Consider the silent stories etched in Portland stone. The Civil Service Rifles War Memorial stands here a solemn reminder of sacrifice. This monument commemorates the 1,240 members of the Prince of Wales’ Own Civil Service Rifles. These brave men gave their lives in the First World War.
The Civil Service Rifles drew its members largely from the British Civil Service. Many of these civil servants worked at Somerset House. The quadrangle of Somerset House even served as their parade ground.
Let’s delve into the memorial’s history. After the war, former soldiers formed an Old Comrades Association. They wanted to commemorate their fallen comrades. The association established a War Memorial Committee. They raised funds for a memorial.
Initially, Herbert Baker was commissioned to design the memorial. Later, Sir Edwin Lutyens took over. Lutyens insisted on placing the memorial in the center of the quadrangle. He argued that William Chambers had intended such a central feature.
The Civil Service Rifles War Memorial takes the form of a rectangular column. It stands approximately 4.9 meters tall. An urn sculpture sits atop the column. Painted stone flags flank the column. One side displays the Union Flag. The other shows the regimental color. A scroll with the names of the fallen is inside the column.
Look closely at the inscriptions. The north face states that the 15th County of London Battalion erected this column. The south face remembers the 1,240 members who fell. The memorial also honors members of the Civil Service Cadet Battalion. Dates MCMXIV and MCMXIX mark the war’s beginning and end.
Battle honors are inscribed around the base. These include Festubert Loos and the Somme. They also include Flers-Courcelette Doiran Lys/Kemmel and Gaza. Nebi Samwil Jerusalem St Quentin and Albert are listed too. Ancre Bapaume Selle Transloy Messines Ypres and Cambrai appear as well.
The Civil Service Rifles War Memorial was unveiled on January 27 1924. Edward Prince of Wales dedicated it. The Reverend E H Beattie also participated. The regimental band and the choir of St Clement Danes provided music.
German bombing damaged the Civil Service Rifles War Memorial during the Second World War. Repairs and restoration followed in the 1950s. Surviving members met at the memorial until the late 1980s.
In the late 1990s, the memorial was moved to the riverside terrace. A rededication ceremony occurred on July 25 2002. Walter Humphrys the last known veteran attended.
The Civil Service Rifles War Memorial received Grade II listed building status in 1987. This was upgraded to Grade II* in 2015. It became part of a national collection of Lutyens’s war memorials.
This memorial stands as a tribute to the Civil Service Rifles. It honors their service and sacrifice. The Civil Service Rifles War Memorial reminds us of their dedication. It also remembers the cost of war.