South African War Memorial (South Australia)
Encyclopedia
The South African War Memorial (also known as the Boer War Memorial or, prior to 1931, the National War Memorial) is an equestrian memorial dedicated to the South Australia
ns who served in the Second Boer War
of 11 October 1899 to 31 May 1902. It was the first war in which South Australians fought, and 1531 men were sent in nine contingents, with over 1500 horses to accompany them. Over 59 South Australians died in the war.
The memorial is located in front of the main entrance to Government House
, one the most prominent buildings in Adelaide
, on the corner of North Terrace
and King William Street
. It was constructed with a budget of £2500 raised through public donations, and was designed by the London
-based sculptor Adrian Jones
. While the statue itself was not intended to represent any particular soldier, there is evidence suggesting that the head of the rider was based on that of George Henry Goodall.
The statue was unveiled by the Governor of South Australia
, George Le Hunte
, on 6 June 1904. It has since become one of the focal points for the Anzac day
marches, as well as being regarded as one of the most "eye-catching" and significant statues in the city. As such, it was added to the national heritage
listing in 1990.
and Transvaal
declared war on Britain
. South Australia, "fiercely" loyal to the British Empire
and still "two years away from federation
", joined the other Australian colonies in sending troops to support the Empire in the conflict. With the support of Adelaide's newspapers, nine contingents of South Australian troops were sent to the war during the three years of hostilities, totaling 1531 men and 1507 horses. Funding for the endeavor was garnered through the State
and Imperial
Governments in combination with funds raised through public subscriptions. In addition to the formal contingent, a number of Australians served as colonial troops
, either having paid their way to Southern Africa
after the conflict had begun or having already been present in the region prior to the outbreak of hostilities. By the time hostilities ended on 31 May 1902, at least 59 South Australians had been killed in the war.
Finding that he needed advice in regard to accouterments and the attitude of Australian soldiers, Jones made inquiries about consulting with an Australian. George Henry Goodall, a South Australian veteran of the Second Boer War, was at the time serving as Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant
with the Australian Corps
engaged in London
at the coronation ceremonies for King Edward VII. Goodall was "volunteered" to attend Jones in order to model and to provide advice. Goodall later described how Jones had requested that he pose while the sculptor created a clay model of his head, but Simon Cameron observed that Jones's memoirs "do not mention any sittings." Nevertheless, a 1940 memorandum, based on a conversation with Goodall, noted that "a comparison of a photograph of Mr Goodall, taken in 1902 with the statue itself certainly indicates a strong facial likeness". In the same memorandum it was noted that Goodall only posed for the head, and that he insisted that his selection to model for the statue was not based on any outstanding merit as a soldier.
With the choice of statues settled, a competition was run in Adelaide in 1903 to find the design for the pedestal. A total of 12 entries were received, with the submission by Garlick, Sibley and Wooldridge being selected as the winner. The pedestal is 12 feet in height, and was constructed from granite
quarried from the nearby town of Murray Bridge
.
The bronze plaques which are mounted on the sides of the pedestal list the names of 59 South Australians who died in the conflict, and were cast from gun plates by A. W. Dobbie and Company. (A. W. Dobbie and Company were later responsible for the bronze castings on the South Australian National War Memorial
to those who served in World War I
). A further 16 South Australians died in relation to the Boer War, while an additional four died either during training or upon their return. Also missing from the list is Harry "Breaker" Morant
, who had served in the second contingent of troops to be sent from South Australia, and was executed by the British after being found guilty by court martial
of the murder of unarmed Boer
troops. There was no controversy at the time in regard to his omission, although the decision not to include his companion Peter Handcock
(who was executed alongside Morant) on the Bathurst, New South Wales
, memorial was more problematic, and was rescinded in 1964.
The memorial is located in front of Government House
on the corner of North Terrace
and King William Street
, one of the busiest corners in the city.
, George V
, and the third anniversary of the Battle of Graspan, (in which South Australian soldiers had served). A large crowd gathered to view the unveiling, and the speakers included the chair of the memorial committee, George Brookman, and George Le Hunte, the Governor of South Australia. The memorial itself was shrouded by canvas and the Union Jack, which fell away to reveal the statue underneath.
