After the war, the family of every British serviceman and woman killed in World War 1, received a bronze memorial plaque, commonly referred to as the ‘Dead Man’s Penny’ or ‘Death Penny.’ Over 1 million were issued, made from 450 tons of bronze. No rank was stated on the plaque, because the government wanted no distinction made between the sacrifice of individuals. The figure on the plaque is Britannia holding a trident, standing beside a lion. It was designed by Edward Arthur Preston. Can you find his initials E CR P? They are by the front paw of the lion. This death penny commemorates George Stuart Winter who served in the Canadian Infantry Battalion. He was one of the thousands of Canadian soldiers who were based in and around Folkestone in WW1, before going off to fight on the Western Front.
