Memorial Gates (Constitution Hill)
Encyclopedia
The Memorial Gates are a war memorial
located at the Hyde Park Corner end of Constitution Hill
in London, UK. Also known as the Commonwealth Memorial Gates, they commemorate the armed forces of the British Empire
from five regions of the Indian subcontinent (India
, Pakistan
, Bangladesh
, Nepal
, Sri Lanka
), as well as Africa
and the Caribbean
, who served in the First World War and the Second World War. The memorial was inaugurated in 2002.
A shorter inscription quotes the words of the Nigerian author and poet Ben Okri
:
World War I
World War II
side of Constitution Hill, has a list of those from the named regions who were awarded the George Cross
or Victoria Cross
in the two World Wars. The 74 names are listed on the ceiling of the small domed pavilion. There are 23 Victoria Cross recipients from World War I listed, 12 George Cross recipients from World War II, and 39 Victoria Cross recipients from World War II.
, and the inaugural trustees were: the Baroness Flather
(chair), Khalid Aziz
, the Lord Inge
, Lakshmi Niwas Mittal, Harpinder Singh Narula, Sir Gulam Noon
, Sir Anwar Pervez
, the Lord Sandberg, the Viscount Slim
, Sir Neil Thorne
, and the Lord Weatherill
. The architect was Liam O'Connor. Funding was from the National Lottery
, provided by the Millennium Commission
. Construction of the Memorial Gates began on 1 August 2001, with an inscription commemorating this event on the first stone to be laid - the inscription states that the stone was laid by the Queen Mother
. The company contracted to build the memorial was Geoffrey Osborne Ltd, while the stonemasons were CWO Ltd. The Memorial Gates were inaugurated on 6 November 2002 by Queen Elizabeth II
with an inscription stating that this took place in the Golden Jubilee year of her reign
.
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
located at the Hyde Park Corner end of Constitution Hill
Constitution Hill, London
Constitution Hill is a road in the City of Westminster in London. It connects the western end of The Mall with Hyde Park Corner, and is bordered by Buckingham Palace Gardens and Green Park. The term "Hill" is something of a misnomer; there is barely detectable slope but most observers would...
in London, UK. Also known as the Commonwealth Memorial Gates, they commemorate the armed forces of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
from five regions of the Indian subcontinent (India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
), as well as Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, who served in the First World War and the Second World War. The memorial was inaugurated in 2002.
Inscriptions
The main inscription reads:A shorter inscription quotes the words of the Nigerian author and poet Ben Okri
Ben Okri
Ben Okri OBE FRSL is a Nigerian poet and novelist. Okri has become the leading figure of his generation of Nigerian writers who have largely abandoned the social and historical themes of Chinua Achebe, and brought together modernist narrative strategies and Nigerian oral and literary...
:
Campaign stones
Also on the Green Park side of the Gates there are two stone slabs, either side of the pavilion, commemorating by name several of the campaigns in which forces from the British Empire fought.World War I
- West Africa (West Africa CampaignWest Africa Campaign (World War I)The West Africa Campaign of World War I consisted of two small and fairly short military operations to capture the German colonies in West Africa: Togoland and Kamerun.-Overview:...
) - Egypt (Sinai and Palestine CampaignSinai and Palestine CampaignThe Sinai and Palestine Campaigns took place in the Middle Eastern Theatre of World War I. A series of battles were fought between British Empire, German Empire and Ottoman Empire forces from 26 January 1915 to 31 October 1918, when the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Ottoman Empire and...
) - East Africa (East African CampaignEast African Campaign (World War I)The East African Campaign was a series of battles and guerrilla actions which started in German East Africa and ultimately affected portions of Mozambique, Northern Rhodesia, British East Africa, Uganda, and the Belgian Congo. The campaign was effectively ended in November 1917...
) - France (Western FrontWestern Front (World War I)Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
) - Belgium (Western FrontWestern Front (World War I)Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
) - Gallipoli (Gallipoli Campaign)
- Russia (Caucasus CampaignCaucasus CampaignThe Caucasus Campaign comprised armed conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire, later including Azerbaijan, Armenia, Central Caspian Dictatorship and the UK as part of the Middle Eastern theatre or alternatively named as part of the Caucasus Campaign during World War I...
)
World War II
- India (Operation U-GoOperation U-GoThe U Go offensive, or Operation C , was the Japanese offensive launched in March 1944 against forces of the British Empire in the North-East Indian region of Manipur...
) - Burma (Burma CampaignBurma CampaignThe Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
) - Malaya (Battle of MalayaBattle of MalayaThe Malayan Campaign was a campaign fought by Allied and Japanese forces in Malaya, from 8 December 1941 – 31 January 1942 during the Second World War. The campaign was dominated by land battles between British Commonwealth army units, and the Imperial Japanese Army...
) - Singapore (Battle of SingaporeBattle of SingaporeThe Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of the Second World War when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Singapore was the major British military base in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East"...
) - Persia (Anglo-Soviet invasion of IranAnglo-Soviet invasion of IranThe Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran was the Allied invasion of the Imperial State of Iran during World War II, by British, Commonwealth, and Soviet armed forces. The invasion from August 25 to September 17, 1941, was codenamed Operation Countenance...
