Artist's impression of the War Memorial Village at Allenton, Derby

In 1946 a scheme was proposed to provide a village as a memorial to the men and women of Derby Borough who gave their lives in the Second World War. The scheme was launched in 1947 to provide model dwellings for the disabled ex-service personnel in the War Memorial Village in Allenton. The land was donated by Derby City Council and the cost of construction came from donations from individuals as well as large companies, including Rolls-Royce and Great Western Railway. It was administered by a Council of Management of 24 members, elected from the Association of the War Memorial Village, of which the Mayor was President. Construction began in 1949 and was completed in 1955. Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, attended the ceremony for laying of foundation stone in 1949. The charity is still in operation to serve the accommodation requirements of disabled veterans of the Armed Services and Emergency Services. It is one of only two such villages in the UK.