Remembering the Dead, Forgiving the Enemy

[Philip Wilson]

The book Lest We Forget published by the History Press in 2011, ISBN 978 0 7524 5965 3. includes a chapter entitled:

Remembering the Dead, Forgiving the Enemy: The Royal Engineers and the Commemoration of the Second Boer War by Dr.Peter Donaldson. In May 1902 Kitchener offered four bronze statues of Boers and four bas-reliefs for use in a war memorial for the fallen to the Royal Engineers' Memorial Committee. This rang alarm bells for these four statues had been destined as focal points for a monument in honour of Paul Kruger, the former President of the Transvaal. The chapter explores the debate within the Royal Engineers Memorial Committee which resulted in them rejecting the offer in favour of an Arch. The Royal Engineers Memorial Arch, at Brompton Barracks, Chatham was unveiled on 26 July 1905.

As for the four statues, well they eventually returned to South Africa in March 1921 and can be found on the plinth of the Kruger War Memorial in Church Square, Pretoria.

The book Lest We Forget arises from a series of Remembrance Seminars held at the National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire. The book examines Remembrance and Commemoration in a broad context. There is however a chapter entitled Commemorating Animals: Glorifying Humans which reminds us that many thousands of horses had been transported from South America to South Africa for the Second Boer War. Over 16,000 died at sea, with a further 400,000 dying during the conflict. Until, The Animals at War Memorial in Park Lane, London was unveiled in 2004 those horses and animals had been commemorated by Victorian Horse Troughs.

Have there been any sightings of Second Boer War Memorial Horse Troughs in recent years.

Postscript - my chapter in this book deals with The Cenotaph and The Spirit of Remembrance . Amongst the Old Contemptibles and volunteers from the Empire are those who saw active service during the Second Boer War - many rest in distant lands but their collective memory is enshrined in The Cenotaph in Whitehall, London.

Philip

[SWB]

Philip,

Interesting - must find a copy.

My Anglo-Boer War Memorials Project recorded four horse trough memorials in the past 20 years. Three specifically to the animals:

Ashton Court Estate, Bristol
B2037 Burstow/Copthorne, Surrey
town centre, Winchester

and a fourth in Watford to commemorate the men who served.

I haven't visited any in recent years - if anyone has seen these in recent times an update on their condition would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Dixie]

Is this the B2037 Burstow/Copthorne, Surrey one?

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=B2037&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=19.59576,39.506836&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=B2037&ll=51.152836,-0.110625&spn=0.005061,0.009645&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=51.152881,-0.110793&panoid=sn63-0lDgjFk4_Qn1OEhig&cbp=12,161.77,,2,13.07

[SWB]

Certainly looks like it, neat use for Google maps - many thanks.

[dunnboer]

There's a trough in Great Malvern, Worcs


http://www.malvern-hills.co.uk/malverns ... fo/bg.html

(sorry, can't do links!)

Paul

[dunnboer]

It seems I can after all!!