Memorial details

Memorial type
Sculpture
District
Rochester Upon Medway
Town
Gillingham
County
Kent
Country
England
Commemoration
Egypt and the Sudan (1882-1899), Non-Specific Conflict
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
86921

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Current location

Inside the west door
St Barbara’s Garrison Church
Maxwell Road
Gillingham
Rochester Upon Medway
Kent
ME7 5SG
England

OS Grid Ref: TQ 76150 68540
Denomination: Church of England

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Description
A free standing monument with a lifesize recumbent effigy of a figure on a black sarcophagus with a dedication panel. The sarcophagus is on a low pedestal that has another dedication.
Inscription
On sarcophagus panel: TO / MAJOR-GENERAL CHARLES GEORGE GORDON, C.B./ WHO AT ALL TIMES AND EVERYWHERE, GAVE HIS STRENGTH TO THE WEAK, HIS / SUBSTANCE TO THE POOR, HIS SYMPATHY TO THE SUFFERING, HIS HEART TO GOD. / BORN AT WOOLWICH 23 JANUARY 1833./ SLAIN AT KHARTOUM 26 JANUARY 1885. / HE SAVED AN EMPIRE BY HIS WARLIKE GENIUS, HE RULED VAST PROVINCES WITH / JUSTICE, WISDOM AND POWER. / AND LASTLY OBEDIENT TO HIS SOVEREIGN’S COMMAND HE DIED IN THE HEROIC / ATTEMPT TO SAVE MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN FROM IMMINENT AND DEADLY PERIL. / "GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS; THAT A MAN MAY LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR / HIS FRIENDS" (S. JOHN, XV.13.) // THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED BY HIS ONLY SURVIVING BROTHER, WHOSE ELDEST SON / ALSO PERISHED IN THE SERVICE OF HIS COUNTRY, AS A MIDSHIPMAN IN H.M.S. / "CAPTAIN" AND IS COMMEMORATED WITH OTHERS IN THE ADJOINING RECESS. On pedestal: SIR HENRY WILLIAM GORDON K C B. THE SURVIVING BROTHER OF GENERAL GORDON / DEPARTED THIS LIFE 22ND OCTOBER 1887. IN THE 70TH YEAR OF HIS AGE AND 53RD OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
Inscription legible?
yes
Commemorations
  • Egypt and the Sudan (1882-1899)
    Total names on memorial: 1
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 1
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Rank, firstnames, surname, decoration, place of birth, date of birth, manner of death, place of death, date of death.
    Order of information: Rank
  • Non-Specific Conflict
    Total names on memorial: 1
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 1
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Relationship, manner of death, rank, ship
    Order of information: Undefined
Components
  • Figure
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Metal
  • Casket / Box
    Measurements: width c3,000mm
    Materials: Stone
Listing information
Condition
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A

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-86921

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