Memorial Gates
United Kingdom
For soldiers from Africa, the Caribbean and the Indian subcontinent who fought in World Wars I and II
Unveiled	2002
Location	51°30′09″N 0°08′57″W / 51.5025°N 0.1491°W / 51.5025; -0.1491Coordinates: 51°30′09″N 0°08′57″W / 51.5025°N 0.1491°W / 51.5025; -0.1491 London, United Kingdom
Designed by	Liam O’Connor

Two of the gate piers

The Memorial Gates are a war memorial located at the Hyde Park Corner end of Constitution Hill in London, UK. Also known as the Commonwealth Memorial Gates, they commemorate the armed forces of the British Empire from five regions of the Indian subcontinent (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka), as well as Africa and the Caribbean, who served in the First World War and the Second World War. The memorial was inaugurated in 2002.

Inscriptions [edit]

The main inscription reads:

In memory of the five million volunteers from the Indian sub-continent, Africa and the Caribbean who fought with Britain in the two World Wars.

A shorter inscription quotes the words of the Nigerian author and poet Ben Okri:

Campaign stones [edit]

Also on the Green Park side of the Gates there are two stone slabs, either side of the pavilion, commemorating by name several of the campaigns in which forces from the British Empire fought.

World War I

• West Africa (West Africa Campaign)
• Egypt (Sinai and Palestine Campaign)
• East Africa (East African Campaign)
• France (Western Front)
• Belgium (Western Front)
• Gallipoli (Gallipoli Campaign)
• Russia (Caucasus Campaign)

World War II

• India (Operation U-Go)
• Burma (Burma Campaign)
• Malaya (Battle of Malaya)
• Singapore (Battle of Singapore)
• Persia (Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran)
• Hong Kong (Battle of Hong Kong)
• Dutch East Indies (Dutch East Indies Campaign)

Memorial pavilion [edit]

The memorial pavilion, also on the Green Park side of Constitution Hill, has a list of those from the named regions who were awarded the George Cross or Victoria Cross in the two World Wars. The 74 names are listed on the ceiling of the small domed pavilion. There are 23 Victoria Cross recipients from World War I listed, 12 George Cross recipients from World War II, and 39 Victoria Cross recipients from World War II.

World War I Victoria Crosses [edit]

World War II George Crosses [edit]

World War II Victoria Crosses [edit]

Planning, construction and inauguration [edit]

The plans for the memorial were made by the Memorial Gates Trust. As inscribed on the memorial, the inaugural patron of the Trust was Charles, Prince of Wales, and the inaugural trustees were: the Baroness Flather (chair), Khalid Aziz, the Lord Inge, Lakshmi Niwas Mittal, Harpinder Singh Narula, Sir Gulam Noon, Sir Anwar Pervez, the Lord Sandberg, the Viscount Slim, Sir Neil Thorne, and the Lord Weatherill. The architect was Liam O'Connor. Funding was from the National Lottery, provided by the Millennium Commission. Construction of the Memorial Gates began on 1 August 2001, with an inscription commemorating this event on the first stone to be laid - the inscription states that the stone was laid by the Queen Mother. The company contracted to build the memorial was Geoffrey Osborne Ltd, while the stonemasons were CWO Ltd. The Memorial Gates were inaugurated on 6 November 2002 by Queen Elizabeth II with an inscription stating that this took place in the Golden Jubilee year of her reign.

Gallery [edit]

• 

  Two of the columns and the Wellington Arch

• 

  The memorial pavilion on the Green Park side

• 

  The George Cross and Victoria Cross names

• 

  The stone listing World War I campaigns

• 

  The quote by Ben Okri engraved on the gates

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Memorial Gates, Constitution Hill

• Memorial Gates Trust (official website)
• World War I campaigns (Memorial Gates Trust)
• World War II campaigns (Memorial Gates Trust)
• List of Trustees and Vice-Patrons (Memorial Gates Trust)
• Report on the inauguration ceremony (Memorial Gates Trust)
• Additional information on the Memorial Gates (aftermathww1.co.uk)
• Memorial Gates entry (United Kingdom National Inventory of War Memorials)
• Images showing the George Cross and Victoria Cross recipients: 1, 2.

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