World War One Remembrance

The Poppies or Barbed Poppies –
The New Memorial in the Jephson Gardens

At 11.00 am on 11^th November 2014 a memorial was unveiled  in the Jephson Gardens, between the Aviary and Willes Road entrance.  The memorial will remember all those who played any part in World War One, including the widows and orphans and those who served at home.

The Leamington History Group applied for the grant for the memorial and worked with Warwick District Council and Leamington Town Council to commission the sculpture.

The memorial was designed by Tim Tolkien and the central feature consists of two poppies in flower and one stem with a seed-head at the top.

All the poppies are entwined with barbed wire and this extends to wrap around some adjoining fencing. The tablet in front states simply “The Poppies; Lest We Forget”. The plaque naming the sculptor calls it “Barbed Poppies”.

It is a subtle design which is not quite as immediate in effect as the sea of poppies surrounding the Tower of London in November 2014 but many people we have spoken to agreed that it evoked a strong emotional response.

In unveiling the memorial councillors from the two councils and a representative of the Royal British Legion spoke briefly with messages of remembrance and hopes for peace in the future.

Several people in military uniform were present and a bugler sounded the Last Post.

History Group members attended the event and all found it an appropriately moving occasion.

The History Group is conscious that the War took place over a period exceeding four years and further articles about the War with local interest will be added to the website from time to time as they are completed.

Note: Tim Tolkien is a grand-son of the brother of the author J R R Tolkien.
Thanks to our member Allan Jennings for the images.

Links to Some Other Articles Relating to Wars:-

Leamington’s Fallen 1914 – 1919
Leamington’s Great War VC’s
Victoria Cross, Henry Tandey VC DCM MM
Lt.-Gen. Charles Augustus Goodfellow V.C, November 1836 – September 1915
Trooper Job Allwood
Kilby, Captain Arthur, VC, MC
Eva Sabin’s Wartime Memories
Czechoslovak Army, The Free Czechoslovak Army
Dam Buster Pilot, Henry Eric Maudslay, DFC,
War in Leamington