Imagine a soldier’s weary sigh. He is dressed in heavy winter clothing. He is reading a letter from home. This is the Great Western Railway War Memorial. It stands on platform 1 at London Paddington station. It commemorates 2500 employees of the Great Western Railway. They were killed in the First World War.
The Great Western Railway War Memorial is more than a statue. It is a testament to sacrifice. One-third of the GWR’s workforce left to fight. The company guaranteed their jobs. The GWR gave its workshops for munitions manufacturing. It devoted its network to transporting soldiers. It transported military equipment.
Charles Sargeant Jagger and Thomas S Tait designed the Great Western Railway War Memorial. Jagger was also working on other war memorials. His most famous is the Royal Artillery Memorial.
The Great Western Railway War Memorial features a bronze statue. The soldier reads a letter. He is dressed in a greatcoat, sheepskin jerkin, and scarf. His helmet rests on his shoulders. The statue stands on a polished granite plinth. It is within a white stone surround. The names of the dead are recorded on a roll. It is buried underneath the plinth.
Viscount Churchill unveiled the Great Western Railway War Memorial. The ceremony was on 11 November 1922. The Archbishop of Canterbury attended. GWR officials were present. More than 6000 relatives of the dead came. The GWR built viewing stands. These were across two platforms. They spanned the tracks between them.
Jagger’s statue served as a model. It inspired a memorial to the British Army’s postal service. It was unveiled in 1981. It also inspired a 2014 scheme. This scheme encouraged people to write a letter. It was part of the First World War centenary.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, local communities laid wreaths. These were on trains to Paddington. They were laid at the Great Western Railway War Memorial for Armistice Day.
The Great Western Railway was one of Britain’s largest railway companies. Its network radiated from London Paddington station. It covered much of southern and western England. It also reached into the Midlands. At the start of World War One, the government controlled all railways. The railway focused on moving military personnel. It transported supplies to ports. They shipped them to France. They went to military establishments in Britain.
The GWR offered to re-employ all who left to fight. By June 1916, over 23000 GWR employees had enlisted. The railway had to implement controls. This ensured it could continue its operations. The GWR had a workforce of 78000 people in 1914. About one-third joined the armed forces. By the war’s end, 2524 had died.
Charles Sargeant Jagger joined the army in 1914. He was wounded several times. He received the Military Cross for gallantry. His war memorial designs made him famous.
The Great Western Railway War Memorial Committee considered options. They rejected a triumphal arch. It would have been on the approach to Paddington station. They also rejected a mural. They decided to commission a statuary memorial.
The GWR chose Jagger to design the memorial. The company closely monitored Jagger’s progress. Jagger even wrote a letter of resignation. He did this because the committee wanted a bas-relief sculpture.
The Great Western Railway began honoring its war dead in December 1915. It published casualty statistics. It displayed a paper roll of honor on platform 1.
The soldier’s statue has a decorative plinth. It is backed by a screen. The screen features badges. These are of the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. A sealed casket is buried in the plinth. It bears the names of the dead.
The main inscription honors those who served. It notes that 25479 men joined His Majesty’s Forces. Of those, 2524 gave their lives. A second inscription was added. It commemorates casualties from World War II. 3312 men and women gave their lives.
Anthony Lambert described the statue. He called it an intensely felt sculpture. Alan Borg compared the statue favorably. He said its quality equaled the Royal Artillery Memorial. Geoff Archer noted the statue lacks overt emotion.
Over 6000 people gathered for the unveiling. The ceremony began with an introduction. Hymns were sung. Viscount Churchill unveiled the memorial. The Archbishop of Canterbury dedicated it. Two minutes of silence were observed.
In 1982, a replica of Jagger’s statue was unveiled. It commemorated the Army Post Office Corps’ centenary. In 2020, the GWR carried poppy wreaths. These went from across its network to Paddington. They were for Armistice Day.
The Great Western Railway War Memorial stands as a powerful reminder. It is a reminder of sacrifice and service. It ensures these heroes are never forgotten.