Remembering comrades. The Cavalry of the Empire Memorial stands here as a testament to sacrifice. It honors cavalry regiments in both World War I and World War II.
This memorial has a Grade II* listing. This status recognizes its special architectural and historical significance.
A committee formed in the early 1920s. They wanted a London memorial for cavalrymen of World War I. Figures showed nearly 4500 cavalrymen died on the Western Front. Another 15000 were wounded.
Several sites were considered. These included The Mall, Duke of York’s Steps, and Horse Guards Parade. The Office of Works preferred a spot near Stanhope Gate in Hyde Park. It was to be in front of Dorchester House.
Sir John James Burnet became the architect. Thomas Smith Tait assisted him. Adrian Jones designed the statue. He received advice from Major Victor Farquharson and Sir Henry Farnham Burke. Jones had been a veterinary officer. He served in the British Army. His service included the Abyssinian Expedition of 1868. He also served in the First Boer War and the Nile Expedition.
Jones designed a bronze equestrian statue. It depicts St George as a mounted knight. He is in armor with a raised sword. The statue is slightly larger than life size. St George’s horse stands over a slain dragon. The dragon even has an upturned Germanic moustache. A frieze of horsemen parades around the statue’s base. Details of St George’s armor came from Richard de Beauchamp’s effigy. He was the 13th Earl of Warwick. The horse was adapted from an Albrecht Dürer engraving.
Captured guns were melted down. The statue was cast from these First World War guns. It stands on a Portland stone pedestal. An inscription is on the pedestal. It reads: “Erected by the Cavalry of the Empire in memory of comrades who gave their lives in the war 1914-1919 also in the war 1939-1945”.
Burnet designed a backdrop. It shielded the memorial from Park Lane. The backdrop was classical in style. It housed a bronze plaque. The plaque listed 150 cavalry units. These units came from across the British Empire. They came from Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and the UK. The plaque also named four British cavalry officers. They became Field Marshals: Haig, French, Allenby, and Robertson.
Field Marshal John French unveiled the memorial. He was the 1st Earl of Ypres. The Prince of Wales attended too. Prince Arthur of Connaught and the Chaplain-General to the Forces John Taylor Smith were also present. The unveiling took place on May 21, 1924.
Park Lane was widened in 1960. The memorial was moved in 1961. It was moved about 300 meters west. It now stands along the Horse Ride near Serpentine Road. The backdrop was not rebuilt. Instead, the bronze plaque was mounted on a granite screen. It stands behind the relocated statue.
Nearby, another memorial exists. It honors Household Cavalry soldiers. They died in the Hyde Park and Regent’s Park bombings of 1982.
The Cavalry of the Empire Memorial serves as a powerful reminder. It is a reminder of the sacrifices made by cavalrymen. They served and died for the British Empire. Their courage continues to inspire us all.