Broadstone War Memorial - A Photographic Study

The war memorial in Broadstone has stood for 90 years, and when first erected it had stunning views over Poole Harbour.  There has been an ongoing campaign by Broadstone's Residents Association to have the vegetation around the war memorial thinned to restore the view, so it's been a topic of a few news stories recently.  Having seen it on a couple of occasions but never really studied it, I thought I'd take the opportunity to spend a short time taking some photos of the memorial and surrounding area as they currently stand, with a view to updating once the work is complete.

The memorial stands within a secluded section of bushes just on the edge of the recreation ground in Broadstone.  It is easily accessable from the gates on Ridgeway.

 

War Memorial Base (5D2, 24-70L at 24mm, f2.8, 1/500s, ISO400)

The memorial is engraved with the names of Broadstone District residents who died during both the first and second World Wars.

War Memorial Base (5D2, 24-70L at 24mm, f8, 1/50s, ISO400)

It was built in 1920 by Gilbert William Bayes, and the memorial itself is named "Memory".  Engravings of Officers adorn the sides:

 

Engraving Detail (5D2, 24-70L at 27mm, f8, 1/60s, ISO400)

Around the four edges, about 1/3 of the way up is engraved the following:

  

  

  

  

Lettering around the cicumference, reading "TO THE MEMORY OF THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF BROADSTONE DISTRICT WHO FELL IN THE WAR" (5D2, 24-70L at 58mm, f8, 1/60s-1/200s, ISO400)

Leading up to the memorial from the main path is a cobbled path.  The memorial itself is placed in a circle of cobbled stones, which have two short paths leading away at 120 degrees, behind and to each side.  The image below has had all the colour removed except red and magenta to highlight the poppies, and a little green to bring out the grass:

  

Looking to Memory (5D2, 17-40L at 17mm, f9, 1/60s, ISO400)

The above pictures are primarily documentary, and I wanted to try and get some more "artistic" shots.  This shows the shorted paths leading away behind the memorial.

  

High View (5D2, 17-40L at 24mm, f7.1, 1/50s, ISO400)

And this is an angled view from behind, showing the tree area which will be pruned to reveal the view down towards Poole Harbour.  I'm quite excited about just what it's going to look like when that area is clear, as it should be a stunning view.

  

Towards the Trees (5D2, 17-40L at 17mm, f7.1, 1/320s, ISO400)

 

  

Untitled (5D2, 17-40L at 24mm, f16, 1/50s, ISO400)

  

Dream (5D2, 17-40L at 17mm, f8, 1/200s, ISO400)

A low viewpoint shot of the poppies, showing the base part of the monument:

  

Poppies at Memory (5D2, 17-40L at 17mm, f4, 1/250s, ISO800)

  

The Names (5D2, 17-40L at 17mm, f4, 1/500s, ISO800)

And finally a shot looking back across from the main path towards the memorial:

 

Memory (5D2, 17-40L at 36mm, f4, 1/800s, ISO800)

The following link from the Bournemouth Echo shows further details of the work that is about to be carried out: Bournemouth Echo Link.