To the memory of all Indian soldiers who gave their lives for their King-Emperor in the Great War
If you’ve never heard of the Chattri Memorial, you can be forgiven for being more than a little surprised when you stumble upon it as you round the crest of one of the many waves of the South Downs just north of Brighton. During the First World War, approximately 1.5 million soldiers from the Indian Army served alongside British forces. Thousands fought on the Western Front and around 12,000 wounded Indian servicemen were brought to Brighton to recover in hospitals established in the Royal Pavilion, the Dome, the Corn Exchange and York Place School.
Their contribution to the Allied war effort was immense, yet for many years it remained one of the lesser-known stories of the conflict.
A memorial on the South Downs
Among those treated in Brighton were Hindu and Sikh soldiers who later died of their wounds. In accordance with their religious traditions, 53 men were cremated on Patcham Down, overlooking the city. In 1921, the Chattri Memorial was unveiled on the site of those cremations by the Prince of Wales. Built from striking white Sicilian marble, the elegant domed pavilion was designed by Mumbai architect E. C. Henriques. Its name comes from the Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu word chattri, meaning “umbrella”, a symbol of shelter and protection.
The memorial bears inscriptions in Hindi, Punjabi and English, honouring the Indian soldiers whose mortal remains were committed to the funeral pyre. It stands not only as a tribute to those cremated here, but to all Indian soldiers who gave their lives in the Great War. Muslim soldiers who died in Brighton were buried at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey in accordance with Islamic custom.
Brighton’s bond with India
The Chattri is one of two memorials recognising the remarkable relationship forged between Brighton and the Indian Army during the war. The second is the Indian Gateway, presented by the people of India in 1921 as a gesture of gratitude to the city for caring for their wounded countrymen. Standing outside the Royal Pavilion, it commemorates Brighton’s role as a place of healing and earned the town the affectionate nickname “Doctor Brighton.”
The Commonwealth War Graves Memorial
For many years, 14 Indian soldiers whose remains had been cremated were commemorated on the Hollybrook Memorial in Hampshire, which primarily honours those lost at sea. Following a review by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, it was recognised that these men should instead be remembered where they were cremated. In 2010, a dedicated Cremation Memorial was unveiled close to the Chattri, ensuring all those honoured here are commemorated on the site where their final rites took place.
Preserving their legacy
Today, the Chattri Memorial Group works to preserve this important monument and promote awareness of the Indian soldiers who served and died during the First World War. The group helps maintain the memorial, organises exhibitions, talks and educational events, and has arranged the annual remembrance service since 1951.
Held each year at 2.30pm on the second Sunday in June, the moving half-hour ceremony on the South Downs welcomes visitors from across the UK and beyond to honour the sacrifice of these soldiers and celebrate the enduring friendship between Britain and India.
A place of tranquillity, remembrance and reverence
The memorial stands within the beautiful chalk landscape of Chattri Down, designated as a Site of Nature Conservation Importance. It is also recognised as a Centenary Field, part of a national initiative led by the Royal British Legion and Fields in Trust to permanently protect places that commemorate those who lost their lives during the First World War.
Standing beneath the white marble dome, surrounded by open skies and rolling Downs, the Chattri remains one of Sussex’s most poignant and peaceful places of remembrance, a lasting tribute to courage, sacrifice and a shared history that deserves to be remembered. Those that gave their lives never knew us. We will never know them, and yet they gave their lives anyway.
How do you get there?
From the interchange: You can get to the Chattri Memorial from the Sussex Border Path, and as you get near, it’s clearly signed. From the south, start from the car park just off the A27 at the big interchange with the A23.
From Jack and Jill. From the north, you can walk from Ditchling (quite a hike) or from the nearer Jack and Jill windmill car park at Clayton. There’s a reasonable 7 km loop you can do from there, which takes you around the edge of the Pyecombe golf course. Every step of the walk is a feast for the eyes with views far into the distance both south, east, and west! The advantage of this route is that you’ll also see the windmills and although the car park here can get busy, not many seem to stray as far as the memorial.
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