Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, it commemorates men of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry killed in the conflict; it was unveiled on Armistice Day, 11 November 1923, and has been a grade II listed building since 1972.

The only relief on the obelisk is a carving of the regimental cap badge—described by Historic England as "immediately announcing the identity of those commemorated"—on two of the faces.

The west face of the base bears the inscription "TO THE GLORIOUS MEMORY OF 5878 OF ALL RANKS OF THE OXFORDSHIRE AND BUCKINGHAMSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR"; this was supplemented later by an inscription on the east face: "TO THE GLORIOUS MEMORY OF 1408 ALL RANKS OF THE OXFORDSHIRE AND BUCKINGHAMSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1939 – 1945".

The dates of the First World War are inscribed on the other two faces in Roman numerals: MCMXIV on the north and MCMXIX on the south.

[1] The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry War Memorial was designated a grade II listed building on 28 June 1972.