Category:Boer War Memorial

~1904-1908: Postcard, "Regency Square and Memorial Statue" [image info]

Brighton Statues and Landmarks coordinates: 50.821824, -0.150707

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1902: Mayor John Edward Stafford addresses a rejoicing crowd on Madeira Drive on Monday 2nd June 1902, "Boer War Peace Day", immediately after the Boer War peace treaty had been signed, over the weekend (on Saturday 31st May 1902). Some members of the crowd are beaming and waving their hats. The guns are to be fired in a salute. [image info]

The Brighton Boer War memorial was created "IN MEMORY OF THE OFFICERS NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE ROYAL SUSSEX REGIMENT WHO FELL IN SOUTH AFRICA 1900-1902", and was ceremonially unveiled in October 1904. Although the commencement of hostilities was was declared in 1899, this happened quite late in the year, so it's quite conceivable that there weren't any British casualties until 1900.

Below the main inscription are the additional dates of the First and Second World Wars, and the monument also mentions other conflicts that the regiment was involved in.

The monument

Situated at the bottom of Regency Square, the monument consists of a pale tapered stone pillar or obelisk with a flat top, upon which is a metal statue of a soldier sounding the charge on his (horn? trumpet?), surrounded four squat upright artillery shells, one in each corner of the pillar. The shells are near the top of the pillar, but slightly lower than the soldier's base. Lettering is raised metal against stone, in addition to the plaques carrying the more detailed text.

The largest plaque lists the fallen for the First Battalion, two further smaller wreathed oval plaques carry the listings for the First Battalion Active Service Volunteer Corps, and for the Third Battalion.

Dates

The Boer War (1899-1902) (technically the Second Boer War) ran from 1899 to 1902, starting with the Kruger ultimatum of October 1899, and ended with the Treaty of Vereeniging in May 1902.

1933 description:

Opposite the entrace to the West Pier, at the south end of the shrubbery-decked Regency Square, is the Boer War Memorial a stone monolith surmounted by the figure of a bugler. It is dedicated to the memory of officers and men of the Sussex Regiment who died during the Boer War.