Lest we FORGET

After World War One, war memorials sprang up in the UK. In silent dignity, they remind us of those who made the ultimate sacrifice

- ANDREW SHAW

Fovant Badges Wiltshire

In 1916, the first of these nine impressive military badges was cut into the chalk downs near the village of Fovant, by soldiers waiting to be sent to the Front. The largest – at 51m high – commemorates the Australian Commonwealth Military Forces. Now recognised as a war memorial, another badge – the Centenary Flanders Poppy – was created in 2016.

The thousands of names that cover the sides of war memorials represent stories of bravery, suffering and sacrifice. There are thought to be over 100,000 war memorials in the UK, and around two-thirds were erected after World War One. In this terrible conflict, which resulted in over 700,000 British deaths, it was impossible to repatriate all the bodies, so they were buried in foreign fields. Relatives had no focus for their grief, so they formed committees to build memorials – places where their loved ones would be honoured. Here are some from around the UK…

Animals in War

London