War Memorials
There are two memorials in the town maintained by the Town Council.
There are also a number of memorials in the town's churches and schools.
War Memorial
The war memorial is at the junction of Barn Street, New Road and London Road and it remembers those who served and fell in the world wars of 1914-1918 and 1939-1945. Unveiled in 1932 and funded by monies raised by the Royal British Legion, it originally commemorated the men of the town who fell in WW1, and replaced a tablet on the north wall of the Town Hall. Plaques were added after WW2 so that the memorial now honours and remembers the fallen of both world wars: 104 in WW1 and 37 in WW2.
A plaque to commemorate the centenary of the outbreak of WW1 was unveiled by the Duke of Kent in 2014.
The memorial together with a location map is described in the Imperial War Museum's records. OS Grid Ref: SU 19067 69176
7th Battalion Wiltshire Regiment Memorial
The memorial to the 7th Battalion Wiltshire Regiment is situated in London Road (A4) near the junction with Salisbury Road (A346). It was erected in 1919 by the 7th Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment to its 360 fallen during 1915-1918, and was unveiled on 8th October 1920 by FM Lord Methuen GCB GCMG GCVO GCB CB CMG. In the same year a bronze memorial tablet was erected on the north wall of the Town Hall, since replaced by the War Memorial described above. The roll call referred to on the monument is still held at the Town Council offices - you can see a copy here.
To watch a Pathé newsreel of Lord Methuen unveiling the monument, click here.
The memorial together with a location map is described in the Imperial War Museum's records. OS Grid Ref: 19269 68959
Lest We Forget
Each year the Town Council leads the arrangements for Marlborough's Remembrance events. This takes the form of a Parade on Remembrance Sunday and a ceremony on Armistice Day where they fall on different days. Photos of recent years' commemorative events are available in our gallery.
Remembrance Parade
On Remembrance Sunday members of 4MI Military Intelligence Battalion, Royal British Legion, churches, schools, community groups and the Town Council line up in the High Street for inspection. Then led by Phoenix Brass Band they parade to the War Memorial where a service is held and wreaths are laid. There is always a big turn-out by the people of the town.
Armistice Day
A smaller ceremony takes place on Armistice Day, 11th November. Led by Alec Light (Chairman of Marlborough Royal British Legion), people gather on the steps in front of the Town Hall. A two-minute silence is observed at 11.00 am and a bugler plays The Last Post. There is then a procession to the Wiltshire Battalion Memorial to lay wreaths.
Councillors also place poppy posies on the 11 war graves in the town's cemeteries - details below.
WW1 Centenary
Marking 100 years since the outbreak of WW1, in 2014 HRH the Duke of Kent unveiled a plaque on the War Memorial to commemorate the centenary. Read the Gazette & Herald coverage here.
The Royal British Legion is very much at the heart of the commemorations in the town with Alec Light playing a major part in the annual preparations. In 2015 on behalf of the Royal British Legion, Alek Sager (pictured with then-Town Mayor, Cllr. Marian Hannaford-Dobson) presented the town with a ceramic poppy from the Blood Swept Lands and Sea of Red WW1 centenary commemoration at the Tower of London. The mounted poppy is now on display in the Court Room of the Town Hall. Read more about this RBL commemoration here.
A number of events also took place in 2018 to mark the end of the Great War, including a 'roll of honour' evening and the lighting of a beacon on Marlborough Common. Full details and photo gallery here.
Cemetery
There are 11 war graves in Marlborough's two Cemeteries on the Common.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission maintains records of names, rank and regiment, date of death and grave locations of known war casualties. There are seven in the cemetery and four in the old cemetery. The youngest was just 18. Search using 'Marlborough Borough Cemetery' for WW2 graves, and 'Marlborough Old Cemetery' for WW1 casualties on the CWGC 'Find War Dead' page.
