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Great Glen

This Grade II listed war memorial is made of roughly hewn granite and consists of a three stepped base supporting a pedestal and 3 metre high Celtic Cross with a carved sword in relief. The names of the war dead of the First World War were recorded on the pedestal but those from the Second World War were on a tablet added to the memorial.

The World War II tablet had become impossible to read. Laid on an incline and made of unpolished granite the slight surface roughness together with the raised lettering meade it susceptible to weathering. In addition the rain was unable to run freely off the face and thus biological surface growths had developed which may have included bacteria, algae and fungi. 

The Parish Council therefore commissioned conservation work. The memorial plaque was cleaned, re-pointed and the raised lettering was re-enamelled. War Memorials Trust contributed £200 to the project. A re-dedication ceremony took place on 15th April 2007.

The war memorial is is set on the Green in the centre of the village.The site was given to the village by Major E. C. Packe on condition it was used as a village Green and was the site for a memorial. This detail is noted in Parish minutes and the original letter of thanks from the Parish Clerk to Major Packe is still held. It is dated 12 September 1919. The memorial was unveiled on New Year's Day 1921 having been produced by George Maile of London. The community held a service at St Cuthberts Church and then moved to the Green where the memorial was unveiled by Colonel Sir Charles Yate (MP for Melton).

In the Great War 126 left from Great Glen to serve. In memory of the fallen the inscription on the memorial reads:

“To the glory of God and in honoured memory of the men of this parish who fell in the Great War 1914 – 1918.

The fallen are listed as

2nd Lieut W.S. Allen  2/5th Notts and Derbys
Sergt. D Warner       1/4th Northamptons
Lc/Cpl. S Easom       9th Leicesters
Lc/Cpl. H Jenkins      2/5th South Staffs.
Lc/Cpl. J H Neal        London Scottish
Spr. J W Bennett      Royal Engineers
Pte. A F Bland          Machine Gun Corps
Pte. J. Clowes          4th Worcester
Pte. B Coleman         London Scottish
Pte. D Gupwell         1/4th Leicesters
Pte. H Folwell          13th Manchesters
Pte. J E Grain           24th Queen's London
Pte. E V Harris         1st Lincolns
Pte. R A Peberdy      1/5th Leicesters    

On the tablet for World War II the inscription and names which conservation work revealed are:

"And in the Great War 1939-1945"

Royal Navy

Tel C. S. Warner              R.N.V.W.P

Army

Major C. W. C. Packe        Royal Fusiliers
Captain J. W. Brown         Royal Corps of Signals
Sergeant F. C. Brown       Glider Pilot Regt.
Lieutenant T. C. Macleod  Royal Horse Artillery
Private R. Cartwright        Royal Leicestershire Regt.

Royal Air Force

Flt. Lieut. E. M. Frisby
Sgt. Flt. ENgr. F. G. Gross
Flt. Sgt C. W. Cross

One of the fallen, Major C. W. C. Packe shares the name of the donor of the site upon which the memorial rests. It may even be they are related.

Further information

War Memorials Trust reference WM2786
UK National Inventory of War Memorials: 37479

Formerly WM1924B

If you have a concern about this memorial please contact the Trust on conservation@warmemorials.org

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