The Unveiling of Finedon War Memorial, 7th November 1920 Newsletter September 2020 1 Finedon War Memorial Mick Britton On the afternoon of Sunday 7th November 1920, the Finedon War Memorial was unveiled by Brigadier General Ferguson in honour of the 133 Finedon men who died during the First World War, the deadliest conflict in human history. This article looks back on that event as this year marks the centenary of an historic local event. Memorials to the fallen, in one form or another, have been built from early days. However, they were mainly more of a celebratory object rather than one of mourning, sorrow and reflection. Such memorials celebrated great leaders and victories, but not to commemorate the individuals who had fallen in service to their country. The change in this country began with the Boer War of 1899-1902. The public perception of the lower ranks of the armed forces, and especially of volunteers, started to improve. Local communities created war memorials to remember all those who had lost their lives. Many of these memorials individually listed the names of the fallen, whereas in previous conflicts this had been rare. The First World War is seen as a turning point for war memorials. There are several reasons for this: the sheer numbers of casualties; the fact that so many volunteers and civilians were affected compared with previous wars. With over 700,000 British dead and with many of those fighting being volunteers, the effects of the war were far-reaching; most communities were affected. In the whole of England and Wales there were only 53 civil parishes in which all the service personnel returned. These parishes became known as “Blessed Villages”, later termed “Thankful Villages” by the writer Arthur Mee in his series of “King’s England” travel guides written in the 1930s. There are only two “Thankful Villages” in Northamptonshire: East Carlton near Corby, and Woodend near Towcester. Another reason for erecting a memorial was that service personnel who died overseas were not brought home for burial. The logistical impossibility of doing this when numbers were so high was combined with a belief that all the dead should be treated equally. These victims of war, having fought together side-by-side, were buried side-by-side, regardless of rank, social standing or wealth, in cemeteries near the battlefields where they fell. Thousands of the fallen have no known grave and are commemorated on memorials to the missing. Hence there were countless bereaved families 2 throughout the land who had no grave at which to grieve. Communities, whether residents of the same area or members of the same workplace, school, church or other group, formed committees to erect local war memorials to commemorate their dead. Finedon was no different with the loss of the 133 men who are named on the three tablets on the Cenotaph. As well as Finedon Urban District Council’s desire to build a War Memorial, other local institutions and businesses commissioned their own memorials to honour those of their men with a Finedon connection. Such organisations included: the Scouts, the Parish, Wesleyan and Methodist churches, and the Gladstone Club who created a magnificent memorial complete with the images of their patrons who answered the call but would never return home from the front. The first public memorial to the men of Finedon was erected in Dolben Square at some time shortly after the end of the war. It was a temporary wooden structure comprising an obelisk set upon a square base. The inscription read: “OUR GLORIOUS DEAD, THEIR NAMES SHALL LIVE FOR EVERMORE”. No names were listed on this memorial. Finedon’s first War Memorial in Dolben Square. © IWM (14958). This short-term memorial gave time for the people and organisations of Finedon to reflect, plan and commission a permanent War Memorial that would commemorate and honour their fallen in a way they so deserved. 3 Within two years this had been achieved: the site was agreed, Messer’s Gotch and Saunders, architects of Kettering, were appointed, their design and costings approved, and the builders selected. The unveiling ceremony on Sunday 7th November was reported in the Northampton Mercury of 12th November 1920, gives an admirable account of the day’s events. “Finedon War Memorial Unveiling By Brigadier General Ferguson A huge crowd attended the unveiling and dedication of Finedon’s striking memorial to the fallen heroes of the war, and the service connected with the ceremony Sunday afternoon. The memorial is one to which the whole town subscribed, and it is placed in what is probably the most commanding position that could have been selected. A structure of massive appearance, built of Weldon stone, the square