South African (Boer) War MemorialPrint Page

The War Memorial commemorates those who served in the South African (Boer) War from 1899 to 1902.  It was unveiled in 1940 by Major General C. F. Cox who served in the campaign and lists the names of the units from New South Wales who participated in the conflict. 

Sydney's first Boer War memorial was unveiled in Observatory Park on Friday of last week. The monument was paid for from money which New South Wales Boer War veterans have been collecting for the past 30 years. The Government never gave them a monument. This memorial lists the names of the units in which 6000 men, 327 officers, 14 nurses and 5877 horses went to the war from New South Wales. Leaning on a friend's arm, 77-year old Maior-General Sir Charles Cox unveiled the memorial. One name on it belonged to Captain Charles Cox, the young officer who led the N.S.W. Lancers in South Africa in 1899.

The stones in the memorial are at least 133 years old. They came from the old demolished Governor Macquarie stores building at Circular Quay. Fourteen chaplains went to South Africa from New South Wales. Only three are alive now. They were all at the unveiling on Friday — the Rev. John Boardman (retired), the Rev. James Green (retired), aud the Rev. J. H. Auld, Presbyterian Minister at Croydon Park. Nearly 300 veterans marched to the park from Martin Place. With them marched Major-General Macarthur Onslow, his old-fashioned red-banded staff cap tipped jauntily over one eye. He went to the Boer War as O.C. of the Fifth Battalion, Australian Horse.

The President of the South African Soldiers' Association (Major C. W. H. Coulter) told the crowd: "The Government of 1914 took £27,000 left over from the South African War Relief Fund and merged it with the general war fund. If we had that money now our men wouldn't be dying in old men's homes." Drum-Major C. E. Downes, Boer and Great War veteran, ended the ceremony by sounding "Reveille."
Manning River Times and Advocate for the Northern Coast Districts of New South Wales (Taree, NSW), Sat 8 June 1940. 

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