Swansea's Cenotaph: The History and Unveiling of the War Memorial in 1923
Swansea's Cenotaph: The History and Unveiling of the War Memorial in 1923
A town's tribute to its fallen, the symbolism of its memorial and the remarkable story of the admiral who unveiled it
On Saturday 21 July 1923, the people of Swansea gathered on the seafront to witness the unveiling of a memorial dedicated to those who had lost their lives during the First World War. The ceremony was performed by Admiral of the Fleet Sir Frederick Charles Doveton Sturdee, one of Britain's most distinguished naval commanders. More than a century later, the Cenotaph remains an important landmark, its architecture, inscriptions and surviving newspaper records telling the story of Swansea's determination to remember its fallen.
Swansea remembers its fallen
When the First World War ended on 11 November 1918, Swansea, like communities throughout Britain, was left to confront the enormous human cost of four years of warfare.
Men from every part of the town had answered the call to serve. They came from the docks, copperworks, tinplate factories, collieries, shops, offices and residential streets. Many would never return.
Some had died on the battlefields of France and Belgium, while others had lost their lives at sea or in campaigns farther afield.
For the families left behind, the absence of a local grave often made their loss particularly painful.
In the years following the Armistice, discussions began about how Swansea should commemorate its war dead.
Various proposals were considered, including schemes that would provide practical assistance to former servicemen and the dependants of those who had died.
Eventually, the decision was taken to erect a permanent Cenotaph on the seafront overlooking Swansea Bay.
The chosen location was prominent and accessible, providing a dignified setting where future generations could gather in remembrance.
Designing and building the Cenotaph
 |
| Field Marshal Earl Haig |
His design drew inspiration from the national Cenotaph in Whitehall, London, while incorporating distinctive architectural features suited to its Swansea setting.
Constructed principally from Portland stone, the monument stood within an octagonal enclosure. Bronze plaques bearing the names of the fallen were incorporated into the surrounding walls.
The memorial was intended to provide a permanent and solemn tribute to those who had given their lives.
On Saturday 1 July 1922, Field Marshal Earl Haig visited Swansea to lay the foundation stone.
The date was significant, marking the sixth anniversary of the opening day of the Battle of the Somme in 1916.
Work continued over the following year, and by July 1923 the memorial was ready for its formal unveiling.
The swastika symbols on the original memorial panels
To modern eyes, their appearance on a war memorial can seem surprising, particularly because of the symbol's association with Nazi Germany and the atrocities committed during the Second World War.
However, the swastika has a history extending back thousands of years, long before its adoption by the Nazi movement.
In numerous ancient cultures, it was associated with good fortune, prosperity, wellbeing, the sun and the cycle of life. It also held religious significance in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, traditions in which the symbol continues to be used.
During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, swastikas appeared in European decorative art, architecture and occasionally on memorials.
When Swansea's Cenotaph was designed in the early 1920s, the symbol still retained these older decorative and cultural associations, although the Nazi Party had already adopted it as its emblem in 1920.
The swastikas incorporated into Swansea's original bronze memorial panels are understood to reflect the symbol's traditional associations with good fortune and wellbeing, rather than the political ideology with which it later became overwhelmingly associated.
The distinction is important because the Cenotaph was conceived as a memorial to those who had died during the First World War.
Following the rise of Nazi Germany and the events of the Second World War, the swastika acquired a profoundly different meaning in European public consciousness.
This change can be seen in the memorial itself. The original First World War name panels retain their swastika decorations, while the later panels commemorating those who died during the Second World War and subsequent conflicts do not feature them.
The survival of these original symbols provides an interesting example of how the meaning of an architectural motif can change dramatically over time.
Their presence also illustrates the importance of understanding historic monuments within the cultural context in which they were designed.
Today, the symbols form part of the memorial's architectural history and offer an opportunity to explain a lesser-known aspect of Swansea's Cenotaph.
Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee — the Falklands hero
 |
| Admiral of the Fleet Sir Frederick Charles Doveton Sturdee |
Born in 1859, Sturdee enjoyed a distinguished career in the Royal Navy, rising through its ranks to become one of Britain's most prominent naval commanders.
His greatest wartime achievement came in December 1914, when he commanded the British naval force that defeated the German East Asia Squadron at the Battle of the Falkland Islands.
The victory made him a nationally recognised figure and earned him a lasting reputation as one of the Royal Navy's leading commanders of the First World War.
His presence at Swansea's unveiling was particularly appropriate given the town's long maritime history.
Contemporary newspaper coverage shows that his visit to Swansea involved more than the unveiling ceremony itself.
Friday 20 July 1923 — Swansea University Degree Day
 |
| South Wales Daily Post |
The occasion was recorded in the South Wales Daily Post under the heading “Swansea University Degree Day.”
One surviving photograph shows university students outside the Empire, dressed in academic gowns and mortarboards.
A second photograph records the distinguished guests gathered outside the venue.
Its original caption identifies the figures, from left to right, as the Town Clerk, Admiral Sturdee, Admiral Heneage-Vivian and His Worship the Mayor.
The photographs provide a fascinating glimpse of Swansea's academic and civic life during the early 1920s.
They also establish that several of the principal figures associated with the unveiling of the Cenotaph were together at the university ceremony the previous day.
The two occasions formed a remarkable contrast.
On Friday, Sturdee joined the university community in celebrating academic achievement and the promise of a new generation.
On Saturday, he would perform the solemn duty of unveiling a memorial to those whose lives had been lost during the Great War.
Saturday 21 July 1923 — an historic ceremony
 |
| South Wales Daily Post |
The event received extensive coverage in the South Wales Daily Post.
One contemporary report appeared under the headline:
“Unveiling the Swansea Cenotaph — An Historic Ceremony — Admiral Sturdee Unveils the War Memorial.”
The newspaper devoted considerable space to the occasion, describing the proceedings, speeches, distinguished guests and newly completed monument.
The ceremony brought together military representatives, civic dignitaries, ex-servicemen and members of the public.
Among those present were the Mayor of Swansea, the Town Clerk and Admiral Heneage-Vivian.
The crowds gather on the seafront
 |
| South Wales Daily Post |
 |
| South Wales Daily Post |
Another photograph, published in the South Wales Daily Post on Monday 23 July 1923, shows a densely packed crowd of men, women and children assembled beneath the trees.
The newspaper described the gathering as a portion of the large crowd that had witnessed the unveiling ceremony.
The image provides striking evidence of the public importance of the occasion.
For many of those present, the ceremony would have carried deep personal significance.
Some had lost husbands or sons. Others had seen brothers, friends and workmates leave Swansea for military service, never to return.
The Cenotaph would provide a permanent place where those losses could be remembered.
Admiral Sturdee addresses the gathering
 |
| South Wales Daily Post |
The newspaper caption identifies the Mayor, Town Clerk and Admiral Heneage-Vivian among the figures standing nearby.
The photograph captures an important moment immediately before the memorial was unveiled.
The presence of the same civic and naval figures at the university degree ceremony the previous day provides an interesting continuity in the photographic record of Sturdee's visit.
The ceremony was not simply the opening of a new monument. It represented a public expression of remembrance for the thousands of Swansea people whose lives had been affected by war.
The unveiling of the memorial
 |
| South Wales Daily Post |
A contemporary newspaper photograph records him beside the monument as the ceremonial covering was removed.
For the assembled crowd, this was the culmination of several years of planning, fundraising and construction.
The names of Swansea's fallen were now permanently commemorated in stone and bronze.
Following the unveiling, the memorial was dedicated by Prebendary Cecil Wilson, Vicar of Swansea.
The proceedings brought together military, civic and religious representatives in a shared tribute to the dead.
The day's events also included a formal inspection of troops by Admiral Sturdee.
A surviving photograph shows the admiral walking past uniformed personnel, accompanied by a senior military officer and members of the official party.
