WW1 Death Plaque for Regimental Serjeant Major William Hourigan of the 18th (Queen Mary’s Own) Hussars

William Hourigan was the son of Richard and Johanna Hourigan, of 3, O’Connell Rd., Tipperary and was born on the 23rd of July in 1876. He was a Regimental Serjeant Major of the 18th (Queen Mary’s Own) Hussars and was one of 246 soldiers of his unit to give his life while serving in the first world war as he unfortunately passed away on October 1st, 1918. The regiment, having been based at Tidworth Camp at the start of the First World War, landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 2nd Cavalry Brigade in the 1st Cavalry Division in August 1914 for service on the Western Front. He is now resting at the Schronnel Old Graveyard about 28 yards North-East of the gate in Tipperary, Ireland.

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 120 mm (4.7 in) in diameter, were cast in bronze, and came to be known as the Dead Man’s Penny or Widow’s Penny because of the superficial similarity to the much smaller penny coin. 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”.

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.

In December 1920 manufacture was shifted to the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich. Plaques manufactured here can be identified by a circle containing the initials “WA” on the back with the “A” being formed by a bar between the two upward strokes of the “W” and by a number stamped between the tail and leg.

This piece here was made at the Memorial Plaque Factory, 54/56 Church Road, Acton, W3, London due to the presence of the number stamp behind the lion’s back leg.

The plaques (which could be described as large plaquettes) about 120 mm (4.7 in) in diameter, were cast in bronze, and came to be known as the Dead Man’s Penny or Widow’s Penny because of the superficial similarity to the much smaller penny coin. 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”.

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.

In December 1920 manufacture was shifted to the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich. Plaques manufactured here can be identified by a circle containing the initials “WA” on the back with the “A” being formed by a bar between the two upward strokes of the “W” and by a number stamped between the tail and leg.

This piece here was made at the Memorial Plaque Factory, 54/56 Church Road, Acton, W3, London due to the presence of the number stamp behind the lion’s back leg.