Royal Berkshire Regiment War Memorial facts for kids

The Royal Berkshire Regiment War Memorial is also known as the Royal Berkshire Regiment Cenotaph. It is a special monument built to remember the soldiers of the Royal Berkshire Regiment. These brave men fought and died in the First World War. You can find this memorial at Brock Barracks in Reading, England.

The memorial was officially shown to the public in 1921. It was designed by a famous architect named Sir Edwin Lutyens. He based its look on his design for the Cenotaph in London. Today, this memorial is a very important historical site, known as a grade II* listed building.

Why War Memorials Were Built

After the First World War, many people had died. It was a very sad time. Because of this, thousands of war memorials were built all over Britain. They helped people remember those who were lost.

Sir Edwin Lutyens' Designs

One of the most important designers of these memorials was Sir Edwin Lutyens. He was a top English architect of his time. Lutyens designed the famous Cenotaph in Whitehall, London. This Cenotaph is now a main place for national Remembrance Day events. He also designed the huge Thiepval Memorial to the Missing in France. It is the biggest British war memorial in the world.

Lutyens also created the "Stone of Remembrance." This stone is found in many large cemeteries where soldiers are buried. It is also in some of his other war memorials. The Royal Berkshire Regiment memorial is one of seven cenotaphs Lutyens designed in England. It is also one of two cenotaphs he made specifically for a military regiment.

A Smaller Cenotaph

The Royal Berkshire Regiment wanted their own war memorial. They decided they wanted a smaller copy of the Cenotaph in London. So, they asked Lutyens to design it. Lutyens was happy to create smaller versions of his cenotaph design. This helped groups with smaller budgets. However, he always insisted that his "Stone of Remembrance" should never be made smaller. The Royal West Kent memorial is two-thirds the size of the London Cenotaph. The Royal Berkshire's version is half the size.

History and Design of the Memorial

The company GE Wallis and Sons Ltd built the Royal Berkshire Regiment War Memorial. They also built the Royal West Kent Regiment's memorial. This memorial cost £3,000 in 1921.

Unveiling the Memorial

Major General Edward Thompson Dickson was a high-ranking officer in the Royal Berkshire Regiment. He officially revealed the cenotaph on September 13, 1921. During this ceremony, a list of all the regiment's fallen soldiers was placed inside the memorial.

How the Memorial Looks

Like many of Lutyens' memorials, this cenotaph stands on three steps. It is made from Portland stone, a type of white limestone. The memorial is placed on a grassy area inside Brock Barracks. This was once the main base for the Royal Berkshire Regiment.

At the very top of the memorial is an urn, which looks like a large vase. This urn sits on top of a chest-shaped stone. The main part of the memorial is connected to this by a three-level base. The memorial is not heavily decorated, but it looks very grand.

Special Features

Two stone flags are attached to the memorial. They were carved by Eric Broadbent. One flag, the King's Colour, is on the west side. The other, the regiment's colour, is on the east side. These flags are connected to carved wreaths by laurel decorations. Lutyens had originally wanted painted flags for the London Cenotaph too, but fabric flags were used instead. However, he used painted flags on several of his other memorials.

What the Inscriptions Say

On the north side of the memorial, it says: "TO THE MEMORY OF OFFICERS, WARRANT OFFICERS, NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS, AND MEN OF THE ROYAL BERKSHIRE REGIMENT".

On the south side, the inscription reads: "THIS MEMORIAL WAS ERECTED BY PAST AND PRESENT OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE ROYAL BERKSHIRE REGIMENT AND THEIR RELATIVES IN MEMORY OF THE 353 OFFICERS AND 6375 OTHER RANKS OF THE REGIMENT WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918 / RE-DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THE 93 OFFICERS AND 974 OTHER RANKS OF THE REGIMENT WHO FELL IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1939 – 1945".

The names of all the soldiers who died are written on a wall near the cenotaph.

Its Important Status

The memorial was first named a grade II listed building on December 22, 1975. This means it is an important historical building. In October 2015, during the 100-year anniversary of the First World War, Lutyens' war memorials were recognized as a "national collection." Many of his memorials, including this one, had their historical status reviewed. The Royal Berkshire Regiment memorial was then upgraded to a grade II* listed building. This shows it is even more important.