At the time of the unveiling the memorial was referred to as the South Australian "National War Memorial", but the name was later changed to the South African War Memorial after the 1931 completion of a new memorial on the corner of Kintore Avenue and North Terrace, which was built to remember those who served in the first World War.
When it was unveiled, the South African War Memorial was one of only two public equestrian sculptures in the country (the other being a depiction of Saint George and the Dragon
at the National Gallery of Victoria
), and the only commemorative equestrian work.
The memorial has been well received from the outset. When shown sketches the design, one of the Adelaide contingent described it as "spirited" – a word that was echoed by King Edward VII upon being shown a photograph of the model that was produced. When the completed statue arrived in Adelaide in 1904, the committee was reportedly delighted, and many in Australia viewed it as the best statue in the country.
In more recent times, Ken Inglis
has described the work as the "apotheosis" of the bushman soldier, representing the bushman and the horse at war (the "Australian centaur
"), and noted that it was possible to view the memorial as commemorating "dead horses as well as dead men". Simon Cameron, in his work "Silent Witness: Adelaide's statues and monuments", described the memorial as the most eye-catching statue in Adelaide, a view that was echoed by Chris Brice in 1999. More generally, the memorial is regarded as one of "Adelaide's most significant statues". The statue received national heritage listing in 1990, having been described both as a "significant landmark" and an "important piece of public sculpture of its period."
After World War I the memorial became one of the centerpieces of the Adelaide Anzac Day march. The route for the march starts at the National War Memorial
, heads west along North Terrace
, and turns right down King William Road
before culminating in a service at the Cross of Sacrifice (in the Adelaide Park Lands
opposite the St Peter's Cathederal
). As the marchers turn on to King William Road they salute the South African War Memorial.
As part of the State of South Australia's sesqui-centenerary in 1988, referred to locally as "Jubilee 150", a "Jubilee 150 Walkway
" was created along the north side of North Terrace, commenencing at the memorial.
The memorial's location on a busy street corner has caused it to deteriorate, resulting in at least two recent clean-up and restoration projects. The first involved a clean-up of the granite base, while the second involved more extensive restoration, and was completed in April, 2007 at a cost of $90,000.
A commemoration ceremony for the memorial was to be held on the 100th Anniversary of its dedication, 6 June 2004, with the Governor Marjorie Jackson-Nelson in attendance.
In recent years there has been talk of building a replica of the memorial. On 31 May 2008 on ANZAC Parade, Canberra
, the formal dedication of a site in which will be placed a new national Boer War memorial was held. A National Boer War Memorial Committee was formed prior to that date, and they will be conducting a national competition to find a design for the new memorial. In the design brief for the memorial, the committee state that it is their desire to build a memorial along the same lines as Adelaide's: going so far as to say that they would be willing to accept a replica of the statue from the South Australian memorial if the original mould could be located or if a duplicate could otherwise be produced.
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
ns who served in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
of 11 October 1899 to 31 May 1902. It was the first war in which South Australians fought, and 1531 men were sent in nine contingents, with over 1500 horses to accompany them. Over 59 South Australians died in the war.
The memorial is located in front of the main entrance to Government House
Government House, Adelaide
Government House, located in Adelaide on the corner of North Terrace and King William Road, is the official residence of the Governor of South Australia.-History:The original 'Government Hut' was a thatched hut constructed by the seamen of the HMS Buffalo...
, one the most prominent buildings in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, on the corner of North Terrace
North Terrace, Adelaide
North Terrace is one of the four terraces that bound the central business and residential district of the city of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. It runs east-west, along the northern edge of the CBD.-North Side of North Terrace:...
and King William Street
King William Street, Adelaide
King William Street is the part of a major arterial road that traverses the CBD and centre of Adelaide . It was named by the Street Naming Committee on 23 May 1837 after King William IV, the then reigning monarch, who died within a month...
. It was constructed with a budget of £2500 raised through public donations, and was designed by the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-based sculptor Adrian Jones
Adrian Jones
Adrian Jones was an English sculptor and painter who specialized in animals, particularly horses. He was born in Ludlow, Shropshire, attending the grammar school there, and initially studied at the Royal Veterinary College; he subsequently joined the army as a veterinary officer, attaining the...
. While the statue itself was not intended to represent any particular soldier, there is evidence suggesting that the head of the rider was based on that of George Henry Goodall.
