The war officially ended a year later in 1919. This year also marks 100 years since the County War Memorial, outside the Cathedral was unveiled. It was unveiled by the Lord Lieutenant, George Coventry, 9th Earl of Coventry.

It consists of seven steps and an octagonal pedestal with cusped tracery and panels displaying military badges, mixed with other symbols such as the County coat of arms.

The Memorial is topped off by a band of fleuron’s and crenulations. A tapering shaft then rises to a Latin cross with foliate decoration. This Grade II Listed memorial is made from Limestone.

When it was unveiled on Armistice Day 1922, it had the inscription ' The County - to her sons who gave their lives in the Great War 1914-1918'.

On the November 7 1948, a new inscription was added reading 'and to her sons and daughters who fell in the Great War of 1939-1945'.

The County had suggested a large Memorial as far back as 1917, but decided to wait until the war ended before forming a committee to plan its design. When a Committee was formed, in the December of 1918, it was not all smooth running.

Many believed the Memorial would need to be larger than the Boer War memorial so that it did not make the casualties from the Great War look less. Its location would need to be central but where it would stand created a lot of discussion.

One idea was to build it at the Shire Hall in Foregate Street and move the statue of Queen Victoria.

Some suggested building it on Fort Royal Park overlooking the City. This would have complimented Gheluvelt Park was being constructed to the North of the City to remember the brave action of the 2nd Worcester’s in 1914.

One of the most elaborate ideas was to construct a large triumphant arch with winged Victory stood above.

This would span the Cross, in the centre of the City and allow all future parades to pass below it.

However it was eventually decided it would stand where a temporary memorial stood in the grounds of the Cathedral.

A temporary memorial was built outside the Cathedral during the Peace Parade on the August 23 1919.

This parade had been the largest military gathering since 1887. Four local Victoria Cross recipients stood on the four corners. It looked like a small version of the Cenotaph in London designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

The parade included four Battalion Colours from the Worcestershire Regiment, members of the Yeomanry, plus members of the Women's Land Army and V.A.D. nurses.

This event culminating on Pitchcroft Racecourse, after a salute was made outside the Shire Hall. On Pitchcroft a large pageant took place and lots of children's entertainment and sporting competitions.

The Lord Lieutenant, the Earl of Coventry started an appeal to raise at least £1000.

Many people donated at different values, from children giving pennies to the gentry donating much more.

Any donation over £10 was added to the official Subscription List. The Earl himself donated £200. The Sergeants Mess from the 6th Battalion donated £15 and the Worcestershire Yeomanry Sergeants managed a further £12.

Unfortunately other Parishes and villages around the county had also started to fund raise for smaller war memorials.

The Mayor Arthur Carlton even received a telegram from a veteran, who had been at the Battle of Gheluvelt.

His telegram said ‘twelve hundred county discharged disabled and crippled sailors and soldiers emphatically protest against County war memorial meeting to raise funds for church tablets and records and for so called charitable purposes by aristocrats of the City and County.’

When the Memorial Fund was closed it had raised £10.157.16s.0d.

This money was then split between several projects including the stone memorial. £1.136.18s.6d was spent on a memorial window and books inside the Cathedral. £5.626.5s.8d went to the important relief fund.

£1.400.0s.0d was used to create the famous book called ‘The History of the Worcestershire Regiment during the Great War’ by Captain H.FitzM.Stacke M.C.

The War Memorial would take £1.994.11s.10d from the overall fund and still stands strong overlooking College Street after 100 years.

It is used for many wreath laying ceremonies, including Armistice Day, Remembrance Sunday and when the City comes together to mourn.

In more recent years flowers adorned the memorial in 1997 when Diana, Princess of Wales was killed in France.

In 2002, it was covered in flowers again when Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother died.

In more recent months the City laid flowers on this 100 year old memorial when Her Majesty the Queen died in September.