Erection date: 5/6/1920
{Pentagonal plaque:}
R.I.P
In loving memory of the men of Cyprus Street who made the great sacrifice 1914 - 1918
{Followed by 26 names. See Subjects commemorated:}
Erected by the Duke of Wellington's Discharged and Demobilised Soldiers and Sailors Benevolent Club.
{Shield-shaped plaque:}
1939 - 1945
{Followed by 5 names. See Subjects commemorated:}
They are marching with their comrades somewhere on the road ahead.
{Grey rectangular plaque:}
They shall grow not old. As we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We shall remember them.
When you go home tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow we gave our today.
Kohima Burma 1944
"They shall grow not old..." is by Binyon. "When you go home..." is by Maxwell. But we cannot identify the "...marching with their comrades..." quote.
The BBC page on the memorial is informative, as is A London Inheritance. This memorial is unusual in that all the honoured men lived in the same street, (possibly the highest loss in any single street in London). It was originally located further to the west, between number 45 and 47, but In the 1960s that section of the road was redeveloped and the memorial was broken into three pieces which were placed in the Wellington pub where they were found many years later. In about 2013 the tenants association funded a replica which is now respectfully maintained by local residents.
We know of one other single-street memorial, in College Lane; much less grand, but just as touching.
Site: Cyprus Street war memorial (1 memorial)
E2, Cyprus Street, 76 - 78
This lovely street was developed in 1850-1 as Wellington Street, renamed as Cyprus Street in 1879. The buildings are Listed Grade II and we understand most of the street is owned by a housing association who are doing an excellent job keeping it looking uniformly good.
Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of plaquesoflondon.co.uk
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