Memorials in London: Cenotaph 100

[seaJane]

According to English Heritage this is the centenary of the day when the temporary wooden Cenotaph was unveiled. They have a feature on six London GW memorials.

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/story-of-england/20th-century/london-wwi-memorials/

[NigelS]

Thursday's Daily Telegraph (18th July) in its ongoing 'One Hundred Year Ago' coverage carried a reprint of an article from its Friday, July 18th, 1919 London edition describing the temporary Whitehall Cenotaph which also gave details of  the Peace March which was to pass it the following day (19th).  The piece opens with: 'To-day will be unveiled, though with no formal ceremony, that temporary monument - pending a decision as to the character of the central war memorial - which his Majesty's Ministers have caused to be erected in Whitehall as a focus for tomorrow's peace march', so it seems possible that English Heritage might have the 'unveiling' date, for which it can be forgiven, out by a day. The article continues: 'Much speculation has been aroused by this great and scaffolded object, which for some weeks past, has retained the secret of its special character until the eve of our national and Empire-wide festivities. The secret, if such it may be described, solely to emphasise its significance, need no longer be kept. Today's dawn will visualise a simple cenotaph - a monument, that is, to the dead who are buried elsewhere bearing the three words: THE GLORIOUS DEAD.  Also given is a brief description of the memorial: 'The cenotaph will be 32ft in height.  From the top of it will droop the Union Jack, the White Ensign, and the Red Ensign. Beneath them will be hung laurel wreaths. A flight of three steps will lead up to the plinth of the monument.'

 

The IWM archives holds some footage of the 1919 Peace March which includes images of  the temporary cenotaph (from approx 4:20 on): THE END OF A WELL FOUGHT WAR : the Peace Procession 1919 (IWM 439)

 

NigelS