South African (Boer) War MemorialPrint Page

The War Memorial commemorates three soldiers who died in service or were killed in action in the South African (Boer) War.

At Mr. Thomas Browne's monumental works, High-street, West Maitland, is to be seen a cenotaph designed to perpetuate the memory of three members of the Tenterfield Mounted Rifles, who lost their lives in South Africa. The residents of Tenterfield have already erected a handsome monument for the same object. The one just completed is erected by the comrades of fallen soldiers. It is a splendid structure, about 14ft. high. The nether base will be of New England granite, about 6ft. square. On this will be placed a sandstone base, 4ft. square, and about 12in. thick. Above are four marble panels, bearing four inscriptions. A sandstone plinth covers the panels, and carries four short sandstone bases supporting four solid marble columns. In the space between the columns is a sandstone die, bearing the crest and motto of the Rifles. The motto is Toujours Pret — "Always ready." 

Moulded caps and a cornice of sandstone surmount the columns, and on top stands the statue of a rifleman, standing at ease, wearing an undress cap, and holding a grounded carbine in his right hand. The carbine is the genuine article, and is one that was taken to the war. The statue was cut out of Ravensfield sandstone (which yields itself readily to the chisel and mallet), and is the work of Mr. Chas. O'Kelly, a Sydney sculptor. It is an excellent portrayal. The inscription on the front marble panel is — "Erected by the Tenterfield Mounted Rifles, in memory of their three comrades who fell in South Africa during the Boer War, 1900-02." The rear panel is inscribed — "Sergeant-Major James Mitchell, killed at Elands River, 18th August, 1900." The other panels bear respectively the wording — " Trooper Arthur Percy Britten Grey, died from enteric fever at Pretoria, 19th November, 1901;" and "Trooper William Bender, died from enteric fever at Bloemfontein, 3rd. April, 1900." The monument is an excellent piece of work, of which Mr. Browne and his workmen may well feel proud. And it is proof that the memory of the dead warriors have a warm place in the hearts of their comrades of the Tenterfield Mounted Rifles. 
Maitland Weekly Mercury (NSW),  21 March 1903.

The ceremony of unveiling a memorial to their comrades who fell in the South African War was performed yesterday by Colonel Onslow on behalf of the local mounted rifles. There was a large gathering of the general public.
Australian Star (Sydney), 23 April 1903.

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