Anglo-Belgian Memorial, London facts for kids

The memorial in 2014

The Anglo-Belgian Memorial is a special war memorial in London, found on Victoria Embankment. It's also called the Belgian Gratitude Memorial or the Belgian Refugees Memorial. This memorial was a gift from Belgium to the United Kingdom. It shows how thankful Belgium was for Britain's help during the First World War. During the war, Britain welcomed thousands of Belgian people who had to leave their homes to find safety.

This memorial is a very important historical building. It has a special status called a Grade II* listed building. This means it's protected because of its history and unique design.

Building the Memorial

Plans for a Belgian war memorial in London started in 1916. A group of Belgians wanted to build it using money collected from people. This is called "public subscription."

Memorial Design

The memorial was designed by a famous architect named Sir Reginald Blomfield. The most important part of the memorial is a bronze sculpture in the middle. It was made by a Belgian artist, Victor Rousseau. He himself was a refugee in London during the war.

The Sculpture

The bronze sculpture shows a Belgian woman. She is with a boy and a girl who are holding flowers. This sculpture stands on a stone base. On the base, it says: "To the British nation from the grateful people of Belgium, 1914–1918."

The Wall

The central sculpture is protected by a curved wall made of Portland stone. This stone is a type of limestone. The wall has two more sculptures carved into it. These carvings are called "Justice" (on the left) and "Honour" (on the right). They are a bit worn now, but you can still see them.

The wall also has carved wreaths and nine shields. These shields represent the nine different provinces of Belgium. These provinces are Brabant, Antwerp, Liège, Hainault, Namur, Limburg, Luxembourg, East Flanders and West Flanders.

Unveiling the Memorial

The memorial was officially opened on October 12, 1920. Princess Clémentine of Belgium led the ceremony. This date was chosen because it was the fifth anniversary of the day British nurse Edith Cavell was executed in Brussels during the war.

The Prime Minister of Belgium, Leon Delacroix, was also there. Lord Curzon accepted the gift for the British nation. Later, in 1923, a similar memorial was built in Brussels, Belgium. It was designed by a British sculptor named Charles Sargeant Jagger.

Protecting the Memorial

The Anglo-Belgian Memorial became a Grade II listed building in 1970. This means it was recognized as an important historical site. In 2014, its status was upgraded to Grade II*. This shows how truly special and important this memorial is.

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  Justice (left)

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  Central bronze sculpture group

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  Honour (right)

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  Memorial in the interwar period