The materiality of remembrance : twentieth century war memorials in Devon
The armed conflicts of the twentieth century have arguably been one of the most dramatic social forces to have influenced British society, its memories, identities, and the modern landscape. One of the most evident of the physical traces of the impact found in almost every parish in Britain is the ubiquitous war memorial. War memorials are a symbol identifiable to almost all Europeans, and much of the world (Davies 1993). As such the investigation of these commemorative forms can provide useful insights into how death in conflict, warfare, the community and the nation were perceived and materialised. They also provide material traces of how different conflicts and political situations have subsequently shaped their retention, destruction, use, and meaning over the course of the twentieth century. It is apparent that war memorials acted as a distinctive commemorative element, which is largely still visible today, that were constructed to help people and communities come to terms with both individual and collective losses through warfare during the 20th century. The losses commemorated by these war memorials and styles have since the 1990s not only been used to remember deaths in conflict, but other to commemorate
Walls, Samuel Hedley
The materiality of remembrance : twentieth century war memorials in Devon. The armed conflicts of the twentieth century have arguably been one of the most dramatic social forces to have influenced British society, its memories, identities, and the modern landscape. One of the most evident of the physical traces of the impact found in almost every parish in Britain is the ubiquitous war memorial. War memorials are a symbol identifiable to almost all Europeans, and much of the world (Davies 1993). As such the investigation of these commemorative forms can provide useful insights into how death in conflict, warfare, the community and the nation were perceived and materialised. They also provide material traces of how different conflicts and political situations have subsequently shaped their retention, destruction, use, and meaning over the course of the twentieth century. It is apparent that war memorials acted as a distinctive commemorative element, which is largely still visible today, that were constructed to help people and communities come to terms with both individual and collective losses through warfare during the 20th century. The losses commemorated by these war memorials and styles have since the 1990s not only been used to remember deaths in conflict, but other to commemorate
materiality remembrance war_memorial devon arm_conflict arguably dramatic social force influence british_society memory identity modern landscape evident physical trace impact find almost_every parish britain ubiquitous war_memorial war_memorial symbol identifiable almost europeans much world davies investigation commemorative form provide_useful insight death conflict warfare community nation perceive materialise also_provide material trace different conflict political_situation subsequently shape retention destruction use mean course apparent war_memorial act distinctive commemorative element largely still visible today construct help people communities come_term individual_collective loss warfare loss commemorate war_memorial style since used remember conflict commemorate