War Dead In The Cemetery
Fennell, Pamela Mary
Age 26, 01/03/1946. Leading Aircraftwoman Women's Auxilliary Air Force. Section B Grave 283. Daughter of Francis and Florence Gertrude Fennell, of Marlborough. Her brother Christopher Francis also died in service
Pearce, Bernard Woodward
Age 33, 22/12/1941. Warrant Officer Class I Royal Army Ordnance Corps. Section B Grave 135. Son of George Robert and Florence Pearce; husband of Edith Annie Pearce, of Clewer Hill, Windsor
Pickersgill, Thomas Samuel
Age 32, 02/01/1946. Corporal Pioneer Corps. Section B Grave 263. Son of John and Frances Pickersgill, of Birmingham
Quarterman, Harry George
Age 19, 24/06/1941. Private Gloucestershire Regiment 70th Bn. Section B Grave 141. Son of Arthur James Quarterman and Maud Quarterman, of Marlborough
Watt, James Charles
Age 22, 23/12/1940. Lance Corporal Royal Engineers. Section B Grave 31. Son of the Revd. S.M. Watt and of Mary Watt (nee Abbott)
West-Woods, John Joseph
Age 18, 01/07/1940. Rifleman King's Royal Rifle Corps. Section B Grave 90. Son of Donald West-Woods and Elizabeth Woods
Whieldon, Francis William Edmund
02/01/1946. Private Pioneer Corps. Section B Grave 264
War Dead in The Victorian Cemetery
Dunsby, Arthur Nathaniel
Age 53, 11/10/1919. Serjeant Rifle Brigade 25th Bn. Grave 13. Son of William and Martha Jane Dunsby; husband of Annie Dunsby of 4, The Green, Marlborough
Hillier, P.C.A.
30/10/1918. Engineer Commander Royal Navy H.M.S. "Colombo"
Jennings, David William
Age 29, 06/08/1918. 2nd Corporal Royal Engineers 20th (T.F.) Depot. Grave 764. Son of David James Jennings, of 34, St Martin's Terrace, Marlborough. A member of the Kent County Cricket Eleven
Smythe, Patrick Dowling
Age 25, 09/05/1916. Private Army Service Corps 302nd M.T. Coy. Grave 283. Son of Patrick and Mary Smythe, of 3, St. Teresa's Road, Glasnevin, Dublin. One of four brothers who served
Further Information
There is a detailed and interesting article on Marlborough History Society's website
There are many resources available at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre in Chippenham
Other Memorials
The Imperial War Museum maintains a list of memorials. Those mentioned in Marlborough are listed below. Click the links to access the Imperial War Museum records directly, which include location maps:
The Common
347th Station Hospital - stone with marble tablet - WW2 United States Army Hospital.
Friends of the WW2 347th Station Hospital can be found here
St George's Church, Preshute
Cross naming 16 who fell in WW1 and 8 in WW2
St Mary's Church
Captain J T Bradfield - brass plaque. Killed in action 1920 in Mesopotamia
Colonel N Manders - plaque. Killed in action 1915 at Gallipoli
St Peter's Church
Plaque and photograph of the Old Standard of the Queen's Bays. The Queen's Bay badge is in the plaque. All ranks actions in WW2 1939-1945
Three-panelled screen and inscription to the 53 fallen of WW1 and WW2
St John's School
Plaque to the memory of the 17 boys of Marlborough Grammar School who fell in the Great War 1914-1918 (relocated from original site)
Marlborough College
The College lost a significant number of old boys - Marlburians - in many conflicts. It maintains a WW1 archive. Individual memorials include:
Chapel
Army issue battlefield cross - Lt J L Kellsall. WW1, Flanders
Redecoration of Chapel and board - J Wilson. Holland, 1944
Board - T E K Wright and R K Wright. WW2 killed in action Belgium 1945 and Tunisia 1943
Plaque to 3 who died in the Crimean, 1851-1855
Window and tablet to the 509 who served in the Second Boer War 1899-1902, 43 of whom died
Cotton House
Oak shield - 69 Old Boys, WW1
Littlefield House
Littlefield House Old Boys regimental memorial, 50 names
Memorial Hall
The Hall itself, as well as tablets, a roll of honour and a book case. Opened 23rd May 1925 by FM HRH Prince Arthur Duke of Connaught KG. The Hall now commemorates both World Wars. The memorial comprises the hall, paved forecourt and flight of steps leading to the College Chapel
Memorial Library
Library created in memory of those Marlburians who died in the Boer War 1899-1902
Playing Fields
Allen Wedgewood - Stone of Remembrance in the Wedgewood Playing Field. Missing in action, Gallipoli 1915
Servants' Hall
Marlborough College Staff WW1 1914-1918. Roll of honour - 57 names
NEW ROAD
Memorial to the men who died and the men rewarded for gallantry in the 1946 Savernake Explosion