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Site Dedication 31 May 2008

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.

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.

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.

Hobart Mercury 4 June 2007

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

Launceston Examiner 11 June 2007

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

Launceston Boer War Memorial

Text courtesy Papers indicated, Photos Chris Gardiner unless otherwise noted