A ceremony to mark 100 years of Huntingdon’s Thinking Soldier War Memorial will take place on Armistice Day on November 11.
The Grade II Listed memorial, which is situated prominently in the heart of Huntingdon's Market Square, stands as a solemn testament to the valour of those who served in two world wars and subsequent armed conflicts.
The memorial was designed by Kathleen, Lady Scott (1878-1947), the widow of Captain Scott of the Antarctic and was unveiled on Armistice Day in 1923 at 10.30am.
Lord and Lady Sandwich played a pivotal role in its creation. It was through Lady Sandwich's involvement with the Huntingdon branch of the Women's Institute (WI), which had raised funds for the memorial, that Kathleen, Lady Scott was commissioned to design the monument.
To fund the memorial's base and erection, a Mayor's fund was established, receiving contributions from the town council and the public. After the conclusion of the Second World War, the Mayor of Huntingdon requested the WI to inscribe the names of those who served in the 1939-45 conflict on the memorial.
In 1946, a new inscription was unveiled on Armistice Day, and in 2001, the entire statue underwent a renovation, preserving the original inscriptions while adding one on the back to honour those who fought in conflicts since 1945.
The 1923 unveiling of the memorial drew an estimated 3,000 attendees who observed a two-minute silence at 11am, followed by the laying of wreaths around the monument. The moving ceremony continued to attract a continuous stream of spectators paying homage for hours after its conclusion.
The Huntingdon & Peterborough Federation of WIs will hold a special re-unveiling ceremony on November 11, prior to the Armistice Day service at 11am.
A spokesperson for Huntingdon Town Council said: "We are honoured to welcome the families of Lord Sandwich and Kathleen, Lady Scott, who were part of the original ceremony, to join us for this event.
"Should you wish to attend, please assemble on the Market Square no later than 10.40am. Anyone who wishes to lay a wreath will be invited to do so at the appropriate time during the service."
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