The Gunner.

There is trilogy of children's books by an author called Charlie Fletcher. In Stoneheart a boy damages a London Statue and finds that the statues around him come to life to take revenge. Every statue described in the books exists and can be found in London. One of them is the Gunner, part of a war memorial by an artist called Jagger. The Gunner comes to the boy's rescue. As a result of the book I almost feel I know this man. A very strange feeling.