Whitchurch Parish War Memorial

The war memorial that stands in front of the Whitchurch Library Hub was unveiled on 15th July 1923 by the Earl of Plymouth and dedicated by the Bishop of Llandaff. The event took place with full military ceremony before a crowd of several thousand people, many of them ex-servicemen and families of the fallen.

The planning of how best to recognise the sacrifice of the fallen had been undertaken by a committee of the Whitchurch Parish Council and had started in March 1919. Those named on the memorial came from the villages of Whitchurch, Llandaff North, Birchgrove, Rhiwbina and Tongwynlais. The monument was obtained from Boulton’s of Cheltenham and cost £1,000 (more than £60,000 by today’s standards). On the day it was unveiled, there were 116 name on the memorial, 58 each on the east and west sides. A further nine would be added at a later date to the north side of the monument.

Following the end of the Second World War, it was eventually decided to add the names of fallen service personnel to the north side (145), as well as ten names of civilian air raid casualties to the bottom of the west side. Five names were also added at a later date. Sadly, none of the fallen from Llandaff North or Birchgrove were included. The memorial was rededicated on 26th September 1948. The unveiling was performed by Mrs F.G.Harris, wife of the clerk of the parish council (who had lost two sons in the conflict) and the rededication by the Bishop of Llandaff. Once again, a full military ceremony was held, watched by a large crowd.

Since then, one further name has been added to the memorial. Following his death in an IRA bombing of the Royal Marines School of Music in Deal, Kent, in September 1989, Richard George Fice can be seen on the east side of the monument.

An annual ceremony takes place on Remembrance Sunday to remember those who fell in battle or succumbed to their wounds or illness whilst serving.

On 16th July 2023, a rededication service was held to mark the centenary of the original unveiling and dedication. The event saw the Lord Lieutenant’s Representative, the Archdeacon of Llandaff, the Lord Mayor of Cardiff, MP & AMs, local councillors, members of the local clergy, former service personnel, RAF Air Cadets, the Tongwynlais Temperance Band (who had also played in 1948), members of Whitchurch High School, AWEN members and others all play a part in a memorable ceremony watched by a large crowd.