Original British WWI KIA Death Penny Soldier Memorial with Printed Research Documents - 2nd Lieutenant Derrick Haughton Cardiner Fishbourne, Royal Garrison Artillery
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Original Item: Only One Available. This is a lovely WWI Memorial Plaque commemorating the life and service of 2nd Lieutenant Derrick Haughton Cardiner Fishbourne, a British officer who served in the Royal Garrison Artillery and was killed in action on May 6th, 1917.
Fishbourne obtained his commission on December 29th, 1915. He served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders, and was killed in action near Monchy 4 May, 1917, while acting as sectional commander. Buried in Faubourg d’Amiens Cemetery, Arras.
The General Commanding wrote: “He has shown a spirit of devotion to duty which is the true soldierly spirit which is going to win the war. His calmness and cheerfulness in the battery under fire showed courage of the highest order, which reacted on the men. He did credit to his country and his name, and his Major. I can only assure you he is most deeply and sincerely mourned by us all, officers, N.C.O.’s and men, both for his cheerful spirit and keenness in everything connected with the battery.”
A brother officer also wrote: “I feel I have lost one of the best friends I have ever had. He was always so cheerful and brave, and was, in fact, the life and soul of the battery. He never lost his cheerfulness under the most adverse circumstances. He has bucked me up many times by his cheery example. All the men liked him, he never lost his temper, he was always the same. He did not understand the meaning of the word ‘fear.’”.
This is a great example with tons of research documents. Ready for further research and display.
The Memorial Plaque was issued after the First World War to the next-of-kin of all British Empire service personnel who were killed as a result of the war.
The plaques (which could be described as large plaquettes) about 4.72 inches (120 mm) in diameter, were cast in bronze, and came to be known as the "Dead Man’s Penny", or “Death Penny”, because of the similarity in appearance to the much smaller penny coin which itself had a diameter of only 1.215 inches (30.9 mm). 1,355,000 plaques were issued, which used a total of 450 tons of bronze, and continued to be issued into the 1930s to commemorate people who died as a consequence of the war.
It was decided that the design of the plaque was to be chosen from submissions made in a public competition. Over 800 designs were submitted, and the competition was won by the sculptor and medallist Edward Carter Preston using the pseudonym Pyramus, receiving two first place prizes of £250 for his winning and also an alternative design. The name Pyramus comes from the story of Pyramus and Thisbē which is part of Ovid's Metamorphoses, a Roman tragedy narrative poem.
Carter Preston's winning design includes an image of Britannia holding a trident and standing with a lion. The designer's initials, E.CR.P., appear above the front paw. In her outstretched left hand Britannia holds an olive wreath above the ansate tablet bearing the deceased's name cast in raised letters. Below the name tablet, to the right of the lion, is an oak spray with acorns. The name does not include the rank since there was to be no distinction between sacrifices made by different individuals. Two dolphins swim around Britannia, symbolizing Britain's sea power, and at the bottom a second lion is tearing apart the German eagle. The reverse is blank, making it a plaquette rather than a table medal.
Around the picture the legend reads (in capitals) "He died for freedom and honour", or for the 1500 plaques issued to commemorate women, "She died for freedom and honour".
They were initially made at the Memorial Plaque Factory, 54/56 Church Road, Acton, W3, London from 1919. Early Acton-made plaques did not have a number stamped on them but later ones have a number stamped behind the lion's back leg.
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