Memorial details

Memorial type
Cross
District
Inverness
Town
Inverness
County
Highland
Country
Scotland
Commemoration
Second World War (1939-1945), First World War (1914-1918), Afghanistan (2001-2014), Cyprus Emergency (1955-1959), Post-1945 war or conflict, Non-Combat Deaths, First World War - civilians, Gulf War (1990-1991)
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 16 December 1922
    Attended by: Lord Lieutenant of Inverness
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
5886

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Current location

The memorial is located between Island Bank Road
Cavell Gardens and Ladies' Walk. It is also situated near the pedestrian suspension bridge over the River Ness known as Infirmary Bridge.
Cavell Gardens
Ladies' Walk
Inverness
Inverness
Highland
IV2 4SY
Scotland

OS Grid Ref: NH 66485 44507
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Description
Red sandstone Celtic cross on a two-stepped battered plinth, set on a square base, from which yellow sandstone wings extend to either side, angled inwards, and terminating with red sandstone pillars. The Memorial faces West across the River Ness. The cross is decorated with carved Celtic knotwork, with the Burgh's coat of arms carved on the front face of the main plinth. Inscriptions incised within lozenges occupy the other three faces, while the main dedication is inscribed on the front face of the base. Inscriptions on the rear face of the base record the original dedication of the Memorial, and the subsequent post-WW2 dedication of new panels. The terminal pillars to the wings carry inscriptions, entitled "Battle Honours", detailing the engagements and battles of the various theatres of war during WW1. The WW1 names are cast in fourteen bronze plaques spread across the front faces of the wings. The WW2 names are cast in six bronze plaques set into the reverse side of the North wing, with a seventh cast panel set at the angled corner portraying a claymore, the years of the conflict, and the arms of the Burgh. A dedication is inscribed beneath the five outside panels. The upper section of this is carved, the lower section is incised, and blacked. The South side of the reverse of the wings originally carried seven polished plain marble tablets in alternate colours. In November 2012 the angled corner tablet was replaced with a black marble tablet dedicated to post-1945 deaths. This carries the incised and gilded dedication, with a claymore and the arms of the Highland Council etched in white. The next space inwards carries another black marble tablet bearing the incised and gilded Roll of Honour of names. To the original name inscribed in 2012, four were added later, two were added in August 2015, another in August 2019, and another in October 2023 - thus nine by July 2024.
Inscription
Front of Plinth: TO THE/ GLORIOUS MEMORY/ OF THE MEN OF THE BURGH/ AND PARISH OF INVERNESS/ WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1918 "This monument is more that bronze and stone,/ A peoples' gratitude is here revealed./ By this for evermore our debt we own/ To those whose blood our victory hath sealed./ This is from now a truly sacred place,/ And while the Ness reflects our native skies./ This shrine shall point for each succeeding race/ The path of duty, love and sacrifice."/ WE HONOUR THEM/ FOR/ WHAT WE OWE THEM THEY FOUGHT FOR/ KING AND COUNTRY/ FAITH AND FREEDOM/ NOR DID THEY FIGHT IN VAIN/ Fear not that ye died for naught/ The Torch ye threw to us is caught/ ten million hands will hold it high/ And freedom's light shall never die/ We've learned the lessons you taught/ In Flanders fields Back of Plinth: IN THREE CONTINENTS/ AND IN THE DEEP THEY LIE/ BUT IN OUR HEARTS THEIR DEEDS/ FOR EVER ARE ENSHRINED DURING THE WAR/ UPWARDS OF 5000 MEN OF THE BURGH/ AND PARISH OF INVERNESS/ WENT OUT ON ACTIVE SERVICE/ AND NOBLY UPHELD THE HONOUR/ OF THEIR COUNTRY./ OF THESE GALLANT MEN 717 RETURNED NO MORE,/ TO THEIR MEMORY THIS MONUMENT/ WAS ERECTED BY A GRATEFUL COMMUNITY/ AND UNVEILED ON THE 16TH DECR 1922./ BY COLONEL THE MACKINTOSH OF MACKINTOSH/ LORD LIEUTENANT OF INVERNESS-SHIRE. THESE PANELS COMMEMORATING THOSE/ WHO FELL IN 1939-1945 WERE/ UNVEILED ON NOVEMBER 11TH., 1956, BY/ PROVOST ROBERT WOTHERSPOON. Pillars: (Battle Honours) Pillar: AN COGADH MOR/ 1914-1918 Bronze Plaque: 1939-/ 1945 Bronze Plaques: ROLL OF HONOUR/ (Names) Base of wall: TO THE GLORIOUS MEMORY OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE BURGH AND PARISH/ WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE IN DEFENCE OF THEIR COUNTRY IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR Black Plaque: POST/ 1945 Second Black Plaque: ROLL OF HONOUR/ (Names)/ We Will Remember Them/ Today - Tomorrow - Forever
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Cavell, Edith
Davidson, Peter F
Ferguson, Martin
Hilliard, Craig T
Johnstone, Charles L
Macdougall, Alexander
Mckillop, Alistair W
Millar, Stuart A F
See details for all 8 names
Commemorations
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 306
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 306
    Exact count: no
    Information shown: Rank, forename, surname.
    Order of information: Surname, forename.
  • First World War (1914-1918)
    Total names on memorial: 666
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 666
    Exact count: no
    Information shown: Rank, surname, forename.
    Order of information: Surname, forename.
  • Afghanistan (2001-2014)
    Total names on memorial: 2
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 2
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Rank, forenames, surname, unit, year of death
    Order of information: As above
  • Cyprus Emergency (1955-1959)
    Total names on memorial: 1
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 1
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Rank, forenames, surname, regiment, place of death, year of death.
    Order of information: Undefined
  • Post-1945 war or conflict
    Total names on memorial: 1
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 1
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Rank, forenames, surname, unit, place and year of death
    Order of information: Undefined
  • Non-Combat Deaths
    Total names on memorial: 3
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 3
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Rank, forenames, surname, unit, place and year of death
    Order of information: Undefined
  • First World War - civilians
    Total names on memorial: 1
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 1
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: surname, forename
    Order of information: Undefined
  • Gulf War (1990-1991)
    Total names on memorial: 1
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 1
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: surname, forename, rank, regiment, year of death
    Order of information: Undefined
Components
  • Plaques
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Metal
  • Cross
    Measurements: height c 5500mm, width c 1400mm
    Materials: Stone - Sandstone
  • Wall
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone
Condition
History
The memorial was renovated in early 2005 (work carried out by Graciela Ainsworth, Unit 4 & 10, Bonnington Mill Business Centre, 72 Newhaven Road, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 5QG., and additions were made in 2015.
Costs

Comments: Aberdeen Press and Journal - Wednesday 27 July 1921 Local architect's design and estimate of £1689. Other tenders exceeded his estimate by £200.

Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Sponsorship
Public
Responsibility
The Highland Council
Reference

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.

This information is made available under a Creative Commons BY-NC licence.

This means you may reuse it for non-commercial purposes only and must attribute it to us using the following statement:

© WMR-5886

For queries, please contact [email protected].