) - Hong Kong (Battle of Hong KongBattle of Hong KongThe Battle of Hong Kong took place during the Pacific campaign of World War II. It began on 8 December 1941 and ended on 25 December 1941 with Hong Kong, then a Crown colony, surrendering to the Empire of Japan.-Background:...
) - Dutch East Indies (Dutch East Indies CampaignDutch East Indies campaignThe Dutch East Indies campaign of 1941–1942 was the conquest of the Dutch East Indies by forces from the Empire of Japan in the early days of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Forces from the Allies attempted unsuccessfully to defend the islands. Indonesia was targeted by the Japanese for its...
)
Memorial pavilion
The memorial pavilion, also on the Green ParkGreen Park
-External links:*...
side of Constitution Hill, has a list of those from the named regions who were awarded the George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
or Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
in the two World Wars. The 74 names are listed on the ceiling of the small domed pavilion. There are 23 Victoria Cross recipients from World War I listed, 12 George Cross recipients from World War II, and 39 Victoria Cross recipients from World War II.
WWI Victoria Crosses
WWII George Crosses
WWII Victoria Crosses
Planning, construction and inauguration
The plans for the memorial were made by the Memorial Gates Trust. As inscribed on the memorial, the inaugural patron of the Trust was Charles, Prince of WalesCharles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
, and the inaugural trustees were: the Baroness Flather
Shreela Flather, Baroness Flather
Shreela Flather, Baroness Flather is a teacher and British politician.She became a life peer for the Conservative party in 11 June 1990 as Baroness Flather, of Windsor and Maidenhead in the Royal County of Berkshire. She was the first Asian woman to receive a peerage...
(chair), Khalid Aziz
Khalid Aziz
Khalid Aziz LVO DL started his career as a journalist, becoming the youngest producer in the BBC at Radio Leicester. And at the age of 24, the youngest presenter of a 6 o'clock BBC TV regional news programme, Look North from Leeds...
, the Lord Inge
Peter Inge, Baron Inge
Field Marshal Peter Anthony Inge, Baron Inge was the Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, between 1992 and 1994. He then served as Chief of the Defence Staff before retiring in 1997.-Army career:...
, Lakshmi Niwas Mittal, Harpinder Singh Narula, Sir Gulam Noon
Gulam Noon
Gulam Kaderbhoy Noon, Baron Noon MBE is a British businessman originally from India. He is of Rajput extraction.-Career:He has founded and operated a number of food product companies in Southall, London, specialising in Indian cuisine...
, Sir Anwar Pervez
Anwar Pervez
Sir Anwar Pervez , OBE, Hilal-i-Pakistan, is a businessman in the United Kingdom. He is the founder and Chairman of Bestway Group.-Career:...
, the Lord Sandberg, the Viscount Slim
John Slim, 2nd Viscount Slim
Colonel John Douglas Slim, 2nd Viscount Slim OBE, DL, FRGS is a British peer and soldier. He is one of the 92 hereditary peers in the House of Lords, elected to remain after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999. In 1970, he succeeded to his father's title...
, Sir Neil Thorne
Neil Thorne
Sir Neil Gordon Thorne is a British Conservative Party politician. He contested the constituency of Ilford South six times from October 1974 to 1997, and was the Member of Parliament for the seat from 1979 to 1992, when he lost by 402 votes to Labour's Mike Gapes.In 1989, Thorne founded the Armed...
, and the Lord Weatherill
Bernard Weatherill
Bruce Bernard Weatherill, Baron Weatherill, PC, DL, KStJ was a British Conservative Party politician who became Speaker of the House of Commons.-Tailor:...
. The architect was Liam O'Connor. Funding was from the National Lottery
National Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
, provided by the Millennium Commission
Millennium Commission
The Millennium Commission in the United Kingdom was set up to aid communities at the end of the 2nd millennium and the start of the 3rd millennium. It used funding raised through the UK National Lottery....
. Construction of the Memorial Gates began on 1 August 2001, with an inscription commemorating this event on the first stone to be laid - the inscription states that the stone was laid by the Queen Mother
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
. The company contracted to build the memorial was Geoffrey Osborne Ltd, while the stonemasons were CWO Ltd. The Memorial Gates were inaugurated on 6 November 2002 by Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
with an inscription stating that this took place in the Golden Jubilee year of her reign
Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II
The Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II was the international celebration marking the 50th anniversary of the accession of Elizabeth II to the thrones of seven countries, upon the death of her father, George VI, on 6 February 1952, and was intended by the Queen to be both a commemoration of her 50...
.
External links
- Memorial Gates Trust (official website)
- World War I campaigns (Memorial Gates Trust)
- World War II campaigns (Memorial Gates Trust)
- List of Trustees and Vice-Patrons (Memorial Gates Trust)
- Report on the inauguration ceremony (Memorial Gates Trust)
- Additional information on the Memorial Gates (aftermathww1.co.uk)
- Memorial Gates entry (United Kingdom National Inventory of War Memorials)
- Images showing the George Cross and Victoria Cross recipients: 1, 2.