The statue was unveiled by the Governor of South Australia
Governors of South Australia
The Governor of South Australia is the representative in the Australian state of South Australia of Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia. The Governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level.In...
, George Le Hunte
George Le Hunte
Sir George Ruthven Le Hunte KCMG was Governor of South Australia from 1 July 1903 until 18 February 1909, soon after federation of Australia....
, on 6 June 1904. It has since become one of the focal points for the Anzac day
ANZAC Day
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all...
marches, as well as being regarded as one of the most "eye-catching" and significant statues in the city. As such, it was added to the national heritage
National Trust of Australia
The Australian Council of National Trusts is the peak body for community-based, non-government organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's indigenous, natural and historic heritage....
listing in 1990.
Background
In 1899, the Orange Free StateOrange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
and Transvaal
South African Republic
The South African Republic , often informally known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer-ruled country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century. Not to be confused with the present-day Republic of South Africa, it occupied the area later known as the South African...
declared war on Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. South Australia, "fiercely" loyal to the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
and still "two years away from federation
Federation of Australia
The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia formed one nation...
", joined the other Australian colonies in sending troops to support the Empire in the conflict. With the support of Adelaide's newspapers, nine contingents of South Australian troops were sent to the war during the three years of hostilities, totaling 1531 men and 1507 horses. Funding for the endeavor was garnered through the State
Parliament of South Australia
The Parliament of South Australia is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of South Australia. It consists of the Legislative Council and the House of Assembly. It follows a Westminster system of parliamentary government....
and Imperial
Empire
The term empire derives from the Latin imperium . Politically, an empire is a geographically extensive group of states and peoples united and ruled either by a monarch or an oligarchy....
Governments in combination with funds raised through public subscriptions. In addition to the formal contingent, a number of Australians served as colonial troops
Colonial troops
Colonial troops or colonial army refers to various military units recruited from, or used as garrison troops in, colonial territories.- Colonial background :...
, either having paid their way to Southern Africa
Southern Africa
Southern Africa is the southernmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. Within the region are numerous territories, including the Republic of South Africa ; nowadays, the simpler term South Africa is generally reserved for the country in English.-UN...
after the conflict had begun or having already been present in the region prior to the outbreak of hostilities. By the time hostilities ended on 31 May 1902, at least 59 South Australians had been killed in the war.
Design and construction
A committee to build a memorial to those who served and died in the Second Boer War was formed shortly after the war was ended, spurred by a suggestion in July 1901 by J. Johnson to erect an equestrian statue. Chaired by George Brookman, the committee rapidly raised £2500 from public donations. With the assistance of the Agent-General, Henry A Grainger, a subcommittee consisting of members who were present in London at the time was engaged to find a sculptor who would be able to provide the statue that they desired. The original intent of the committee was to purchase a secondhand statue and to make alterations to suit. Nevertheless, the Agent-General recommended Captain Adrian Jones, a veterinarian, military officer and sculptor who had an "affinity for animals", and who had previously worked on equestrian projects. Jones made two offers to the committee: the first was to construct a replica of a work that he had entered into a South African competition, on the condition that it would be cast only if the original was accepted; while the second was to model a smaller work based on a sketch he had produced. The second option he priced at £1600, arguing that the reduced cost was acceptable as it would allow him to keep his staff in employment until the larger South African commission was finalized. The committee were quite taken by his sketch, agreeing to the second option and looking no further.Finding that he needed advice in regard to accouterments and the attitude of Australian soldiers, Jones made inquiries about consulting with an Australian. George Henry Goodall, a South Australian veteran of the Second Boer War, was at the time serving as Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant
Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant
Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant is a military rank in some militaries, and an appointment in others.-Irish Defence Forces:Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant is a rank in the Irish Army and Irish Air Corps equivalent to Warrant Officer Class 2 in the British Army...
with the Australian Corps
Australian Corps
The Australian Corps was a World War I army corps that contained all five Australian infantry divisions serving on the Western Front. It was the largest corps fielded by the British Empire army in France...
engaged in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
at the coronation ceremonies for King Edward VII. Goodall was "volunteered" to attend Jones in order to model and to provide advice. Goodall later described how Jones had requested that he pose while the sculptor created a clay model of his head, but Simon Cameron observed that Jones's memoirs "do not mention any sittings." Nevertheless, a 1940 memorandum, based on a conversation with Goodall, noted that "a comparison of a photograph of Mr Goodall, taken in 1902 with the statue itself certainly indicates a strong facial likeness". In the same memorandum it was noted that Goodall only posed for the head, and that he insisted that his selection to model for the statue was not based on any outstanding merit as a soldier.
