Welsh National War Memorial - Cardiff, Wales, UK
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N 51° 29.188 W 003° 10.836
30U E 487460 N 5703939
The Memorial is in the form of a sunken court containing a fountain, surrounded by a seat within a circle of Corinthian columns.
Waymark Code: WM61ZJ
Location: United Kingdom
Date Posted: 03/19/2009
Views: 10
The Welsh National War Memorial is situated in Alexandra Gardens, Cathays Park, Cardiff. The memorial was designed by Sir Ninian Comper and unveiled in June 1928 by the Prince of Wales. The memorial commemorates the servicemen who died during the First World War and has a plaque for those who died during the Second World War was added in 1949.
The memorial is one of the only secular works by Comper, who was primarily a furnisher of churches. He received much hostility, from the president of the Royal Institute of British Architects among others, for not being a practising architect, but was supported by the sculptors Sir William Goscombe John and Sir Hamo Thornycroft. The memorial's form was inspired by two visits to French North Africa and particularly Tunisia, where the architect was inspired by the public works erected by the emperor Hadrian.
In order for the sculptor, Bernard Pegram, to find a model for the bronzes, the crews of two battleships were invited to the Union Jack Club in Waterloo, London. Pegram selected a young sailor called Fred Barker, who modelled in the nude, for the figure of Victory, and in uniform.
Memorial Description: Sunken court with central fountain surrounded by circular colonnade. Bronze figures of soldier, sailor and airman, raising wreaths to central, elevated figure of a winged messenger of victory, sword held aloft. There are appropriate inscriptions above the figures e.g. 'Over the sea he went to die' (above sailor).
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Type of Memorial: Multi-War Memorial
Wars mentioned (Multi-war only):
World War I
World War II
In Honor Of: the sons of Wales who gave their lives for their country in the War 1918
Marker Text:
I FEIBION CYMRU A RODDES EU BYWYD DROS EI [sic] GWLAD YN RHYFEL MCMXVIII (To the sons of Wales who gave their lives for their country in the War 1918) and on the inside REMEMBER HERE IN PEACE THOSE WHO IN TUMULT OF WAR BY SEA, ON LAND, IN AIR, FOR US AND FOR OUR VICTORY ENDURETH UNTO DEATH.
Date of dedication: June 1928
Who Put it Here?: Funded by readers of the Western Mail newspaper
Description of Memorial:
Situated in Alexandra Gardens, Cathays Park, Cardiff.
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