HUNTINGFIELD WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 & 2 - Roll of Honour with detailed information
Compiled and copyright © Stuart Green 2006

There are two memorials in Huntingfield. They both cover those who gave their lives in Wold War 1 and 2. The first is a Cornish granite Celtic cross, with a sword of sacrifice on the shaft, on a stepped base, that stands on the village green. This contains the name of ten men who died in World War 1 and four in World War 2. This was unveiled by Colonel Lord Henniker and dedicated by the Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich 29 October 1922; the builders were Messrs. Perfitts and this was reported in the East Anglian Daily Times 30 October 1922. The second memoprial is to be found within the parish church and is in the form of altar rails and a dedicatory wooden board for World War 1 with names of the dead from World War 2 attached by hooks to the bottom of the board; the same names appear on this as on the village green memorial. This memorial was dedicated by the Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich on the same day as the memorial on the village green; the architect was A C Hughes and the wood carving was by Messrs E C Northfield & Sons; details appeared in the same newspaper as the village green memorial.

Extract from The Halesworth Times and East Suffolk Advertiser - Wednesday 1 November 1922, page 6:

HUNTINGFIELD WAR MEMORIALS.
DEDICATION BY THE BISHOP
LORD CRANWORTH’S TRIBUTE TO OUR FALLEN.

The ten men of Huntingfield who gave lives in the Great War are honoured by a double memorial, one inside the church and the other on the village green, and both ware dedicated on Sunday by the Bishop of Edmundsbury and Ipswich, and the latter unveiled by Lord Cranworth, M.C. The memorial inside the church has taken the form of a complete refurnishing of the sanctuary. There is a fine new altar, bearing the inscription “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” All that remained of the old Jacobean altar, the four legs and the end rails, has been incorporated in a credence table, which stands at the south side of the new altar. Four riddell posts, carrying candles and dossal curtains of blue and silver, stand out on each side of the altar. Just in front is a new step and Communion rail, which bears the inscription: “Here are commemorated all who, during the Great War of 1914-1918, gave the most that a man can give, life itself, for God, for King, for Country.” On the south side of the sanctuary is an oak panel, surmounted by a crucifix, and two vases, the gift of Mrs. Soundy, and this bears the inscription – “To the Glory of the Lord and in proud memory of these our brothers who died that we might live,” followed by the names of the ten dead men. Against the East well, on either side of the altar, are dark blue curtains, there is a crimson chancel carpet, and, in addition, curtains in the two South windows. The whole presents a charming effect, and harmonises well with the delightful decoration of the whole church. The memorial on the village green takes the form of a silver-grey Cornish granite Ionic cross, with a raised sword on its surface, the whole being on a tapering base. The inscription, which is in raised leaden letters, reads “In memory of the men of Huntingfield who died for us 1914-1918. Lest we forget. Waldron Jamee Foster, George Albert Girling, George Keable, Arthur Minter, Bertie Mower. Sidney Mower, James Nunn, John Page, Harry Parker, Russell Rackham. There was a very large gathering present, including Lady Huntingfield, The Honble. Anne and Frances Vanneck, The Honble. Sara, Gerard, and Ann Vanneck, Mrs Reynolds. Rev., Mrs. and Miss Dawe. Mr. Mrs. H. C. Hughes, Dr. and Mrs. Aylen, Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Neave, Mr. and Miss Keith, Mrs. Minter, Miss Manning, Mr. W. Newson, &c. The bells were rung muffled, under the direction of Mr. Gibson, the flag at the school was at half mast, and by 2.30 the Church was filled to overflowing. The service was taken by the Bishop, the Rector, Rev. C. P. H. Reynolds, M.A., acting as chaplain. The musical part was very nicely rendered by the combined choirs of Huntingfield and Cookley, and the organist (Miss Crane) at the harmonium was assisted by Mrs. Wilkinson and Mr. Underwood with violins. After the opening hymn, “Praise my soul the King of Heaven,” the Bishop gave a short address, in the course of which he said that the men who went out to the Great War and died claimed no reward for what they did and what they suffered, even the reward of remembrance; yet there must have been a desire that their memories should remain in the hearts of their friends. There was that same desire in the heart of Jesus as he sat at the Last Supper, and said “Do this in remembrance of Me.” The answer was in the churches all over the land, and in all that went on in those churches, seen and unseen. So as the church a stood, so Iong would their Lord not be forgotten. To-day they were in making the same answer to those of their friends who went out from that place to the Great War and did not return. The outward and visible thing that they had chosen to be a token of their remembrance of those men was an altar and they had chosen well. But they also desired to remember those friends who gave the men with patience, faith and courage, and the mourners would here find victory over doubt and despair, for it was their faith that wade this sacrifice complete.

The Bishop then dedicated the gifts, and after prayers and the hymn “For all the Saints,” four trumpeters of the 13th Hussars, Lord Huntingfield's regiment, sounded the “Last Past.” Then came two tense minutes of a silence of remembrance, followed by the stirring “Reveille,” and the National Anthem concluded a memorable service. A move was then made to the centre of the Village where in the course of a short service, which opened with the hymn “O God our help in ages past.” Lord Huntingfield said that was a great day for Huntingfield. They had at last completed their war memorials, and he hoped they would remember for all time those who gave their lives for their King and Country. They were much honoured by the presence both of the Bishop of the Diocese and of Lord Cranworth, who had fought all through the war. Lord Cranworth recalled that within a fortnight it would be four years since the last shot was fired upon the Western front, and much had happened since then. Poppies had grown over the trenches, and had died away, and to-day, where the shells and bullets flew, save in a few hallowed spots, there were at work the implements of peace. Nature was mercifully forgetful, and man was forgetful, for even to-day there were those who would belittle the deeds done there and the cause for which they fought. But the whole world knew that the nation went into the war with clean hands to uphold justice and right, and emerged from it with great glory. Memorials had sprung up throughout the length and breadth of the land to bear witness that those men died for them. In the days to come, those, thousands of memorials would tell future generation, whatever might befall the land, that there was a day when the men of England stood shoulder to shoulder, whatever their station of life. The heroes had left them a free land, and it was the duty of all citizens to hand on the same free land to their descendants. They could all could do their bit, great or small, in endeavouring to make the land a better land and a happier land for all. If they did that they would raise a memorial more lasting even than the one they were unveiling that day. Having congratulated Lord Huntingfield and his Committee upon the very successful result of their efforts, his Lordship unveiled the cross. The Bishop having dedicated the cross, the hymn “Ten thousand times ten thousand” was sung, once again “The Last Post” and the Reveille sounded, the service concluding with the National Anthem. A number of beautiful floral tributes were then placed round the memorial, by relatives and friends of the fallen. The Architect, Mr. H. C. Hughes, M.A., A.R.I.B.A., of the Cambridge University School of Architecture, is to be congratulated on the success of his efforts, and so are those to whom was entrusted the work of carrying out his instructions, the woodwork which is all oak, and the inscriptions in gold, Messrs. E. C. Northfield and Sons, Ltd., Castle Street, Cambridge; the fabrics, The Artificers' Guild, King’s Parade, Cambridge; the dossal curtains being all hand-woven, whilst J. J. Purfitt, of Harleston, executed the Cross.

External memorial:

IN HONOUR
OF THE MEN OF HUNTINGFIELD
WHO DIED FOR US
1914-1918
LEST WE FORGET

Internal church memorial:

TO THE
GLORY
OF THE
LORD
AND IN PROUD MEMORY OF
THESE OUR BROTHERS
WHO DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE

Last updated 5 December, 2022