Inns of Court War Memorial facts for kids
The Inns of Court Officers Training Corps Memorial is a special monument that remembers the First World War. It stands near Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire, England, on what is now part of the Berkhamsted Golf Course. This tall stone pillar, called an obelisk, was put up around 1920. It's close to where a temporary army training camp used to be from 1914 to 1919. In November 2016, this memorial became a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical site that needs to be protected.
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What Was the Inns of Court Training Corps?
The Inns of Court Officers Training Corps (OTC) was a special army group. It was based in London, near where many lawyers work. This group was very connected to the legal profession, and its badge even had symbols from the four main legal societies, called the Inns of Court.
When the First World War started in August and September 1914, many people wanted to join the army. The Inns of Court OTC grew very quickly. It soon became too big for its usual London home.
The Training Camp at Berkhamsted
Because of the rapid growth, a new training camp was set up in tents on Berkhamsted Common in September 1914. This camp stayed open until June 1919. About 2,000 young people, called officer cadets, trained there. These cadets were learning to become army officers.
As part of their training, the men at the camp dug about 13 miles (21 kilometers) of trenches across Berkhamsted Common. You can still see signs of these trenches even today, over 100 years later!
Brave Soldiers from the Corps
Around 11,000 of the people who trained with the Inns of Court OTC went on to become officers in other army units. Three of these brave individuals were given the Victoria Cross, which is the highest award for bravery in the British military. They received it for their actions during the war:
- Jack Harrison in 1917
- Walter Napleton Stone in 1918
- Christopher Bushell in 1918
About the Memorial
The memorial was built around 1920. It's a stone obelisk, which is a tall, narrow, four-sided pillar that ends in a pyramid shape at the top. It stands on a square stone base with two steps.
The top step around the base has a cool pattern made of red bricks and white stone bands. It looks a bit like the Saint George's Cross and the Saint Patrick's Saltire put together.
What the Memorial Says
The memorial has an important message carved into its stone. It says:
IN MEMORY OF THE INNS OF / COURT OFFICERS TRAINING / CORPS. WHO IN THIS NEIGHBOUR / HOOD TRAINED OVER TWELVE / THOUSAND MEN TO SERVE / AS COMMISSIONED OFFICERS / IN THE GREAT WAR 1914–1918 / AND IN AFFECTIONATE / REMEMBRANCE OF THE TWO / THOUSAND WHO GAVE THEIR / LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY / THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED / BY MEMBERS & FRIENDS OF / THE CORPS
This means it remembers the training corps that taught over 12,000 men to be officers in the Great War (another name for the First World War). It also lovingly remembers the 2,000 men from the corps who died for their country. Members and friends of the corps built this monument.
Below this, it has the Latin motto of the corps:
This Latin phrase means "the safety of the people is the supreme law."
Later, another message was added to the base of the memorial. It remembers Lieutenant Colonel Francis Errington (1854–1942). He was the commander of the Inns of Court OTC from 1913 to 1916. He also wrote a history book about the corps in 1922. The inscription says:
NEAR THIS SPOT LIE THE ASHES OF / LIEUT. COL. F.H.L. ERRINGTON C.B. V.D / WHO SERVED THE CORPS FOR 36 YEARS / AND WAS ITS LOVED & HONOURED / COMMANDER: 1913–1916
