Monument

Boy David

Erection date: 8/5/1971

Inscription

{The base of the monument has a modern plaque on each face. Starting at the south and moving anti-clockwise:}
The original Boy David statue sculptured in bronze by Francis Derwent Wood was the model for the Machine Gun Corps memorial which stands at Hyde Park Corner and was presented to the Borough of Chelsea in 1963 but was later stolen.
This bronze fibreglass replacement was erected by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the Old Comrades Association of the Machine Gun Corps.

The Boy David by Bainbridge Copnall MBE PPRBS. A memorial to the members of the Machine Gun Corps who served in World War One.

The Machine Gun Corps Old Comrades Association lives on and a century later continues to remember the brave men who fought with the Machine Gun Corps from 1915 - 1922.

This bronze fibreglass statue was sculptured by E. Bainbridge Copnall, 1903 - 1973, and set on the granite column which the sculptor donated to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Commissioned to create a WW1 memorial to the Machine Gun Corps Derwent Wood produced a statue of David (post-Goliath decapitation). The original half-size statue was given to Chelsea in 1963 and erected here but it was stolen in 1969. 2 years later Copnall created this fibreglass version as a replacement, adding Goliath's head. They are both a naked man with a giant sword but there the resemblance ends. 

This one seems pretty safe, not only is it made of worthless fibreglass but it's at the top of a slippery granite column.

Site: Boy David (1 memorial)

SW3, Chelsea Embankment

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Boy David

Subjects commemorated i

World War 1

We'd always assumed that this war was known as the Great War until WW2 came a...

Read More

Machine Gun Corps

A corps of the British army. It was formed in response to the need for more e...

Read More

Derwent Wood

Sculptor. Born Francis Derwent Wood at Eskin Place, Caslerigg, St John's, Kes...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Boy David

Created by i

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

The borough was formed in 1965 by the merging of the separate former boroughs...

Read More

Edward Bainbridge Copnall

Sculptor and painter. Best known for his architectural and decorative sculptu...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Richard Carr Kirkpatrick

Richard Carr Kirkpatrick

NW6, Kilbrun Park Road, St Augustine's Church

The listing text gives “Granite stepped pedestal surmounted by granite crucifix with bronze figures of the dead Christ flanked by Keary a...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Rotherhithe war memorial

Rotherhithe war memorial

SE16, St Marychurch Street, St Mary the Virgin Church

The Rotherhithe people were prescient or just lucky. The way they had worded the text for their WW1 memorial meant that all they had to ...

2 subjects commemorated
Tottenham and West Green - WW1 memorial

Tottenham and West Green - WW1 memorial

N15, West Green Road/Philip Lane

We first photographed this memorial some time ago when it was in a very bad condition. It has since been completely renovated, but there ...

War dead | WW1
443 subjects commemorated
Christ Church WW1 memorial - Hampstead

Christ Church WW1 memorial - Hampstead

NW3, Hampstead Square, Christ Church

The lower section of the cross is inscribed with a list of 18 names. There is no heading but we think "WW1" is a fair guess, confirmed by...

War dead | WW1
18 subjects commemorated
Shoreditch war memorial

Shoreditch war memorial

E2, Austin Street, St Leonard's Church

We searched the garden and could not find the list of names referenced in the inscription.  War Memorials Online has: "Memorial paved ga...

2 subjects commemorated

Previously viewed

F. C. Manderson

F. C. Manderson

Name on one of the corner plaques of the East Ham WW1 memorial.

Person

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
C. T. West

C. T. West

J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. staff member who died in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Miriam Moses

Miriam Moses

E1, Princelet Street, 17

The ODNB gives her birth year as 1884 not 1886.

1 subject commemorated