By Roger Packham and Peter Connelly
Warlingham Green hasn’t changed a huge amount from when this Edwardian photograph was taken, apart from the trees are now much bigger! On the far left, the newly built ‘Portland Buildings’ are still there today, as is Rose Cottage (1865) to the right of them. And on the far right, behind the early motor car, the Leather Bottle (now Smoque restaurant) can be seen.
Warlingham set up its memorial committee in January 1919, comprising of elected representatives from the Church, Parish Council, Trading and Farming communities. Three designs were considered, the successful one chosen was by J E Taylerson and entitled ”Shielding the Defenceless”. By the end of the year £250 had been collected locally, and the required target was to be a little more than £500. Following their stay at Court Farm, Tithe Pit Shaw Lane, in January 1920 the colours of the 17th Battalion Royal Fusiliers were paraded with 200 troops for the last time prior to being laid up in the church as the Battalion had been disbanded. The Battalion presented a Field Gun to the village, which they had captured at the battle of Cambrai. This gun was placed on the Green on a platform immediately behind where the stone seat is located. By 1921 all monies required for the memorial had been raised and on 4th December the memorial was unveiled at a lengthy service of dedication, well attended, and supported by the Warlingham Brass Band, Choirs, Buglers, Scouts and Guides. The field gun was salvaged for scrap in WWII, however the whereabouts of the commemorative plaque that went with it remains unknown.
During WW I, and prior there had been a tradition of Church services held on the Green, but now with the war memorial, an annual remembrance service takes place. The photo shows the service soon after the end of WWII in November 1949.
