Memorial details

Memorial type
Gate
District
Lichfield
Town
Alrewas
County
Staffordshire
Country
England
Commemoration
Second World War (1939-1945)
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 21 July 2007
    Attended by: Local Clergy/Dignitaries
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
61535

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Current location

Memorial is no. 421a at the far end of Millennium Avenue
National Memorial Arboretum
Croxall Road
Alrewas
Lichfield
Staffordshire
DE13 7AR
England

OS Grid Ref: SK 18561 14714
Denomination: Undefined

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Description
Metal "Gates of Freedom" set in a brick wall to left and right. Latin Crosses made of contrasting coloured bricks are inset into the brick wall on each side. There are three dedicatory plaques and additional personal commemorative plaques fixed to the walls. The design of the Memorial is based on the Stalag X1B Memorial built on location in Fallingbostel, Germany. A block paved path leads to the gates.
Inscription
[Plaque 1]: THE MEMORIAL PLAQUE/ THIS INTERNATIONAL MEMORIAL IS DEDICATED TO THE PRISONERS OF WAR/ FROM 13 NATIONS, FROM ALL PARTS OF THE GLOBE, WHO WERE/ INCARCERATED AT STALAG X1B, STALAG X1D AND STALAG 357 FROM/ 1939-1945 DURING WORLD WAR TWO./ SYMBOLISED IN THE MEMORIAL ARE THE GATES WHICH WERE OPENED BY/ THE 8TH KING'S ROYAL IRISH HUSSARS ON 16TH APRIL 1945, THUS/ GIVING FREEDOM TO THE 17,000 PRISONERS OF WAR HELD IN CAPTIVITY./ [Plaque 2]: THE NATIONAL EX-PRISONER OF WAR ASSOCIATION [Plaque 3]: [Insignia] [Plaque 4]: IN LOVING MEMORY/ LESLIE ALLAN ESQ AM (INST) BE KNIGHT OF THE ORDER/ LEOPOLD 2ND./ PRESIDENT - FOUNDER MEMBER THE NATIONAL EX-PRISONER/ OF WAR ASSOCIATION./ WHO NOW RESTS IN PEACE WITH BELOVED WIFE DORIS,/ [sic] OVER THE LAST 40 YRS/ HAVE HELPED P.O.W.S ALL OVER THE WORLD/ WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER/THEM./ JANET, JOHN, KATRINA/ &/ DIONNE./ 2014 [Plaque 5]: IN LOVING MEMORY OF/ CHARLES HENRY WAITE/ 8.5.1919 - 10.2.2012/ POW 10511 - STALAG XXB, MARIENBURG/ AUTHOR OF 'SURVIVOR OF THE LONG MARCH'.
Inscription legible?
yes
Commemorations
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 0
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 0
    Exact count: no
    Information shown: Undefined
    Order of information: Undefined
Components
  • Gates
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Metal
  • Wall
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Brick
  • Plaques
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Metal
Listing information
Condition
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
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-61535

For queries, please contact [email protected].