War Memorial | St Peter's Great Berkhamsted

The Church of St Peter Great Berkhamsted

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War Memorial

The Berkhamsted War Memorial is outside the west door of St Peter’s Church. It stands on the High Street as a lasting and thought-provoking reminder of the loss experienced during the two World Wars. On Remembrance Sunday it serves as a focus for the community to pause and reflect, to remember the fallen and to pray for peace. When you pass the memorial on your way to the shops, stop for a moment and read the names of the young men who are listed here, and remember their passing.

The memorial originally stood in the High Street close to Water Lane and bore the names of those who fell in World War I.

“The unveiling of the memorial in Berkhamsted High Street [near the junction with Water Lane] took place at four o’clock on Sunday 9 Oct 1921. People silently drew nearer to the monument. They welcomed each other almost in a whisper. Tears were shed as people remembered their sons, husbands, fathers, brothers, sweet-hearts and friends. Major Parsons read out the names of the fallen, one by one. Sir Frederick Halsey pulled a silk cord, which released a huge Union Jack that fell and revealed the war memorial. The Reveille was sounded and afterwards the Rev. Wm C Stainsby, rector of Berkhamsted, dedicated the memorial as follows: ‘Let this memorial, O God, be a witness to all who pass by it of the men who for the sake of their country’s honour and freedom laid down their lives… and grant that this nation may prove worthy of their sacrifice.'”

Berkhamsted in WWI, pp.112-113

After 1945 and another terrible conflict, the names of the Second World War dead were added, and in the 1950s the monument was moved to a position by the West door of St Peter’s church.

The monument bears the inscription TO OUR GLORIOUS DEAD and has eight panels bearing the names of 182 names from 1914-18 and four panels of 94 names from 1939-45.

There is another war memorial inside St Peter’s Church, on the wall of the north aisle (the left-hand side of the nave). You are most welcome to come into the church to see it.

poppy View the names inscribed on the memorial

 

Virtual 360° view of the War Memorial