The Rugby Advertiser reported on the unveiling of the Church Lawford and Kings Newnham War Memorial on Sunday 6th February 1921.
On Sunday afternoon a very interesting ceremony, and one that will be remembered with pride by many, took place in this village. As is usual in a good many things, the two villages. Church Lawford and King’s Newnham, amalgamated, and their joint efforts came to a successful issue on Sunday, when a memorial stone, which has been erected to the fallen lads of the two villages, was unveiled.
A short special service was conducted by the Rector, the Rev. H. Smith, during which the hymns, “Onward, Christian Soldiers,” ”O God, our help in ages past,” and ”For all Thy saints who from their labours rest,” were sung. Practically the whole of the villagers were present, including about 20 ex-service men, and several from the neighbouring villages. The ex-Service men were drawn up on two sides of the stone, with relations of the fallen and the choir on the third side, leaving the front open.
Ex-C.Q.M.-Sergt. C. H. Whiteman, who is a native of Church Lawford and also senior N.C.O. of the local men, had been asked to unveil the memorial, and as he took his place to do this, he said:—” I am proud to have been honoured by your Committee, who have asked me to unveil this beautiful memorial, which will stand for generations to remind us and those that come after us, that the men from the parishes of Church Lawford and Kings Newnham were ready and did come forward at the call of their country in August, 1914—all of them ready, if need be, to make the supreme sacrifice in the cause of right. I unveil this memorial to the grateful memory of the men from Church Lawford and Kings Newnham who fell in the great war.” He thereupon pulled the cord and released the Union Jack with which it had been covered.
Sergt. Whiteman then called out the names of the fallen soldiers, and at each name the relatives or friends came forward and placed a wreath on the stone to their memory. Several other wreaths were brought, including one from the ex-Service men.
Dr. Abraham, M.C., of Brandon, also gave a short address.
During the service the brothers Shelley, buglers, of Rugby Howitzer Battery, sounded the ” Last Post ” and ” Reveille.”
The memorial, which has been erected inside the grounds in front of the Reading Room, is in the form of an obelisk of rough Portland stone, four feet square at the base, and tapering up to eleven feet in height At the base of the pinnacle are carved a cross and crown just over the front panel of the base, which is in grey Cornish stone, and into which the following has been inserted in raised lead letters :—“ In ever grateful memory of our men from Church Lawford and Kings Newnham who fell in pie great war, 1914-1918. Herbert Addison, Sidney John Batchelor, Arthur Cashmore, Ralph John Dunn, George Henry Gurney, Arthur Henry Hammond, Charles Hancox, Ernest Payne. Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
The work of the memorial, which has given every satisfaction to the committee and all concerned, has been executed by Mr. F. Oldham, of Coventry, at a cost of about £128, which has been raised by subscriptions.