The Commonwealth War Grave Commission (CWGC) has unveiled a new memorial in Freetown honouring the men of the Sierra Leone Carrier Corps who lost their lives during the First World War.

Officials unveiled the memorial this weekend in the heart of Freetown, just days ahead of Remembrance Day.

Standing nine meters tall, the memorial features four glass blades etched with the 946 names of the Sierra Leone Carrier Corps.

For over 90 years, no one recorded these men by name.

A Historic Wrong Corrected

Designed by British architect Edwin Lutyens and unveiled in 1931, the original Freetown Memorial named soldiers who died in World War I.

Yet in the Carrier Corps, supply porters were assigned numbers instead of names, and after WWII, even those numbers were removed from the monument.

The new design, by Lagos-based Oshinowo studio, corrects that. 

The glass pyramid now rises above the restored 1931 stone memorial. It is the first CWGC site to feature a beacon of light. When lit, its beam reaches up to 5km, casting a powerful symbol of remembrance over the city.

 Tosin Oshinowo designed the memorial, making her the first woman and West African architect to design one for the CWGC.

The new Freetown Memorial illuminated at night. The four glass blades are etched with the names of 946 men of Sierra Leone Carrier Corps. Photo credit: CWGC 

Vice President Leads Tribute At Remembrance Day 

Vice President, Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh represented His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio at the Remembrance Day ceremony, where he joined other dignitaries in laying a wreath in tribute to the brave servicemen and women who lost their lives during the First and Second World Wars.

“Today, we honor their sacrifice and service, and reaffirm our commitment to preserving their legacy for future generations,” he said. 

The project is part of the CWGC’s Non-Commemoration Programme, honoring thousands of unremembered African and Asian personnel.

Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh at the Freetown Memorial to lay a wreath on behalf of the President. Photo Credit: Office of the Vice President.

A Message Of Unity At Remembrance Day 

The unveiling coincided with Sierra Leone’s Remembrance Day, honoring those lost in the World Wars, the Civil War, and national service.

In a message shared by Chief Minister David Sengeh, he urged Sierra Leoneans not to allow their differences to further divide the country. 

As we mark Sierra Leone’s 2026 Remembrance Day, I want us to remember something else as well. Meanwhile, politicians without a message dwell on our differences to further divide us.

“The reality is that we are more united than they preach,” he added.

The new Freetown Memorial will now serve as Sierra Leone’s central site for World War and national commemorations.

Chief Minister Moinina David Sengeh at the 2026 Remembrance Day Service in Freetown. Photo Credit: Moinina David Sengeh/Facebook