A new memorial, dedicated to the 113 men from the parish of St Etheldreda’s, Fulham who fought and died in World War I was unveiled on Sunday 13 October at the church, after a short dedication service.
It is not the first time that such a memorial has been constructed at St Etheldreda’s; after the First World War, parishioners came together to erect a memorial to the members of their community who had been lost to the war. However, not long after, the memorial was destroyed when the church was bombed during the Blitz.
Over the last eighty years, the 113 men, and four more parishioners whose lives were lost during World War II, have been remembered by their local church. However, without a memorial, the names of the men have been passed down from vicar to vicar, on a single sheet of paper.
For the last two years, parishioners have been researching the lives of the men behind their names. Through the tireless work of the local community, donations have been raised to replace the memorial that was lost all those years ago.
History now repeats itself, as after almost 104 years, the community has once again raised a memorial to those who gave their lives in both World Wars.
The memorial has been crafted from York Stone, with inscriptions made by local stonemasons. It stands in the church’s Remembrance Garden.
Curate at St Etheldreda’s, Rev’d Briony Mackie, said:
“It is a cause of great sadness not only that these men lost their lives, but also that their names have for so long been known only to God. This Sunday, we celebrated their memory. On this sombre and reflective occasion, we were joined by members of the public, our church community, and the descendants of those brave souls who we gave remembrance to.”
