Who is commemorated?: Post Boer War (1899 onwards)

• Officers and Other Ranks - Died

Officers and other ranks were now treated as equals as far as their commemoration was concerned. Amongst other things, the Cardwell reforms of the 1870’s had linked the regiments to their county and the local populace now took pride in their soldiers. Volunteers now became a part of army life, especially with the advent of the Boer War. Those who went off to fight had strong links with their communities, their loss was felt very strongly and memorials were erected to commemorate their sacrifice.

This feeling was magnified after the First World War when the largest public arts project this country has ever seen developed from the mass of memorial building that occurred after the war.

This method of commemoration continues to the present day.

• Officers and Other Ranks – Returned

Memorials from the Boer War onwards commemorate not just those who died but also those who served and returned.

• Civilians

With the advent of total war civilians became casualties and they now had a place on war memorials. Sometimes they can be found amongst the soldiers, sailors and airmen, at other times they have their own unique memorial.

• Foreign Nationals

It is not just UK nationals who have memorials to commemorate them in this country. Our record also hold details of memorials commemorating those from other countries, be they enemy or ally depending upon the period you are looking at. For example, French Prisoners of War from the Napoleonic Wars are commemorated as well as our French allies of the First and Second World Wars.