This is a detail of the War Memorial Located at the junction of Station Road with Hills Road in Cambridge. The War Memorial stands outside the entrance to the Botanic Gardens. The Soldier looks towards the station, from where his fallen comrades will never disembark again. The memorial is called The Homecoming and is the work of Canadian sculptor Dr Robert Tait Mackenzie. It was unveiled by the then Duke of York, later King George VI, in July 1922. Information from Cambridge News. The memorial is dedicated to “The men of Cambridgeshire, The Isle of Ely, The Borough and University of Cambridge who served in The Great War 1914-1919 and in The World War 1939-1945” – the latter part of the dedication being added after WWII. Close inspection reveals that the soldier is carrying a rose with his tin hat and that the hat itself has a garland of olives.
I’ve passed this many times without really looking! Thanks for the detail.
Glad you like it Philip – I think we’re all guilty of walking past without looking closely at objects that we take for granted.
Such a powerful shot Martin, and such a young face preserved forever.
Thanks Patti – sadly it’s a view of the stupidity of war – how many young faces are dying needlessly at the moment? Respect to the sculptor who made this shot possible with the quality of his work!