Memorial details

Memorial type
Board / Plaque / Tablet
District
East Staffordshire
Town
Shobnall, Burton Upon Trent
County
Staffordshire
Country
England
Commemoration
First World War (1914-1918)
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 22 September 1920
    Attended by: Colonel J. Gretton M.P. unveiled the first of the pair of memorial boards; Colonel R.F. Ratcliff unveiled the second board.
  • Dedicated
    Date: 22 September 1920
    Attended by: Reverend H.B. Freeman (Vicar of Burton) dedicated the pair of memorial boards
  • Show More (1)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
96752

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Current location

In the Entrance Lobby
Burton Town Hall
King Edward Place
Shobnall
Burton Upon Trent
East Staffordshire
Staffordshire
DE14 2EB
England

OS Grid Ref: SK 23999 23429
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Description
A pair of matching rectangular oak boards, each of which is topped by an crenelated cornice and stylised floral moulding, to which is fixed the crest of the County Borough of Burton. Beneath the dedicatory inscription, each board has seven recessed panels on which the names of the Fallen are arranged in order of the seniority of service (i.e. Navy casualties listed first, followed by Army casualties, and then Air Force casualties); the relevant individual military units are painted on the memorial in red lettering, beneath which the names of Burton's casualties who died serving in them are painted in black lettering. Along the length of the base of each board is a carved depiction of a twisted laurel garland.
Inscription
(Board 1): TO THE MEMORY OF THE MEN OF THE COUNTY BOROUGH/ OF BURTON WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1919/ (names)/ THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE (Board 2): TO THE MEMORY OF THE MEN OF THE COUNTY BOROUGH/ OF BURTON WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1919/ (names)/ THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE/ ERECTED BY THE PEACE/ CELEBRATIONS COMMITTEE/ SEPTEMBER 1920/ GEORGE HILL J.P. (MAYOR/ CHAIRMAN/ S. HERBERT-EVERSHED J.P./ HON. TREASURER/ ARTHUR FOX/ HON. SECRETARY
Inscription legible?
yes
Commemorations
  • First World War (1914-1918)
    Total names on memorial: 1336
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 1336
    Exact count: no
    Information shown: Military unit, surname, initials, rank, decorations
    Order of information: Grouped by military unit, then in descending order of rank, then alphabetical by surname
Components
  • Board
    Measurements: height 2850mm, width 3900mm
    Materials: Wood - Oak
Listing information
Condition
History
Burton Town Hall was Grade II Listed on 22/6/1979 - see https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1038703
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Responsibility
East Staffordshire Borough Council
Reference
  • Burton Observer and Chronicle Saturday 25/9/1920 printed a lengthy report of the unveiling of the pair of WW1 Memorial boards. Under the headline 'HONOURING BURTON HEROES. MEMORIAL TABLETS UNVEILED', the report began: 'By a quarter to seven on Wednesday evening there was scarcely a vacant seat to be seen in the Burton Town Hall, where the ceremony of unveiling and dedicating the memorial panels erected by the Peace Celebrations Committee to the memory of Burton soldiers who fell in the war was performed. The ceremony was preceded by an organ recital by the Borough Organist (Mr. A. W. Read, F. R.C.O.). The panels, which contain over 1300 names are to be erected in the Town Hall entrance, but, for last night's ceremony, had been placed on either side of the organ. Tickets had previously been issued to the nearest relatives of all whose names are on the board, so that they could be admitted before the public.' The report included information re how the memorial had come into being: 'ORIGINATION OF THE PANELS. The Mayor said they would remember that when peace was declared, he made an appeal for funds to celebrate that event in a manner worthy of the town. So liberal was the response to the appeal for subscriptions that, after defraying all expenses on that account, the committee found themselves in possession of a substantial balance. After careful consideration, it was felt that no better way of disposing of a portion of the surplus could be devised than by applying it in such a manner as would place on record for all time their appreciation of the gallant deeds of Burton's fallen heroes, and of keeping before the minds, not only of this, but of each succeeding generation, the names of those men who had given their lives in the performance of the duty they undertook. The panels would be treasured for ever as the sacred possession of the people of the borough, and would cause all who gazed upon them from time to time to reflect upon the life and character of those gallant men who faced the horrors of that great struggle faithfully even unto death. There were times in the history of men and nations when they stood so near the veil that separated mortals from immortals, time from eternity, and men from their God, and through such a period had the nation passed when no less than 1,336 brave men went from Burton homes into the fight never to return. ' The report stated of the memorial that 'The Dedication prayer was said by the Vicar of Burton', and that the unveiling of it was carried out by Colonel J. Gretton (who unveiled the first board) and Colonel R.F. Ratcliff (who unveiled the second board). www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003310/19200925/062/0008
  • The War Memorials Trust's record of this memorial can be found at www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/230607/
  • Details of some of those named on this memorial can be found at www.militaryimages.net/media/burton-upon-trent-ww1-war-memorial.47676/ and www.militaryimages.net/media/burton-upon-trent-ww1-war-memorial.47677/ (Those lists were compiled by a member of the Great War Forum - see www.greatwarforum.org/topic/134093-burton-on-trent-war-memorials/ ).

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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