At the end of the First World War, every town and village in these Islands took stock of the cost in human life.  Sadly, in every corner of the Kingdom, there were men and women to honour and commemorate. Looe was no different.

Blessed Villages

Only 14 villages out of thousands in the UK who sent men away to fight in 1914 could welcome every one of them home safely after the Armistice in 1918.  These 'Blessed Villages' as they become known, did not include Looe, as the War memorial shows.  The only Parish in Cornwall lucky enough to welcome back every one of its 13 men that went to war was the small village of Herodsfoot, near Looe. Herodsfoot did not lose anyone in the Second World War either, truly a blessed village. 

Looe War Memorial

Looe War Memorial stands proud near the ancient bridge that links East and West Looe.  It was built soon after the war ended on the site of an old wharf and adjacent to the railway line that used to run along the length of East Looe harbour. 

The Memorial consists of a large Celtic Cross mounted on a square plinth. It was unveiled on 14 May 1921 by local clergy and dignitaries.  

The 35 names of those lost during World War 1 are inscribed on the plinth.  The names of the 39 local men lost in World War 2 were added in the form of scrolls which protrude from each face at the base. 

Details of those men that lost their lives in WW1 can be found at the following link:

 https://astreetnearyou.org/#lat=50.354123668270226&lon=-4.4497265852987775&zoom=15

Services of Commemoration are held each year at the Memorial, where the people of Looe and surrounding areas come together to remember those who lost their lives in the 1914–18 war, the 1939–45 war, and subsequent campaigns.  More recently, 'Silent Soldiers' have been added to the four corners of the Memorial railings.