Just one month after the town celebrated its Centenary, World War I (1914 – 1918) commenced. A huge influx of soldiers waiting for embarkation led to over 4,000 being mustered in Pembroke Dock by August of 1914. The Barracks were full and overflow accommodation under canvas had to be set up wherever space was available. The area on Bush Street which is now the Memorial Park was one such site, and it is fitting that when the Park was opened in 1925 it was dedicated to the memory of all those who died during the war. Although it was officially recognised that Dockyard workers were doing work which was vital to the war effort and they were exempted from conscription when it was introduced in 1916, many were still criticised for not volunteering to join up.

The entrance to the Memorial Park, on Bush Street.