessing was spoken by Sybil Phoenix MBE
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
12133

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Current location

Molesworth Street entrance
Lewisham Shopping Centre
Molesworth Street
Lewisham
Lewisham
Greater London
SE13 7HB
England

OS Grid Ref: TQ 38158 75550
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Description
Perspex-covered rectangular mural segment on a sepia background. At top-centre of the memorial, the first line of the inscription "Victoria Cross Holders" is flanked on either side by a cross. Beneath, the names of the recipients are listed in black, along with the name of the wars in which the gallantry medal was awarded. Beneath that section relating to Victoria Cross recipients, the memorial lists the names of "Local Civilian Heroes" in WW2, and the gallantry awards they received. (N.B. this memorial hangs beside another, which commemorates those from Lewisham who gave their lives in the service of their country - see our record 12134).
Inscription
VICTORIA CROSS HOLDERS/ BOER WAR SOUTH AFRICA 1899-1902/ (1 name)/ WORLD WAR 1 1914-1918/ (10 names)/ WORLD WAR II 1939-1945/ (3 names)/ Some Local Civilian Heroes 1939-1945/ (25 names) (N.B. In the 'Local Civilian Heroes' section of the memorial, the first six people listed all died on the night 19/20th March 1941 while attempting to rescue colleagues at the Royal Victoria Yard, and were commended in the London Gazette; the other 19 people are listed in order of precedence of the gallantry award they received).
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Auten
Bain, P
Bennie, Bernard
Brittan, Albert
Clarke, Albert
Coffin, C
Curtis, Frederick
Dolphin, Albert
Donno, J W
Engleheart, H
See details for all 39 names
Commemorations
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 3
    Served and returned: 1
    Died: 2
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Rank, initials, surname, decorations, area in which he lived, whether the award of the Victoria Cross was posthumous
    Order of information: Chronologically by date the award was made
  • First World War (1914-1918)
    Total names on memorial: 10
    Served and returned: 6
    Died: 4
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Rank, initials, surname, decorations, area in which he lived, whether the award was posthumous
    Order of information: Chronologically, in order of the date the Victoria Cross was awarded
  • Second World War - civilians
    Total names on memorial: 25
    Served and returned: 18
    Died: 7
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Civilian rank if any (e.g. Police, Doctor), initials/forenames, surname, decorations and whether award was posthumous
    Order of information: The first six people listed died on the night 19/20th March 1941 trying to rescue colleagues at the Royal Victoria Yard and were commended in the London Gazette; the ensuing 19 were listed in order of seniority of the gallantry award they received.
  • Boer War; Second (1899-1902)
    Total names on memorial: 1
    Served and returned: 1
    Died: 0
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Rank, initial surname, decoration, area of London in which he lived
    Order of information: Undefined
Components
  • Mural
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Paper
Listing information
Condition
History
The memorial is a segment of the mural wall created in 1998, to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the Shopping Centre.
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Sponsorship
Corporate
Details: The memorial was among a collection of murals commissioned by Slough Estates in 1998, to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the opening of their property, Lewisham Shopping Centre.
Responsibility
Lewisham Shopping Centre
Reference
  • lewishamwarmemorials.wikidot.com/memorial:lewisham-lewisham-centre-mural This webpage has details of this memorial in Lewisham Shopping Centre, and links to further details of those named upon it. Its page (compiled in 2013) re one of those commemorated on the memorial as a WW1 Victoria Cross recipient, Harold Auten, includes the comment: "A total of 628 Victoria Crosses were awarded during the First World War: 454 Victoria Crosses were awarded to UK-born recipients; 173 were awarded to servicemen who fought for Britain, but were born overseas; 1 person was awarded the Victoria Cross twice during the First World War. Special paving stones will be laid in the home towns of every UK soldier awarded the Victoria Cross as part of 2014's World War I centenary events. The specially-commissioned stones will be given to councils in the areas where the VC recipients were born. A total of 28 will be unveiled next year to commemorate medals awarded in 1914 and a further 600 will be laid in every year up to 2018. Auten's will be laid in July 2018 at Leatherhead, where he was born". (The stone commemorating "Lieutenant Harold Auten Royal Naval Reserve 30th July 1918" is at St Mary & St Nicholas Church in Leatherhead, Surrey- see www.surreyinthegreatwar.org.uk/collections/getrecord/SHMEM_W_M_4784 ).
  • Lewisham Local History Society 'Newsletter' No.125 June/July 1998, P.6

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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© WMR-12133

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