National Memorial to the Nameless, Voiceless and Forgotten affected by war and conflict by Peter Walker Sculptor

On display in the South Transept of Hereford Cathedral from Wednesday 25 October – Wednesday 15 November 2023

The ‘Pity of War’ remembers the millions of nameless, voiceless and forgotten individuals affected by war. Its objective is to promote increased awareness among the public of the wider impact of war upon civilians, something that has affected and continues to affect countless people worldwide each year. 

The Pity of War charity started as the concern of a Shropshire Quaker, the late Joyce Gee. Joyce’s home in London narrowly missed being bombed in the Second World War when she was a schoolgirl. The memories never left her. On a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire in 2013 Joyce was struck by the lack of a specific memorial to civilian non-combatants. The issue was taken up by Quakers both locally and nationally, when it was discovered that Peter Walker, an internationally known sculptor, was already working along similar lines and had a concept already in fruition.

Joyce Gee with the Pity of War sculpture by Peter Walker

‘The Pity of War’ memorial is an artwork created to give recognition and invoke contemplation over the many lives lost due to war. The art work shows a very poignant and moving iconic image representing the civilian victims of war. The monument design and creation is by the sculptor, Peter Walker. The artist has chosen to portray the pity of war through the removal and abstraction of features, representing this symbolically through the simplistic portrait of a young child, eyes bound and mouth silenced. The sculpture stands as recognition of unspoken stories and unseen memories that are so often unacknowledged and under-represented.

The memorial is to the nameless, voiceless and forgotten individuals affected by war and conflict and is cast in Bronze. 

Peter Walker in his studio

The Pity of War Tour

The maquette (small scale model) of the sculpture has been on tour around the UK already, being seen by thousands and raising awareness at many locations including:
The Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth
Chester Cathedral, Salisbury Cathedral, Coventry Cathedral, Oxford University Church, Winchester Cathedral, Lichfield Cathedral, St Albans Cathedral, Sheffield Cathedral; Guildford Cathedral, Wakefield Cathedral, Hereford Cathedral.
The National Memorial Arboretum
The Hay Festival, Hay on Wye
Friends House, London
Kunstammlungen Der Stadt Limburg, Germany

The Pity of War maquette is now also permanently on display in the following collections: 
The British Embassy in Paris
The British Embassy UAE
The Basilica of St Mary in Minneapolis, USA
Limburg an Der Lahn, Germany
Chester, Sheffield, Winchester and Liverpool Cathedrals 
University Church of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford

The Pity of War at the National Memorial Arboretum

The sculpture has been cast into a 6ft bronze statue and will be housed permanently at the National Memorial Arboretum (the NMA), Staffordshire. The NMA is the nation’s year round place to Remember, to celebrate lives lived and to commemorate lives lost.

PityofWar.org 
General Enquiries: [email protected]  
Press Enquiries: [email protected]  
Facebook: @PityOfWarStatue
X (formerly Twitter)@PityOfWarStatue
Sculptor: Peter Walker

‘Pity of War’ Charitable Trust
HMRC Charities Ref No: ZD05274