body is approached by steps, and its cupola roof is surmounted by a neat cross. On the panels on three sides of the body of the memorial are inscribed the names of the 127 (sic - should read 132) men of Finedon who were killed. An inscription at the foot sets forth the object of the memorial; whilst along the top of the panels are the words: “Courage”, “Endurance”, “Prowess”, “Cheerfulness”. The memorial, which cost about £400 is erected near the top of Law’s-lane, opposite the Gladstone Club, and by the side of the main road from Wellingborough to Thrapston. Seeing that the memorial is one to which all classes of the inhabitants have subscribed it was fitting that the proceedings attending its unveiling were in no way of party or sectarian character, so that all religious bodies and organisations of other kinds were able to unite. Marshalled by Mr. F. Sykes, Mr. J. Rees, M.M., and Mr J.W. Avery, a procession was formed at the Town Hall, consisting of the Urban Council: Messrs. J. Benson, (chairman), G. Knight, (vice-chairman), A.W. Minney, C.C., T. Holby, R. Coles, J. Jaquest, F. Mallard, W.M. Amey, G. Young, A. Parker, and Rev. A.I. Greaves, with their clerk Mr. T.J. Morgan, the War Memorial Committee (of which Mr. P. Bailey was the active secretary), Finedon Old Prize Band conducted by Mr. C.H. Baker, a large body of ex-Service men, a few Territorials, the Boy Scouts under Scoutmaster Mr. F. Ellson, the Girl Guides with Miss Burland, First and Second Lieutenants the Misses 4 Henfrey in command, the Fire Brigade under Captain Robinson, representatives of the Foresters, Oddfellows, Free Gardeners and Rechabite Friendly Societies, and members from the Gladstone, Conservative, Allen-road and Band Clubs. A service was held at the Parish Church in which the Vicar (Rev. A.I. Greaves, C.F.) the Rev. W. Hunt Soper (Wesleyan Minister) and the Rev. E. Cushing (Ind. Wesleyan) took part. Re-forming after the service, the procession marched to the site of the memorial for the unveiling. Mr J. Benson, the chairman of the Urban District Council, gave a short but very appropriate address, in which in the name of Finedon he spoke with pride of the patriotism, courage and devotion of these who answered their country’s call, and tendered words of sympathy to the mourning relatives of those to whom the memorial was erected. Brigadier General Ferguson having unveiled and dedicated the memorial gave a brief address, in which he testified to the pride he felt in being associated with that expression of Finedon’s appreciation of the departed Service men, urged that those men gave up their all for the sake of those who were at home, everyone should aim at unity of purpose for the well- being of the community, and closed with a heartfelt appeal for help for those men who came through the war, but were disabled. Many wreaths were afterwards placed upon the steps of the memorial.” The late Peter Inns researched, over several years, the biographies and service records of all the 169 servicemen, from both wars, who are listed on the Finedon War Memorial in preparation for his book, “Those that didn’t Finedon 1914-1919, 1939-1945”, published in 2011 (see page 17). From Peter’s authoritative and exhaustive research, he also discovered that fifteen Finedon-born men who died on active service are not listed on the Finedon War Memorial. This is not an uncommon occurrence, with men moving away either early in their lives or living out of the parish for work or marriage at the time when they joined the Services; their names are listed elsewhere. Peter also found three men, H. Bland, C. Brown, and G.B. Cockins, who are named on the memorial but had no identifiable connection with Finedon. A fourth tablet containing the names of the 36 men who were killed during the Second World War was later added to the War Memorial. From the 5 Finedon War Memorial, FLHS Archives. Donated by Michael Shipton. A similar image with the caption “The Memorial with its Wealth of Wreaths” was printed in the Wellingborough News of 12th November 1920 Minutes Book of the Finedon British Legion dated 11th November 1948: “Arrangements are being made for the inclusion for the fallen on the War Memorial”. I have so far been unable to ascertain when this was completed owing to the temporary closure of Wellingborough Museum and its Wellingborough News archive The effects of time and weather on the Weldon stone caused the inscribed names to become eroded and in the 1980s four new inscribed slate tablets were fitted in place of the originals. Today, the responsibility for the Cenotaph is with the Finedon Town Council, with general care and maintenance of the site undertaken by volunteer Mr Peter Donaldson of the Finedon Buffs.