Erection date: 1921
{Each of the four faces has a bronze panel with an alphabetical list of names totalling 1666. See Subjects commemorated:}
{At the top of these 4 panels:}
Courage
Sacrifice
Victory
Freedom
{Each corner of the memorial has a plaque with an alphabetical list of names totalling 173 (including two names on a small plaque below the last one which are out of sequence). See Subjects commemorated:}
{Plaque beneath the names on the first face, around the unofficial East Ham coat of arms with the motto 'Progressio Cum Populo' meaning 'Progress with the People' :}
This monument is erected to the glory of God and in memory of East Ham's bravest sons who fell in the great war 1914 - 1918.
{Plaque beneath the names on the second face:}
32nd (S) East Ham Battalion the Royal Fusiliers November 1915 - March 1918
Ploegstraete . Passchendale . Somme . Vierstraat . Italy . Nieuport . Messines.
{Plaque beneath the names on the third face:}
In memory of the officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the 32nd (S) East Ham Battalion the Royal Fusiliers who gave their lives in the great war 1914 - 1918.
{Plaque beneath the names on the fourth face:}
This tablet is dedicated by the officers and men of the 141st (East Ham) heavy battery Royal Garrison Artillery to the memory of their comrades who made the supreme sacrifice during the great war.
This is a substantial monument, often described, understandably, as a cenotaph. Designed by the architect/local politician Banks-Martin.
War Memorials Online says there are 1,824 names on the memorial but we transcribed 1,841. The normally excellent IWM War Memorials Register rather falls down on this one. It lists only 550 names and the few we checked do not appear on our transcription. They have photographs of the 4 main panels but not of the corner panels.
The memorial does not explain why it has two lists of names: one on the main panels, and one on the corner plaques. On other memorials we have seen names added to the end of a list, and that has happened here. The last two names on the corner plaques are out of sequence: F. S Watson and S. V. S. Moore. The list on the corner plaques may itself have been the late additions to the memorial. Late because of administrative errors, or more sadly, because the men died of their injuries after the list was drawn up.
We have assumed that the J. T. Cornwell is Jack Cornwell VC, but it may be another person.
Site: East Ham war memorial (7 memorials)
E6, High Street South, East Ham Central Park
The Victoria Cross plaques are located on the grass by the memorial. and can be seen in the bottom right of our photograph.
Regarding Central Park, from Geograph: "The land was obtained in 1896 by East Ham District Council to create a park in the centre of the growing town. It had previously been the grounds of Rancliffe House, an early 18th century house which was demolished in 1908. The park was later extended to its present size by further land purchases."
Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of plaquesoflondon.co.uk
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