With the choice of statues settled, a competition was run in Adelaide in 1903 to find the design for the pedestal. A total of 12 entries were received, with the submission by Garlick, Sibley and Wooldridge being selected as the winner. The pedestal is 12 feet in height, and was constructed from granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
quarried from the nearby town of Murray Bridge
Murray Bridge, South Australia
Murray Bridge is the fourth most populous city in South Australia after Adelaide, Mount Gambier and Whyalla. It is located east-southeast of Adelaide and north of Meningie....
.
The bronze plaques which are mounted on the sides of the pedestal list the names of 59 South Australians who died in the conflict, and were cast from gun plates by A. W. Dobbie and Company. (A. W. Dobbie and Company were later responsible for the bronze castings on the South Australian National War Memorial
National War Memorial (South Australia)
The National War Memorial is a monument in the South Australian capital of Adelaide, commemorating those who served in the First World War. Opened in 1931, the memorial is located on the corner of North Terrace and Kintore Avenue, in the heart of the central business district and adjacent to the...
to those who served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
). A further 16 South Australians died in relation to the Boer War, while an additional four died either during training or upon their return. Also missing from the list is Harry "Breaker" Morant
Breaker Morant
Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant was an Anglo-Australian drover, horseman, poet, soldier and convicted war criminal whose skill with horses earned him the nickname "The Breaker"...
, who had served in the second contingent of troops to be sent from South Australia, and was executed by the British after being found guilty by court martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
of the murder of unarmed Boer
Boer
Boer is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for farmer, which came to denote the descendants of the Dutch-speaking settlers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century, as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
troops. There was no controversy at the time in regard to his omission, although the decision not to include his companion Peter Handcock
Peter Handcock
Peter Joseph Handcock was a Veterinary Lieutenant in the Bushveldt Carbineers in the Boer War in South Africa. Handcock and Harry "Breaker" Morant were court martialed and executed by firing squad on 27 February 1902 on murder charges for shooting Boer prisoners and a German missionary, Jacob...
(who was executed alongside Morant) on the Bathurst, New South Wales
Bathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
, memorial was more problematic, and was rescinded in 1964.
The memorial is located in front of Government House
Government House, Adelaide
Government House, located in Adelaide on the corner of North Terrace and King William Road, is the official residence of the Governor of South Australia.-History:The original 'Government Hut' was a thatched hut constructed by the seamen of the HMS Buffalo...
on the corner of North Terrace
North Terrace, Adelaide
North Terrace is one of the four terraces that bound the central business and residential district of the city of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. It runs east-west, along the northern edge of the CBD.-North Side of North Terrace:...
and King William Street
King William Street, Adelaide
King William Street is the part of a major arterial road that traverses the CBD and centre of Adelaide . It was named by the Street Naming Committee on 23 May 1837 after King William IV, the then reigning monarch, who died within a month...
, one of the busiest corners in the city.
Unveiling
The memorial was unveiled on 6 June 1904. This date was significant both as the birthday of the then Prince of WalesPrince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
, George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, and the third anniversary of the Battle of Graspan, (in which South Australian soldiers had served). A large crowd gathered to view the unveiling, and the speakers included the chair of the memorial committee, George Brookman, and George Le Hunte, the Governor of South Australia. The memorial itself was shrouded by canvas and the Union Jack, which fell away to reveal the statue underneath.
At the time of the unveiling the memorial was referred to as the South Australian "National War Memorial", but the name was later changed to the South African War Memorial after the 1931 completion of a new memorial on the corner of Kintore Avenue and North Terrace, which was built to remember those who served in the first World War.
When it was unveiled, the South African War Memorial was one of only two public equestrian sculptures in the country (the other being a depiction of Saint George and the Dragon
Saint George and the Dragon
The episode of Saint George and the Dragon appended to the hagiography of Saint George was Eastern in origin, brought back with the Crusaders and retold with the courtly appurtenances belonging to the genre of Romance...
at the National Gallery of Victoria
National Gallery of Victoria
The National Gallery of Victoria is an art gallery and museum in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is the oldest and the largest public art gallery in Australia. Since December 2003, NGV has operated across two sites...
