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Belfast War Memorial

Situated in Sheldon Park, the Belfast War Memorial was unveiled in on 5 June 1921.

On 19 March 1919, a public meeting was held in Belfast Hall by Reverend Tremayne Monro Curnow. There, the attendees reviewed a report from the Advisory Committee regarding the establishment of a memorial to the soldiers of Belfast who had served in the First World War.

Various ideas were proposed. William Nicholls suggested a band rotunda in Sheldon Park and this was selected. A committee was formed to oversee this project consisting of T. M. Curnow, A. Brown, J. Dunlop, E. Harris, A. Nicholls, J. G. Poulson, W. Rogers, J. Johns, E. J. Wotton, and Mrs Harris, Dunlop, Rudkin, Curnow, and John.  However, the plan for a band rotunda was eventually abandoned as it was considered too expensive.

At a meeting held on 11 February 1920, it was decided to erect a statue in Sheldon Park. The committee to carry this out consisted of A. Brown, J. Cleland, J. Dunlop, E. Harris, W. Rogers, W. Rugg, E. J. Wotton, J. Anderson, E. Harris, E. Rudkin, and P. Thomas.

A fete was held in Sheldon Park on 29 May 1920 to raise funds for the memorial. 

The memorial was erected by Silvester and Co. who designed a tapered stone pillar constructed from brown Glentunnel stone mounted on a concrete base with three steps. This was unveiled on 5 June 1921. The unveiling ceremony was attended by several hundred individuals including veterans and members of the Belfast Boy Scouts. As E. J. Wotton unveiled the memorial, the Last Post was performed by the bugle band of the Christchurch Cadets. 

There are seven plaques.

The first plaque reads:  Unveiled June 1921.

The second plaque reads: In memoriam this monument was erected in everlasting remembrance of the men from the Belfast, Styx and Ouruhia Districts who gave their lives in the Great War 1914–1918. They died that we might live. 'Primi Inter Pares'.

The third plaque reads: Unveiled 25 April 1947.

The fourth plaque reads: World War II 1939-1945. Dedicated to the memory of the servicemen of this district who made the supreme sacrifice. Easterbrook J. R., Herbert S. J., Pearce G. R., Phillips R. G. T., Uru H. W.

The fifth plaque reads: They gave their all. Rasmusson J., Hunter A. W., Low G., White M., Dalley S., Napier D. G, Leaman M., Macindoe G., McConnell R., Nankivell A., Chaney G., Miller E. B., Clarke G. A., Clarke A. C, Thompson  R. W., Anderson A. E., Moore  J.

The sixth plaque reads: They gave their all. Wotton H. E. J., O'Callaghan W., Richards F. L., Wilson A., Constance J., Hopkins V. P., Pattrick A., Inns W., Dowdle F. E., Wilson R. W. L., Ellis L., Hopkins H. P., Watkins R., Bell R., Adams F. B., Adams T. C., Bell L.

The seventh plaque reads: In memoriam faithful unto death greater love hath no man than this.


References

War MemorialsStar (Christchurch), Issue 12583, 20 March 1919, p.4.

Local and generalStar (Christchurch), Issue 19872, 13 February 1920, p.4.

AdvertisementsStar (Christchurch), Issue 19949, 15 May 1920, p.9.

Memorial unveiled at BelfastStar (Christchurch), Issue 16445, 6 June 1921, p.6.

War Memorial unveiled at BelfastPress, Volume LVII, Issue 17164, 6 June 1921, p.8.