St Georges Church with the Grade II listed Memorial Cross, in front, Deal, Kent
St George’s Church Memorial Cross, Deal, is listed at Grade II* for the following principal reasons: * Historic interest: an unusual private family memorial raised early in the conflict, adapted to be an eloquent witness to the tragic impact of world events on the local community, and the sacrifice it made in the First World War; * Design: a well-executed example of the Celtic cross type of memorial; * Commemorative: for the highly unusual depictions in bronze of the Victoria Cross alongside an academic award, the University of Cambridge’s Chancellor’s Medal for Classical Learning; * Group value and setting: erected by the incumbent, the memorial stands in a prominent position in front of the Grade II*-listed parish church of St George whose congregation, including his sons, it commemorates. The war memorial was unveiled on 12 November 1916 by Bishop Taylor-Smith, Chaplain-General to the Forces. It was erected by the incumbent of St George’s Church, Revd William Tisdall, to commemorate his eldest son Sub-Lieutenant Arthur Walderne St Clair Tisdall, RNVR. He had died on 6 May 1915 during the second Battle of Krithia in the attack on the hill of Achi Baba, Gallipoli. On 25 April 1915, the first day of the landings at Gallipoli, Arthur Tisdall had been in command of 13 Platoon, D Company, Anson Battalion, on the SS River Clyde. This, a collier converted to a landing ship, was attempting to land soldiers from the 29th Division onto V Beach, Cape Helles. For his repeated efforts to rescue a number of wounded soldiers who were pinned down on the beach by Turkish machine gun fire, he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross on 31 March 1916. A dedication commemorating this award was included on the memorial. Revd Tisdall’s second son, Lieutenant John Theodore St Clair Tisdall (1st The King’s (Liverpool) Regiment), died in action on 8 August 1916 at Guillemont, France. A commemorative inscription to him was included on his brother’s memorial. Both sons were commemorate
Size: 3625px × 5137px
Location: St Georges Church, Deal High Street, Deal, Kent
Photo credit: © John Gaffen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 3m, celtic, christanity, church, cross, deal, family, gallipoli., georges, granite, gread, high, ii, kent, listed, memorial, private, religion, st, street, tall, war, wheel-head, world
