Object of the month

A Next of Kin Memorial Plaque (First World War 1914-1918)

This bronze memorial plaque was issued to the family of Alfred Reeves following his death on active service during the First World War (1914-1918). Reeves served as a bombardier with the 3rd Hampshire Battery of the Royal Field Artillery. A native of Gosport, he died in India of heatstroke on 31 May 1915 aged 33 years. His daughter donated the plaque to Gosport Museum in the late 1970s.

In 1916, a government committee was established to consider the form of a memorial for the next of kin of those killed on active service. It decided upon a memorial plaque. The following year a national competition was held to select the design for the plaque. Edward Carter Preston, an eminent sculptor and medallist, created the winning design. His plaque’s design was rich in symbolism. Britannia is shown standing facing right holding a laurel wreath crown in her left hand and supporting a trident by her right side with her right arm and hand. A male lion is standing facing right in the foreground. A small dolphin is depicted to the left of Britannia. A rectangular space above the lion’s head is where the name of the deceased is written.

Manufactured in bronze, the plaque measured 125mm (4.9 inches) in diameter. Due to the similarity of their appearance with the smaller old penny coin, they were popularly known as a ‘Dead Man’s Penny’. A total of 1,355,000 plaques were presented to the families of British and Empire servicemen and servicewomen who died during or died later as a result of injuries sustained during the First World War.