Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey

Text on the grave, in Westminster Abbey:
BENEATH THIS STONE RESTS THE BODY
OF A BRITISH WARRIOR
UNKNOWN BY NAME OR RANK
BROUGHT FROM FRANCE TO LIE AMONG
THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS OF THE LAND
AND BURIED HERE ON ARMISTICE DAY
11 NOV: 1920, IN THE PRESENCE OF
HIS MAJESTY KING GEORGE V
HIS MINISTERS OF STATE
THE CHIEFS OF HIS FORCES
AND A VAST CONCOURSE OF THE NATION
THUS ARE COMMEMORATED THE MANY
MULTITUDES WHO DURING THE GREAT
WAR OF 1914 - 1918 GAVE THE MOST THAT
MAN CAN GIVE LIFE ITSELF
FOR GOD
FOR KING AND COUNTRY
FOR LOVED ONES HOME AND EMPIRE
FOR THE SACRED CAUSE OF JUSTICE AND
THE FREEDOM OF THE WORLD
THEY BURIED HIM AMONG THE KINGS BECAUSE HE
HAD DONE GOOD TOWARD GOD AND TOWARD
HIS HOUSE
This text was written by Herbert Ryce, Dean of Westminster at the time of the burial.

The idea of a memorial to all those killed in the Great War that were unidentified or had no known grave was initially thought of by the Reverend David Railton M.C. in 1916. It wasn't until August1920 that he wrote to the Dean of Westminster suggesting his idea. The Dean forwarded his suggestion to the Prime Minister, David Lord George who then contacted King George V. The King initially was not supportive but was convinced by the Prime Minister and high ranking officers and the growing public support. in mid October a committee put in motion plans to have a body returned from the Western Front for burial in Westminster Abbey on the 11th November 1920.
The Church was very much in favour of the 'Unknown Warrior' as the Cenotaph, initially a temporary structure in 1919 but being replaced with a Portland stone monument to be unveiled on Armistice Day had no secular markings or symbols.

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Source

• Text: Fedor de Vries
• Photos: Flickr (1), Anthony (Sharky) Ward (2, 3)