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POSTERS FOR BOER WAR DAY 30 May 2010 The aim of Boer War Day is to commemorate the 23,000 Australian men and women who served in the Boer War and to make the public more aware of the 1,000 who died in that war. The 31st May is the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging that ended the South African war in 1902. There is no intention that such a day should compete with ANZAC Day and other major days of remembrance. Boer War Day could be held in towns and cities were there are memorials to the Boer War or where there are groups of descendants and interested people. Access List At meetings with the RSL NSW Branch and with Local Government Association of NSW and Shires Association of NSW in 2009, it was agreed that: 1. Such ceremonies should be organised by local people and organisations and not necessarily by the RSL State Office, LGA or the NBWMA. Local committees could include descendants, Legacy, War Widows, RSL Sub branchs, Defence units, CWA, press, historical societies, Local Government and others. Boer War Day posters are attached for your information and downloading if you wish. Please note: • The fact sheet can be printed on the reverse of any of the posters. Any questions please contact tony.larnach-jones@bwm.org.au Please use the butons below to download in .pdf format.
On 26 October 2009, a petition for a Pardon for Lieutenants Morant, Handcock and Witton raised by Commander James Unkles (Legal Officer RANR) of Chirnside Park VIC was tabled in the Australian House of Representatives. CLICK HERE for Details.
Following a successful dedication of the National Boer War Memorial site in Canberra on 31 May 2008; in 2009 the 107th Anniversary of the treaty of Vereeniging in 1902 was celebrated by the re-dedication of the memorial to Lieutenant Gideon Grieve at Watson’s Bay near Sydney on Sunday 31 May.
Lieutenant Grieve was killed on 18 February 1900 at Paardeberg South Africa attempting to save the life of one of his soldiers when as a New South Wales Military Forces Special Service Officer he was in command of H Company 2nd Battalion the Black Watch. Lieutenant Grieve, aged 36 left a wife and two orphan children in Sydney. On 22 December 1900 his comrades from the NSW Scottish Rifles dedicated a memorial to the late Lieutenant. It was marvellous, a marble sheathed plinth surmounted with a stone domed drinking fountain, topped with a bronze statue of Lieutenant Grieve in the uniform of the NSW Scottish Rifles. Sadly the statue was removed and destroyed by local hooligans within a few months of the dedication, and a few years after that the drinking fountain ceased to function. The current monument is thus but a vestige of the original. Well maintained by Woollahra Council, however, it still impresses as it stands sentinel near the heads through which many Australians have passed on their way to battle. On a bleak, cold and windy day, Lieutenant Grieve’s relatives, other descendants of those who served, members of the National and New South Wales Boer War Memorial committees, and their supporters braved the elements to witness the re-dedication. All present were welcomed by Lieutenant Colonel Tony Lanarch-Jones (Retired) chairman of the NSW Committee. Councillor Andrew Petrie, Mayor of Woollahra spoke of the significance of this memorial to the citizens of Woollahra and offered the Council’s support for the construction of a memorial to those who served in the Boer War at ANZAC Parade Canberra. Colonel Donald Ramsey OAM told of Gideon Grieve’s life from his birth in Scotland, his service with the New South Wales Scottish Rifles, his leadership, bravery, and finally his gallant death in South Africa. Colonel Ramsey also emphasised Mr Grieve’s legacy, his family, the Scott’s College Cadets he helped form, and the example he set to be followed by so many Australians in conflicts from Gallipoli to the present day in Afghanistan.
Former Mayor of Woollahra, Lieutenant Chris Dawson (Retired) gave a brief summary of the war in South Africa; followed by details of the National Boer Memorial project from Tony Lanarch-Jones. A brief rededication service was then conducted by the Reverend Cliff Parish. Brian Walters, Secretary of the Royal New South Wales Lancers Association read the ode, followed by the Last Post, silence and Rouse (courtesy Musician Chris Graham). After this the Grieve family (Flight Lieutenant Hamish Grieve, Josephine Grieve, and Luna Rodrigues-Grieve) spoke of what their ancestor’s service meant to the family. Nicola Grieve acknowledged the original owners of the land. The ceremony concluded with the National Anthem played by WO1 Bill Campbell OAM (Piper) and Drummer Arthur Robinson. After the ceremony refreshments were served at St Peters Church Hall nearby.
Our Master of Ceremonies was Lieutenant Ken Griffin (Retd). Please activate the button below for a short video of the highlights of the ceremony.
