Memorial

Wagoners' Reserve Memorial, Sledmere - WW1

Memorial (Face 1)

1/12

Current Location

The memorial is situated on the western side of Sledmere village, a little to north of the gateway to the Church of St Mary. IWM 35033 is nearby. , Sledmere, East Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, YO25 3XG, England

OS Grid Reference

SE 92900 64600

View location on Google Maps

Names listed on this memorial

Contribute to the War Memorials Register

Send us details and photographs of your local war memorials, to help enhance the information about the people, places and events they commemorate.

Contribute now

This record shows everything IWM currently knows about this memorial. We are continually updating our records.

To share information or photographs, contact us.

Memorial Details

Type of Memorial: Pillar / Column
WMR Reference Number: 35000
Description: A squat, central carved drum beneath a conical canopy with carved fish scale slates and surmounted by a pinnacle that once fitted with a cross. This is raised on an octagonal plinth of five steps, with a chamfered base and top step, and is surrounded by octagonal stone paving. An entablature is supported by four elaborately carved columns, each decorated with a different geometric pattern, with capitals that have intertwined foliate and floral designs with farm animal heads at the corners. The entablature has a square patterned cornice with octagonal finials crowned by a coronet rising above each of the columns and an inscription on the frieze. The carved central drum is divided horizontally into three sections by stone bands. The three sections have detailed scenes carved in relief depicting scenes from the service of the Wagoners, namely - the Army Service Corps enrolling the men, a wagoner driving a load of sacks, a depiction of the course of the annual wagon driving competition, the reservists working the harvest fields, them receiving call-up papers from a postman, saying farewell to family, walking to join the colours, joining the colours and being kitted-out, troop transport ships crossing a mined English Channel, disembarkation in France, German soldiers committing atrocities, a British soldier confronting German infantrymen and the wagoners loading artillery shells and small arms ammunition while under bombardment on the road to Amiens and the Battle of the Marne. In addition, a five verse poem about the wagoners, composed in local dialect by Sir Mark Sykes, is also inscribed on the central drum in a freehand script: this is set within a curvilinear panel, each verse separated by an engaged column decorated with a different geometric and foliate pattern.
Inscription: Upon the frieze - LT COL SIR MARK SYKES BART MP DESIGNED THIS MONUMENT AND SET IT UP AS A REMEMBRANCE OF THE GALLANT SERVICES RENDERED IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-19/ BY THE WAGGONERS RESERVE A CORP OF 1000 DRIVERS RAISED BY HIM ON THE YORKSHIRE WOLDS FARMS IN THE YEAR 1912 The poem - THESE STEANS/ A NOBLE TALE DO TELL/ OF WHAT MEN DID/ WHEN WAR BEFELL/ AND IN THAT FOURTEEN/ HARVEST-TIDE/ THE CALL FOR LADS WENT/ FAR AND WIDE/ TO HELP TO SAVE/ THE WORLD FRO' WRONG/ TO SHIELD THE WEAK/ AND BIND THE STRONG./ WHEN FRA TEASE WOLDS/ XII HUNDRED MEN/ CAME FORTH FRO' FIELD/ AND FOLD AND PEN/ TO STAND AGAIN' THE/ LAW OF MIGHT/ TO LABOR AND TO DEE/ FOR RIGHT/ AND TO SAVE THE WORLD FRO' WRONG/ TO SHIELD THE WEAK/ AND BIND THE STRONG/ THESE SIMPLE LADS/ KNEW NOWT OF WAR/ THEY ONLY KNEW/ THAT GOD'S OWN LAW/ WHICH SATAN'S WILL/ CONTROLS MUST FALL/ UNLESS MEN THEN DID/ HEAR THAT CALL/ TO GAN TO SAVE THE/ WORLD FRO' WRONG/ TO SHIELD THE WEAK/ AND BIND THE STRONG./ ERE BRITAINS HOSTS/ WERE RAISED OR PLANNED/ THE LADS WHAE JOINED/ THIS HOMELY BAND/ TO NORMANDY HAD/ PASSED O'ER SEA/ WHERE SOME WERE MAIMED/ AND SOME DID DEE/ AND ALL TO SAVE/ THE WORLD FRO' WRONG/ TO SHIELD THE WEAK/ AND BIND THE STRONG/ GOOD LADS AND DAMES/ OUR RIDINGS PRIDE/ THESE STEANES ARE SET/ BY THIS ROADSIDE/ THIS TALE YOUR CHILDREN'S/ BAIRNS TO TELL/ ON WHAT YE DID/ WHEN WAR BEFELL/ TO HELP TO SAVE THEIR/ WORLD FRO' WRONG/ TO SHIELD THE WEAK/ AND BIND THE STRONG.

War MemorialsRegister

Wagoners' Reserve Memorial, Sledmere - WW1

Current Location

OS Grid Reference

Names listed on this memorial

Contribute to the War Memorials Register

Memorial Details

Wagoners' Reserve Memorial, Sledmere - WW1

Current Location

OS Grid Reference

Names listed on this memorial

Contribute to the War Memorials Register

Memorial Details

Commemoration

History

Ceremonies

Conservation

Components

Report a Concern

Further Information