Charles Jagger and Lionel Pearson, The Royal Artillery Memorial, Hyde Park, London

The Royal Artillery Memorial is dedicated to the First World War casualties of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. It features a giant sculpture of a BL 9.2 inch Mk I Howitzer upon a plinth of Porland stone with stone reliefs depicting scenes from the conflict. Four bronze figures of artillerymen are positioned around the outside of the memorial.

Charles Sargeant Jagger was responsible for the bronze figures; architect Lionel Pearson designed the stone stucture of the memorial. The work was revised several times with much controversy about design, the siting of the memorial, the inscription, and the sculpture of the dead soldier at eye level.

The work was finished four months late, opening on October 18, 1925 by Prince Arthur and the Reverend Alfred Jarvis. Such was the toll taken on Jagger by finishing the Royal Artillery’s memorial that after its unveiling, he suspended work on all his other projects for six months to recuperate.