The British War Memorial (Obelisk) was constructed by the NCOs 42 Company of Royal Engineers in the ever lasting memory of their comrades who have died in peace and war while serving with 42 Company, Royal Engineers. This was erected in the year 1884. This Memorial is in one piece Bangalore granite stone. Names of the persons died from 1870 - 1884 are engraved on the tablets. This Memorial was inside the Kalpally Cemetery adjacent to Training Battalion I of MEG & Centre. At the time of its erection, the area used to be spacious and services could be done easily. Later the surrounding area and space left for memorial service became restricted. Sanction to shift the Memorial was taken from the Pastorate Committee of St. John’s Church Bangalore and the Memorial was shifted to the present location next to the Madras Sappers Museum Complex on 11th June 1987. Names of soldiers belonging to the Regiment have been added to this Memorial till 1920. The Memorial is now under the care of MEG & Centre, Bangalore.

14737 Corp FULLER B Dowlatshweram 22.05.1881

12854 Corp BROOME H Rangoon

13669 Corp DAVIS J Bangalore 29.05.1882

12387 Sergt JOLLIFFE C Bangalore 11.03.1883

14372 Sergt FROCCETT J Deolali 31.03.1884

15707 Sergt BURKE JA Suakim 29.06.1885

12876 Sergt HURLOCK W Burmah 17.07.1886

17232 Corp ILES J Sea 02.09.1886

10426 Sergt GREEN T Calicut 03.04.1888

15804 Sergt STEVENS CBS Died 26.11.1890

18299 Corp CAMPION M Died 27.01.1891

16853 Corp DYCER C Bangalore 17.05.1891

17914 Corp SMITH DA Pokottho 17.05.1891

6704 Serg Maj STOYLES JR Cuddapah 25.04.1891

16164 Sub Cond FLINN FJ Madras 07.01.1893

15225 Sub Cond CONNOR P Rangoon 20.02.1893

22795 Sergt BOWEN T Cuttur 29.11.1895

23318 Sergt COSTELLO H Malakand 02.07.1896

14352 CSM SAUNDERS JH Red Sea 27.07.1896

23006 Sergt BYANE F Malakand 27.07.1897

16258 Cond MANN P Peshwar 10.12.1897

16148 CSM LAY H Bangalore 20.05.1898

24262 Sergt WEBSTER RC Sialkote 15.10.1903

29582 Corp TYRRELL CP Sholapur 04.03.1906

4901 Sergt INGRAM G Bangalore 01.01.1911

9844 Sergt SHORT AC Calcutta 30.08.1913

1489 QMS MARTIN JD Bangalore 10.09.1916

13041 Sergt WALTERS H Bangalore 20.11.1918

8465 Corp O'CONNOR E Bangalore 27.07.1870

3580 CSM BAKER R Madras 06.02.1872

8883 Sergt SCOTT J Poonamallee 01.10.1872

10338 Corp BAILEY A Nellore 24.05.1877

11540 Corp KNIGHT JF Oncole 26.05.1877

11319 Sergt BISHOP J Madras 21.06.1877

6307 Sergt ARMITAGE J Kunugul 25.01.1878

11499 Sergt TIZZARD H Bangalore 26.04.1978

12581 Corp AYTON GF Poona 29.04.1978

5583 Sergt HURST R Bombay 30.04.1978

14990 Sergt CHURCH WT Jellalabad 12.08.1880

10111 Sergt PASSETT W Hassan Abdoul 09.09.1890

11437 Sergt DOVE C Hassan Abdoul 23.09.1880

15885 CSM MANWARING C Mesopotamia 15.09.1920

13859 Col. Sergt Maj PARKINSON J Bangalore 19.08.1891

21951 2nd Corp CRIMMER S Bangalore 03.10.1891

8866 QMS BAMBERCER EL Bangalore 29.01.1921

1853837 L.Sct EVANS W Mandalay 10.09.1921

1036 Sergt HOPE L Monkeypoint 13.12.1917

1854754 L. Sergt SCOTT A Sholapur Camp 14.12.1922

1852132 L. Sergt LIDDELL A Manzai 15.07.1926

1859406 Sergt NORMAN FA Bangalore 16.04.1930

1864435 L. Sergt DONALDSON WG Bangalore 01.11.1932

1858731 Sergt MURPHY M Bangalore 06.06.1937

The War memorial was originally constructed on the North Cross of Ulsoor Lake in 1922 in Memory of these who had laid down their lives in World War I. Practically entirely by the hands of the men of the Madras Sappers. The cost was defrayed by subscription from all ranks, and amounted to just under Rs. 15,000/- (approximately USD 430 at today’s rates!!).

The Memorial which was located near Ulsoor lake was constructed of grey Mysore granite, and consisted of a hexagonal platform 60 ft. in diameter, raised 2 ft above the ground and ascended by four steps. In the Centre of this platform was a hexagonal plinth, surmounted by an obelisk, the whole reaching a height of 30 ft. The six faces of the plinth bore polished granite panels devoted to the theatres of war in which the units of the Group served i.e. France, Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Persia and East Africa. On each panel were engraved the titles of the troops and companies which served in that particular theatre, followed by the names of the officers and men of these units, who lost their lives therein. The obelisk surmounting the plinth is a monolith of the granite, weighing ever seven tons. At each of the six corners of the lower platform was a granite pedestal about 4 ft. high, bearing a small panel inscribed with the battle honours of the Madras Sappers (31, inclusive of World War I), and surmounted by the stone figures of a Sphinx, Dragon and an Elephant. These figures represent the emblems awarded for the campaigns of Egypt - 1801, China - 1842 and Assaye 1803 in all of which the Madras Sappers served.

The War Memorial which was located near Ulsoor Lake was not being maintained in a befitting manner by the Corporation and it also did not land itself for ceremonials at the Memorial due to the heavy traffic in the area. There was also no scope for expansion of the War Memorial to include names of those Madras Sappers who lost their lives in the subsequent wars. Thus the need to shift the War Memorial inside the campus arose.

Sanction to shift the War Memorial was obtained from Government of Karnataka. Reconstruction of the Memorial was commenced on 03 March 1986 and the Memorial was re-erected brick by brick in its present location. First War memorial service was held with Field Marshal KM Cariappa, OBE, Paying homage on 18 Nov. 1986 to the Madras Sappers war heroes.

In the present War Memorial the obelisk weighting over seven tone rests on an RCC bracket with an RCC columns. The side of the 4 ft. platform is finished with red sand stone and the floor is finished with latest flooring materials i.e. sparket tiles having grey and brown colour shades.

Additional panels have been aesthetically added to accommodate the names of these who laid down their lives in World War II and in the Post Independence wars.

A solemn structure standing in dignity as a homage to those who laid down their lives in the service of the nations, this War Memorial lends extreme grace to the hallowed Parade Ground of the Centre, which has witnessed the tempering of hundred and thousand of recruits into indomitable Madras Sappers.

(The above extracts kind courtesy Col. S.K. Vorha, Madras Sappers Museum and Archives, MEG, Bangalore, India)