How the war memorials were chosen?

Types of war memorial at Busbridge: Thanksgiving and Sacrifice

The names of all those who are on the Busbridge church roll of honour can be found here: with thanks to Michael Allbrook and Sue Saunders.

The war memorial stands on the apex of Brighton Road, The Drive and Hambledon Road. Its prominent position ensures that it is visible to children, families and passing traffic. Its exact term is that of a Memorial Cross. It is one of only 15 such memorials designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens R.A to a specification for locations with limited space. The Memorial Cross is listed as Grade 2*. It is easily accessible due to a church ramp created in 2015 which gives access to this area of the churchyard.

The Remembrance Sunday service at the memorial each year involves local schools, uniformed organisations, veterans, other representatives and people of the parish.

More than one memorial?

The church began considering a suitable memorial to those who died in The Great War (1914-1918) soon after the Armistice was signed. At Busbridge the relevant dates for memorial were deemed to be 1914-1919 with a list of those who died on active service in this period to be placed inside the church. Between 1919-1922 the church considered five enduring legacies:

building a new church on Holloway Hill to relieve the overcrowding in the current building and to serve the new housing in that area of the parish;
a stained glass window with the patron saints of sailors and soldiers as a thanksgiving;
a Roll of Honour in the church;
a Peace bell in the church tower;
a churchyard war memorial cross.

A war memorial cross would be about: “The war has been fought in a country where there are Crucifixes erected at all the chief cross-roads to remind us that, in every moment of doubt as to the way of life… we shall need the Saviour and His redeeming love…. the vision of the Cross rises before us, and when we see the Cross we think of processions of wounded men who have been broken to save the world.”Parish Magazine May 1919

It was decided in November 1919 that the church should have new windows, the Roll of Honour and a war memorial cross. The Peace bell was a later consideration (1922). The only one not acted on was the building of a new church on Holloway Hill.

The church had six criteria by which it made its decisions:

“inspiration, beauty, endurance”;
“above all a spiritual character”;
“speak a message of both sacrifice and thanksgiving”. Parish Magazine Nov 1919