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Baltonsborough shellcase

The war memorials in the Somerset village of Baltonsborough, near Glastonbury, stand in a dedicated area beside the crossroads in the village. They are surrounded by a lawn and stand behind a white fence of posts and chains. There are two memorials. A 15in BL siege howitzer shell case on a millstone on a circular concrete base, given by the National War Saving Committee, commemorates the notable contribution of the people of the village to Gun Week in 1918. This memorial has the names of those who fought in World War I inscribed on plaques (WM3854). Alongside this stands a stone cross on a plinth and three-stepped base commemorates the fallen of the two World Wars (WM1444).

In September 2004, War Memorials Trust gave £100 towards work to take down two prunus trees that stood to the sides of the memorial and were damaging them with their roots. A beech hedge stood behind the memorials and it was proposed that these become the sole backdrop. The howitzer shell case memorial had already been corrected once, but due to the continuing presence of the roots was again listing.

The National Savings Committee, which donated the howitzer shell, was established in 1915 to encourage the public to save money to help the war effort. In 1916 local Savings Associations were set up, and 'War Savings Deposits' (later War Savings Certificates, then National Savings Certificates) were introduced. The Treasury set up the National War Savings Committee to control the activities of various Local Savings Committees and it also organised Gun Weeks, in which people were encouraged to raise a certain amount of money in one week with the reward of an engraved shell.

Further information

War Memorials Trust reference WM3854
UK National Inventory of War Memorials: 2430

Roll of Honour website entry for Baltonsborough shellcase

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

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