If you walk past Newcastle Civic Centre, close to the busy Barras Bridge junction, it’s hard to miss the powerful sight of bronze soldiers striding purposefully forward. They march in formation, heads lifted, uniforms crisp, their movement frozen in time. This is The Response 1914, also known as the Northumberland Fusiliers Memorial — one of the most striking and emotive war memorials in Britain.
It’s not just a monument of stone and metal. It’s a story in sculpture — one that captures an extraordinary moment in history, when young men from the North East, often in groups of friends, brothers, and co-workers, left home together to answer the call to arms at the outbreak of the First World War.
The Scene in Bronze
The Response 1914 depicts the moment when the men of the Northumberland Fusiliers’ “Pals” battalions departed for war. It’s a dynamic work, full of movement. At the front, two drummer boys lead the way, their sticks poised mid-beat. Behind them march lines of soldiers, heads high, rifles slung, their greatcoats swaying as if in step.
This isn’t a static line-up — it’s full of life and urgency. The sculptor, Sir William Goscombe John, had an exceptional gift for capturing human emotion and physical energy in bronze. The soldiers here don’t just look like they’re marching; you can almost hear the rhythmic tramp of their boots on the cobbled streets and the distant drumbeat calling them forward.
Adding to the emotional weight is the interaction between the soldiers and the civilians. Some men are shown glancing back to loved ones, others share a brief, final word. The sculpted figures are deeply human, reminding us these weren’t nameless warriors, but ordinary men leaving their jobs, families, and futures behind.
The Angel and the Motto
Above the marching figures, an angel blows a trumpet — the classical symbol of a call to action. The angel is positioned to watch over the soldiers, almost as if announcing their noble purpose. Below, carved into the granite base, are the words “The Response 1914” — the title of the work and a summary of its meaning.
On the rear of the memorial, St. George, the patron saint of England, is depicted with his shield, supported by two seahorses — a nod to Newcastle’s maritime heritage. Two other figures represent soldiers from different eras of the Fusiliers’ history, linking the First World War to the regiment’s long lineage of service.
The Latin motto “Non sibi sed patriae” — “Not for self, but for country” — sits at the heart of the memorial’s message. It’s a reminder that these men went to war for something greater than themselves.
The Story Behind the Memorial
The memorial was commissioned by Sir George and Lady Renwick, prominent Newcastle shipowners and philanthropists. Their reasons for funding it were both public and personal. Publicly, it was to commemorate the raising of the Pals battalions of the Northumberland Fusiliers in response to Lord Kitchener’s famous call for volunteers in 1914.
Personally, it marked the safe return of Sir George’s five sons from the war — an outcome that, tragically, was not shared by thousands of other families across the region. In a time when grief was felt in nearly every street, the Renwicks’ gift to the city was both an act of gratitude and a tribute to those who did not come home.
Pals Battalions – Friends in Arms
One of the most poignant aspects of The Response 1914 is its link to the Pals battalion movement. In the early months of the war, groups of men were encouraged to enlist together, with the promise that they could serve alongside their friends, relatives, or workmates. The idea was that morale would be stronger if men fought beside those they knew.
In Newcastle and across the North East, this approach led to an enormous surge in volunteers. Entire offices, factories, football clubs, and mining communities signed up together. The sense of camaraderie was powerful — but it came at a cost. When battalions suffered heavy losses in battle, the impact was felt with devastating concentration in the towns and villages they came from.
The memorial captures the optimism of that first march to war — before the horrors of the Western Front had shattered illusions about a quick victory.
Artistic Achievement
When The Response 1914 was unveiled in 1923, it was hailed as a masterpiece of public sculpture. Goscombe John’s work is remarkable for its realism, energy, and attention to detail. The folds of the uniforms, the expressions on the faces, the slight variations in each soldier’s stride — all are meticulously crafted.
Standing before it, you notice how the soldiers are not perfectly aligned in military stiffness. Some look straight ahead, others glance sideways, a few turn their heads toward family or friends. This irregularity gives the sculpture life. It’s not a parade ground drill — it’s a moment caught in time.
The scale of the piece is equally impressive. The bronze group stretches in a long, fluid composition, its horizontal movement balanced by the vertical thrust of the angel above. The granite base anchors it solidly, while the surrounding open space allows you to walk around and view it from multiple angles.
A Living Connection to the Past
War memorials can sometimes feel distant — stone and metal relics from another age. But The Response 1914 has a way of cutting through that distance. The human details in the sculpture make it easy to imagine the real people it represents. The young drummer boys, the confident stride of the men, the glances to loved ones — they make you think about how it must have felt to leave home, perhaps never to return.
Every year on Remembrance Sunday, wreaths are laid here, and the space around it fills with people. The sound of the city traffic fades into the background as silence falls, and for a moment, the figures seem to march once again, this time in our collective memory.
Grade I Listing and Preservation
Today, The Response 1914 is protected as a Grade I–listed structure — a recognition of its exceptional national importance. Grade I listing is rare, reserved for buildings and monuments of the highest significance. It ensures that the memorial will be preserved for future generations, just as it has stood for over a century.
The choice of location — near the Civic Centre and close to the main roads — means thousands of people see it every day. Many pass by without stopping, but for those who take the time to pause and look closely, it reveals layers of history and meaning.
More Than a War Memorial
What makes The Response 1914 so compelling is that it’s not simply about war. It’s about community, loyalty, and the ties that bind people together in times of crisis. It shows us the pride and determination of those who volunteered, but also hints at the personal cost of such decisions.
Unlike many memorials that focus solely on sacrifice and mourning, this one captures the moment before — the energy of departure, the belief in duty, the sense of togetherness. It’s both a celebration of courage and a subtle reminder of the price that courage demanded.
Visiting The Response 1914
If you find yourself in Newcastle, it’s worth taking the time to visit the memorial. Stand close enough to see the details in the soldiers’ faces. Walk around to the rear to see St. George and the symbolic seahorses. Read the inscriptions. Think about the people it commemorates — not just the men in uniform, but the families and communities who lived through that turbulent time.
It’s a work that speaks across the decades, connecting us to a chapter of history that shaped the world we live in today. And in its bronze and granite, it carries forward the voices of those who answered the call in 1914 — the young men of the Northumberland Fusiliers, striding out into an uncertain future.
Final Thoughts
The Response 1914 is more than just a civic landmark. It’s a piece of living history — a reminder of courage, camaraderie, and the human cost of war. Standing before it, you can’t help but feel the weight of its story, and perhaps also a sense of gratitude to those it honours.
A century after it was unveiled, it remains as relevant and moving as ever. The soldiers will always march, the angel will always call, and Newcastle will always remember.