Together, these photographs provide an unusually detailed record of the historic ceremony.
The names behind the memorial
The Cenotaph originally commemorated more than 2,270 people associated with Swansea who had died during the First World War.
Their names were recorded on bronze plaques within the memorial enclosure.
The South Wales Daily Post published an extensive list of the fallen on Saturday 21 July 1923, the day of the unveiling.
Behind each name was an individual life and a family affected by war.
For those whose loved ones lay buried overseas, the Cenotaph offered a permanent place of remembrance in their own town.
 |
| South Wales Daily Post |
May 1925 — the death of Admiral Sturdee
Less than two years after unveiling Swansea's Cenotaph, Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee died on 7 May 1925, aged 65.
His death was reported in the South Wales Daily Post under the prominent headline:
“FALKLANDS HERO — Death of Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee — UNVEILED SWANSEA CENOTAPH.”
The newspaper recalled his distinguished naval career, particularly his command at the Battle of the Falkland Islands in December 1914.
It also referred to his service as Chief of the War Staff at the Admiralty and his appointment as Admiral of the Fleet in 1921.
Significantly, the South Wales Daily Post highlighted his connection with Swansea by including the unveiling of the Cenotaph in the headline.
The report concluded with the words:
“Admiral Sturdee unveiled the Swansea Cenotaph two years ago.”
This contemporary reference demonstrates that his participation in the unveiling ceremony remained a noteworthy event in Swansea's recent history.
For those who had witnessed the ceremony in July 1923, the announcement of his death would have recalled the distinguished naval officer who had stood before them on the seafront and formally unveiled their memorial to the fallen.
 |
| Aldershot Gazette and Military News |
Further details of the admiral's final farewell were published in The Aldershot Gazette and Military News under the headline:
“Sir Doveton Sturdee — Funeral at Frimley.”
The newspaper reported that Sturdee's funeral took place with full naval and military honours, attended by senior representatives of the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force.
The King was represented by Admiral Sir Charles Madden, while Brigadier-General Trotter represented the Prince of Wales.
The funeral service was held at St Paul's Church, Camberley, and was conducted by the Venerable Robert M'Kew, Archdeacon to the Fleet.
He was assisted by the Reverend H. W. Blackbourne, Chaplain to the King and Vicar of Ashford, Kent, and the Reverend L. J. Lightowler, Curate in charge of St Paul's.
The newspaper recorded that full honours were paid by the three armed services and that the funeral was attended by many distinguished naval officers.
At the conclusion of the service, the coffin was borne from the church to the grave on a naval gun carriage drawn by ten warrant and petty officers of the Torpedo School, HMS Vernon.
The funeral procession travelled approximately two miles to Frimley Churchyard, watched by thousands of spectators.
 |
| Frederick Charles Doveton Sturdee St. Peter's Churchyard, Frimley, Surrey credit - findagrave |
The report also recorded that eight admirals acted as pallbearers.
The scale of the funeral reflected the esteem in which Sturdee was held following his long naval career and his wartime achievements.
For Swansea, the account provides a final chapter in the story of the man who had unveiled the town's War Memorial less than two years earlier.
The contrast between the two ceremonies is particularly poignant.
In July 1923, Sturdee had stood before the people of Swansea to honour those who had died in war.
In May 1925, members of the armed forces gathered to pay their final respects to the admiral himself.
The Cenotaph through the generations
Following the Second World War, the memorial's commemorative purpose was extended to include those who died between 1939 and 1945.
Additional names were also incorporated to remember those who lost their lives in later conflicts.
Over the decades, the Cenotaph became the focal point for Swansea's annual Remembrance Sunday commemorations.
Each November, veterans, serving military personnel, civic representatives and members of the public gather to lay wreaths and observe the traditional silence.
On 25 July 1994, the Cenotaph and its surrounding walls were granted Grade II listed status, recognising their architectural and historic importance.
Today, the memorial remains one of Swansea's most significant links with the generation that experienced the Great War.
Comments
Post a Comment