Dartford War Memorial

Heritage listing

Details 741/0/10007 MARKET STREET 15-JUN-06 Dartford War Memorial GV II War memorial, 1922 by Arthur G Walker, sculptor and A.B. Burton of Thames Ditton, founder, to commemorate the First World War, with additional dedications to the fallen of the Second World War (1939-45) and the Korean War (1950-53). DESCRIPTION: The memorial takes the form of a stepped granite pedestal on a granite base surmounted by a bronze statue of a British Tommy. The figure is oriented such that it faces Dartford Public Library to its east. The pedestal is in three unequal sections which are variously decorated and are described from the bottom up: The plinth has rectangular bronze plaques on its north, east and south elevations. These read: `To all who gave their lives for our freedom'; `To our dead of the Second World War 1939-1945' and `To all who died in the Korean War 1950-53.' The die, or central section, is inscribed on all sides by the names of the fallen with inset figurative bronze plaques on the north and south elevations depicting a naval heavy gun and gun crew and a bi-plane and observers respectively. In all over 300 men are commemorated. The surbase is inscribed on all sides. The east and principle elevation reads: `In grateful memory of the gallant sons of this town, who fell in the fight for freedom 1914-1919.' Continuing around the memorial in a clockwise direction it is also inscribed: `Splendid you passed, the great surrender made, into the light that nevermore shall fade'; `All you had hoped for, all you had, you gave to save mankind - yourselves you scorned to save'; `Tranquil you lie, your knightly virtue proved your memory hallowed in the land you loved.' The statue of the British Tommy is depicted in full battle dress, carrying a backpack and with additional kit slung

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.