Caption: The Royal Artillery Memorial at Hyde Park Corner London, designed and executed by Charles Sargeant Jagger MC. Image: courtesy National Army Museum
About the talk: Unmistakeably a giant howitzer, the Royal Artillery Memorial is one of the most arresting and powerful memorials anywhere in the world. The work of Charles Sargeant Jagger MC, it reflects his own war service and expresses his deep-felt admiration for the qualities shown by the British army throughout the conflict. This talk will explore his other work as well as the work of other sculptors who served on the Western Front and show how their direct knowledge of the battlefield ensured a series of distinctive memorials. Although the memorials acknowledged death and sacrifice, these amazing works also saluted the British soldier by acknowledging their endurance, fortitude, and stoicism.
Prof Mark Connelly
About the speaker: Mark Connelly is Professor of Modern British History at the University of Kent. His main research interests are the memory of war, the image of the armed forces in popular culture and aspects of operational military history. His publications include The Great War: memory and ritual, Steady the Buffs! A Regiment, a Region and the Great War, (with Tim Bowman and Ian Beckett), The British Army and the First World War and (with Stefan Goebel), Ypres. During the centenary he was director of the Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded, Gateways to the First World War, a multi-university centre aimed at encouraging public engagement with the centenary. He also works closely with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the In Flanders Fields Museum, Ieper/Ypres.
Where we meet: The Royal British Legion Club, Queensway, Petts Wood, Orpington, Kent BR5 1DH. We meet on the last Thursday of each month (except December). Meetings start at 19:30, with the doors (and the bar) opening at 18:30. There are no entrance fees but we do welcome contributions of £5 or more towards our costs.
How to get there: The British Legion Club is next door to Morrison's supermarket and Petts Wood railway station (trains from Charing Cross, Cannon Street, and Victoria). Parking at the rear of the club is free but you must enter your car registration into the machine (on the left as you enter the club). Failure to enter your registration can lead to a £50 fine. There's easy free parking in adjacent side streets.