Inside the nearby Town Hall is written a contemporary note giving details of the memorial including the following explanation : - The symbolism of the Retford War memorial must be understood before the memorial can by appreciated. The idea of the main structure is that of the " Roman Milestone" only reversed, as the places inscribed are the sites of the principal actions where the men commemorated laid down their lives , and the distances computed from the memorial. The latern forming the top stage embodies the mediaeval custom of maintaining a 'Latern of the dead' to be lighted every evening in perpetuity and kept burning until dawn in token that the memory of the departed is ever present, during the hours of darkness as well as in the daytime. Designed by Leonard W. Barnard (of Cheltenham), built by R.L. Boulton & Sons; unveiled 14th September 1921 by Sir Frederick Milner, dedication by The Venerable The Archdeacon of Newark, Egbert Hacking; WW2 bronze plaques unveiled and dedicated on 6th May 1951; Korean War plaque unveiled and dedicated 17th August 2008. Historic information source(s): Retford Times, 16th September 1921 All photo's courtesy of Peter Gillings