), and the only commemorative equestrian work.
Reception
In more recent times, Ken Inglis
Ken Inglis
Kenneth Stanley Inglis is an Australian historian.Inglis completed his Master's degree at the University of Melbourne and his doctorate at the University of Oxford. In 1956 he was appointed as a lecturer to the University of Adelaide...
has described the work as the "apotheosis" of the bushman soldier, representing the bushman and the horse at war (the "Australian centaur
Centaur
In Greek mythology, a centaur or hippocentaur is a member of a composite race of creatures, part human and part horse...
"), and noted that it was possible to view the memorial as commemorating "dead horses as well as dead men". Simon Cameron, in his work "Silent Witness: Adelaide's statues and monuments", described the memorial as the most eye-catching statue in Adelaide, a view that was echoed by Chris Brice in 1999. More generally, the memorial is regarded as one of "Adelaide's most significant statues". The statue received national heritage listing in 1990, having been described both as a "significant landmark" and an "important piece of public sculpture of its period."
The memorial today
National War Memorial (South Australia)
The National War Memorial is a monument in the South Australian capital of Adelaide, commemorating those who served in the First World War. Opened in 1931, the memorial is located on the corner of North Terrace and Kintore Avenue, in the heart of the central business district and adjacent to the...
, heads west along North Terrace
North Terrace, Adelaide
North Terrace is one of the four terraces that bound the central business and residential district of the city of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. It runs east-west, along the northern edge of the CBD.-North Side of North Terrace:...
, and turns right down King William Road
King William Street, Adelaide
King William Street is the part of a major arterial road that traverses the CBD and centre of Adelaide . It was named by the Street Naming Committee on 23 May 1837 after King William IV, the then reigning monarch, who died within a month...
before culminating in a service at the Cross of Sacrifice (in the Adelaide Park Lands
Adelaide Park Lands
The Adelaide Park Lands are the parks that surround the centre of the South Australian capital city of Adelaide. They measure approximately 7.6 square kilometres in a green belt encircling the city centre....
opposite the St Peter's Cathederal
St Peter's Cathedral, Adelaide
St Peter's Cathedral is an Anglican Cathedral in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. It is the seat of the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Adelaide...
). As the marchers turn on to King William Road they salute the South African War Memorial.
As part of the State of South Australia's sesqui-centenerary in 1988, referred to locally as "Jubilee 150", a "Jubilee 150 Walkway
Jubilee 150 Walkway
The Jubilee 150 Walkway, also variously known as the Jubilee 150 Commemorative Walk, the Jubilee 150 Walk, and the Jubilee Walk, is a series of 150 bronze plaques set into the pavement of North Terrace, Adelaide. It was officially opened on 21 December 1986...
" was created along the north side of North Terrace, commenencing at the memorial.
The memorial's location on a busy street corner has caused it to deteriorate, resulting in at least two recent clean-up and restoration projects. The first involved a clean-up of the granite base, while the second involved more extensive restoration, and was completed in April, 2007 at a cost of $90,000.
A commemoration ceremony for the memorial was to be held on the 100th Anniversary of its dedication, 6 June 2004, with the Governor Marjorie Jackson-Nelson in attendance.
In recent years there has been talk of building a replica of the memorial. On 31 May 2008 on ANZAC Parade, Canberra
ANZAC Parade, Canberra
This article is about the road in Canberra. For other uses, see Anzac Parade .ANZAC Parade, a significant road and thoroughfare in the Australian capital Canberra, is used for ceremonial occasions and is the site of many major military memorials.Named in honour of the Australian and New Zealand...
, the formal dedication of a site in which will be placed a new national Boer War memorial was held. A National Boer War Memorial Committee was formed prior to that date, and they will be conducting a national competition to find a design for the new memorial. In the design brief for the memorial, the committee state that it is their desire to build a memorial along the same lines as Adelaide's: going so far as to say that they would be willing to accept a replica of the statue from the South Australian memorial if the original mould could be located or if a duplicate could otherwise be produced.
External links
- "Colourised" postcard of the Unveiling Ceremony.
