Memorial to French prisoners of war, Church of St George, Central Avenue, Gillingham, Medway

Photograph taken Friday, March 25, 2004 © Mr M.K Lofthouse. Source Historic England Archive ref: 462543

The memorial dates from 1869 and commemorates French prisoners from the Napoleonic wars who died in prison ships in Britain, especially those buried on St Mary's Island, part of Chatham Dockyard. The wars against Napoleon's French Empire started some time after he took power in 1799 and ended with his defeat at Waterloo in 1815. Inside the memorial is a figure of a Napoleonic sailor.

Location

Medway Gillingham

Period

Georgian (1714 - 1836)

Themes

The Maiwand Memorial was put up in 1886 in the form of a cast iron statue of an enraged lion. It is 3 times life size. The inscription reads "This monument records the names and commemorates the valour and devotion of xi (11)officers and cccxviii (318) non-commissioned officers and men of the lxvi (66th) Berkshire Regiment who gave their lives for their country at Girisk, Maiwand and Kandahar during the Afghan campaign 1879-80 Read official list description.

Memorial to French prisoners of war, Church of St George, Central Avenue, Gillingham, Medway

Location

Period

Themes

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