National Boer War Memorial Site Dedication
At 11:00 am on Saturday 31 May 2008, the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging that ended the South African war in 1902, the site for the Australian National Boer War Memorial was dedicated. It commemorates the 23,000 Australians who fought. The allocated area is on the western side of the ceremonial avenue between the existing New Zealand and Australian Light Horse memorials. The ceremony was simple blessing and dedicating the site, Major Robert Morrison was Master of Ceremonies The Hon Bob McMullen MP representing the Prime Minister officially launched the National Boer War Memorial project. Speeches were given by members of the National Boer War Memorial committee who covered in detail what our countrymen did in South Africa. Ground was held by two light horse re-enactors from the Australian Light horse Association and a catafalque party from the Federation Guard. The ceremony lasted 30 minutes.
589 of our countrymen lost their lives – the greatest number of Australian dead after the thousands lost in two World Wars. Five hundred members of the Queensland Mounted Infantry and the NSW Lancers took part in the forced march to relieve Kimberley. The memorial will ensure that those who fought in South Africa are commemorated in a way, which will preserve this aspect of our heritage and military history for the education and benefit of future generations of Australians. The Boer War was the first full commitment of troops by all the Australian Colonies to a foreign war and with the formation of the Australian Commonwealth on 1 January 1901 it became our country’s first military involvement as a nation. This war and deeds of those Australian volunteers is the only major war not to be commemorated in Anzac Parade, Canberra. More Australians were lost than in Vietnam, making the Boer War the third most devastating war after the two world wars. It has taken too long for Australia to recognise these sacrifices. The memorial will be a long overdue national commemoration to honour our Boer War servicemen and nurses. It is an investment in our history and culture.
Ceremony honours 40 who died in "forgotten" war ONE hundred and five years ago this month a war thousands of kilometres away came to an end. The Boer War claimed the lives of 40 Tasmanians and those deaths were honoured in an inaugural commemorative day in Launceston yesterday. About 20 people attended the ceremony at the Boer War memorial in City Park, led by military historian Reg Watson. Mr Watson said 900 Tasmanians volunteered to fight in support of the British Empire in South Africa during 1899-1902 and 40 were killed. The war had a big impact on the then colony of Tasmania. "This is why we are here to pay homage, to show our respect and honour their bravery, " he said. "And even after 105 years, to show them our love and in that, we have not forgotten them." The service was supported by Youngtown Army Cadets Drum Cpl Sam Chynoweth, piper Lt Fraser Murray, Lt Carrie Stevens and cenotaph guards Cpl Nathan Alexander and Cadet Raymond Russell. Mr Watson said his grandfather served with the 2nd Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen or TIBs. "It's been my object I guess for 25 to 30 years, to have Tasmanians remember our participation in that war," he said. "It's been caled the forgotten war for good reason - because it's been overshadowed by World War I." Mr Watson said he would like the service to become an annual event in Launceston. - Michael Lowe
THE new generation of Tasmanians should be taught about the sacrifices their ancestors made during the often-forgotten Boer War, the organiser of yesterday's commemorative service says. Almost 900 Tasmanians were sent to fight in the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa between 1899 and June 1, 1902. Nearly 40 of them never made it home, dying in action or from disease, and are buried in South Africa. The man behind Hobart's fifth annual Boer War Commemorative Day, local war historian Reg Watson, said young Tasmanians should take an interest in the event, the way they have in ANZAC Day. "The ANZAC parades right around Australia are growing in interest with the younger people," he said. "One of the main messages I'd like to get out to Tasmanians is that you probably have an ancestor who fought in the Boer War. There'd be thousands and thousands of Tasmanians in that category. "We need to attract the younger generation and it's probably just (a matter of raising) awareness that their families have been involved in the Boer War." Mr Watson said the Boer conflict did not deserve to be the "forgotten war". "Even though there is some criticism -- 'Tasmanians shouldn't have been there, what the heck were we in South Africa for?' -- the fact is that it's a major part of our history," he said. "But it was overshadowed by World War I and quickly forgotten." A commemorative service will be held in Launceston for the first time this year. It will be at the Boer War memorial in Launceston's City Park from noon on Sunday.
Photos Chad Sutton
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Those present included: Mrs Valerie Howse OAM - a great lady 90 years young, her three sons and families all descendents of Captain Neville Howse VC (later Maj Gen Howse VC , KCMG,KCB, K StJ, doctor, mayor of Orange, politician and Minister for Defence) the first Australian to be awarded the Victoria Cross; Mrs Gwen Dempsey whose husband was related to Lieutenant Peter Handcock; and Mrs Lyn Hammett, related to SSM Hammett Bushveldt Carbineers and 9th Lancers.
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