Norwich War Memorial, located in the English city of Norwich, was commissioned by its newly elected Lord Mayor, Charles Bignold, in 1926. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the memorial serves as a tribute to those who fought and died in both the First and Second World Wars. The memorial, which cost £2,700 in 1927 (approximately £136,000 in 2021), features two bronze flambeaux that burn gas and emit a flame. Controversy surrounded the design and proposed location of the memorial in the local community when it was constructed in 1928, but it would later become a grade II* listed building in 2015.
Despite criticism and scathing criticism from the local community, the Lord Mayor and Sir Lutyens believed the Guildhall was the perfect location for the memorial, as it would display the city's pride in its contributions to the wars. The Norfolk Regiment, one of the first to enter combat after the declaration of the First World War, played a significant role in the city's military history. The 1st battalion of the Norfolk Regiment participated at the Battle of Mons in late August 1914, and the 2nd battalion was stationed in India and fought against the Ottoman Empire in Mesopotamia (Iraq). Norwich also raised three companies of Royal Engineers.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
Discuss this with the author and others
No comments yet. Be the first to start the conversation.