Monument | War dead | WW1

WW1 Memorial at St John's Waterloo

Inscription

{On the west, the front of the plinth:}
{On a bronze plaque:}
Erected by the nursing staff in honour of the patients who died in the King George Hospital, H. M. Stationery Office Stamford Street, used as a military hospital during the war.

{All other inscriptions are carved into the stone.}

{Either side of the plaque:}
A. M.  D. G.
{Stands for 'Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam', Latin motto of the Society of Jesus, meaning 'For the greater glory of God'.} 

{On the body of the plinth:}
In memory of those who have given their lives for their country.
The names of those who died in the King George Hospital are inscribed on a parchment roll placed with the church records.
The names of those who were parishioners of St. John’s Church are inscribed on the three remaining panels of this memorial.

{The other three sides each contain 17 names.  Those on the south and north form an alphabetic list.  Those on the east (the back) are approximately in alphabetic sequence and we guess they were the late additions.  Some on this side are very badly weather-damaged.  We think we’ve managed to read them correctly but we have noted which these names are, just in case.

{A biblical text, John 15:13, followed by a prayer, is on a frieze wrapping around all four sides, starting below the plaque and above the names.  It is long enough to need 7 sections so it makes another part-circuit immediately above the names:}
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.  Eternal rest grant to them O Lord and may perpetual light shine upon them.

Unusually this memorial commemorates two quite separate groups of WW1 dead: patients of the local temporary war hospital, and the parishioners of the church. It's touching that, at least in part, the memorial was erected by the nursing staff of the hospital.

We love this style of lettering. Rather than cut out the letters the carver has removed the background, leaving the letters level with the surround.

Site: WW1 Memorial at St John's Waterloo (1 memorial)

SE1, Waterloo Road, St John the Evangelist

This church, designed by Francis Bedford, was built in 1824 to celebrate victory in the Napoleonic wars. The churchyard was converted into a garden in the 1870s, with the involvement of Octavia Hill.  Badly bombed in 1940 but restored in time to be the church for the 1951 Festival of Britain.

IanVisits, true to his name, has visited the 'secret crypt' of this church.

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:
WW1 Memorial at St John's Waterloo

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

King George Hospital, HMSO, Stamford Street

From the Survey of London and Ezitis (excellent) we learn that the five store...

Read More

Thomas P. Allwood

On east side of St John's Waterloo monument.

Read More

Show all 54

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
WW1 Memorial at St John's Waterloo

Created by i

Nearby Memorials

W.S. Gilbert monument

W.S. Gilbert monument

WC2, Victoria Embankment

1836 - W.S. Gilbert - 1911 Playwright & poet. His foe was folly & his weapon wit. {at the feet of the ladies are:} Tragedy Comedy...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Chindits

Chindits

SW1, Victoria Embankment, Victoria Embankment Gardens - Whitehall section

Unless we missed it, Cairns' name is not included in the Green Park Memorial Gate's list of VCs, while the other 3 Chindit VC names are.

War dead | WW2
7 subjects commemorated
Blackheath war memorial

Blackheath war memorial

SE3, Maze Hill/Charlton Way

The separate, temporary, addition can be seen in our photo - the row of 6 small white crosses, on a white base, which does not appear to ...

War dead | WW1, WW2
8 subjects commemorated
Brockley and Ladywell Cemetery WW1 - cross

Brockley and Ladywell Cemetery WW1 - cross

SE4, Brockley Grove, Brockley and Ladywell Cemetery

The names of those buried in this cemetery without headstones on their graves are listed on a separate nearby memorial.

1 subject commemorated
St John's Hampstead WW1 memorial

St John's Hampstead WW1 memorial

NW3, Church Row

{There are 5 panels alternating with a balustrade. On the central panel, inside a wreath:} Pro Patria {And below that, on the front of ...

War dead | WW1
90 subjects commemorated

Previously viewed

Howard Carter

Howard Carter

SW5, Collingham Gardens, 19

Howard Carter, 1874 - 1939, Egyptologist and discoverer of the tomb of Tutankhamun, lived here. English Heritage 

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Doris Vautro

Doris Vautro

EC1, Benjamin Street, St John's Garden

Rosalie's tree is the nearest, Doris's is in front of the first silver birch.

1 subject commemorated