Huntingdon’s historic war memorial has been given a Grade II listing as part of the First World War centenary commemorations.
Up to 500 war memorials a year for the next five years will be protected by being listed in a project by English Heritage.
Huntingdon’s Thinking Soldier memorial, sculpted by Kathleen Scott, widow of the polar explorer Captain Scott, is one of the earliest to be listed.
A crowd of around 3,000 people gathered when the memorial was unveiled by Lord Sandwich on Armistice Day 1923.
Betty Jacob, 85, from Huntingdon, remembers her grandmother contributing to the Women’s Institute fund, which paid for the memorial, because she had lost a relative in the First World War.
She said: “It wants listing.”
Kathleen Scott, whose Scott of the Antarctic husband died on a pioneering expedition to the South Pole in 1912, chose an unusual contemplative pose for the soldier rather than an heroic one.
The life-sized soldier sits on a plinth on Market Hill, surrounded by listed buildings, including the Grade I All Saints Church and the Grade II* town hall.
Cllr Nick Guyatt, executive councillor for strategic planning and housing at Huntingdonshire District Council, said: “The Thinking Soldier memorial has for a long time been the focus for the remembrance of the fallen of this district.
“It is important that the significance of this sculpture, the importance of its artist and the moving and poignant message behind its creation is recognised in this the centenary year of the start of the First World War.
Culture Secretary Maria Miller, who is backing the project, said: “This centenary comes at a point where living memory becomes written history, so it is absolutely essential that our work to mark it speaks clearly to young people in particular.
“War memorials are a precious part of our heritage that keeps alive the ultimate sacrifice that so many made. It is absolutely right that we cherish and protect them.
Betty Jacob was involved in the campaign to prevent the memorial being moved when Market Hill was given a makeover more than a decade ago.
She said she was “absolutely disgusted” at the lack of respect shown by using the memorial as the backdrop for this year’s pancake day races.
Roger Bowdler, designation director at English Heritage said: “Researching, recording and recommending up to 2,500 more war memorials for listing over the next five years is a major task but one that English Heritage is proud to undertake.
“These memorials will gain a place on the National Heritage List for England to tell the story of this country’s sacrifice and struggle.”