LONDON ROAD CONGREGATION CHURCH MEMORIAL

Posted on 4th August 2016 by

The church was made redundant and the memorial is now displayed at Ipswich Museum

25th February 1921

S.C.&.M.

IPSWICH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH MEMORIAL

There was a large congregation at the Ipswich Presbyterian Church on
Sunday morning, when Lieut.-General Sir Aylmer Hunter-Weston, K.C.B.,
D.S.O., M.P., unveiled a mural tablet which has been installed in memory
of the twenty men of the congregation who gave their lives in the war,
and also in commemoration of the devoted service rendered by 96 other
men associated with the church. The memorial is in the form of a carved
oak panel, mounted on a black marble base, and is the work of Messrs.
Titchmarsh and Goodwin, of Ipswich.

The service which was of a nature specially suited to the occasion was
conducted by the pastor, the Rev. E.J. Gilchrist, B.D.

After the singing of the first hymn, “The supreme sacrifice,” General
Hunter-Weston read the second lesson, after which a period of silence in
remembrance of the fallen was observed. Proceeding to the tablet, the
General lowered the Union Jack with the words:- “To the glory of God,
and in memory of those our brave comrades who freely gave their lives in
the defence of our country, this memorial is dedicated, in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. May their spirit live.”

Addressing the congregation after the prayer of dedication, General
Hunter-Weston said they were gathered there that day to do honour to
those whose names were inscribed on that memorial, and in honour of
those who had similarly fought and suffered and died in Great Britain
and in the Empire, and they that gave their lives for their comrades.
Greater than were their feelings of sorrow must be thought, be their
feelings of gratitude – gratitude to those men for all they had done for
them, gratitude to Almighty God that those men’s self-sacrifice was not
in vain. God by His great goodness, had led to their emerging victorious
from that great war. They in England found it very hard to realise just
what was meant, and what would have been their fate, if they had not
been successful. Those who had been in territory occupied by the enemy
could form some idea of what was the state of affairs in Central Europe
at the present time. From that dreadful fate those men had been
instrumental in saving them.

After the singing of the hymn, “For all the Saints,” the Pastor
pronounced the “Benediction, after which a trumpeter from the 14th
Brigade, R.F.A. sounded the “Last Post,” followed by the “Reveille.” The
service concluded with the singing of the National Anthem.