South African War Memorial (Halifax)

South African War Memorial

Boer War Monument, Province House
Coordinates	44°38′53.86″N 063°34′24.65″W
Location	Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Designer	Hamilton MacCarthy
Type	War memorial
Opening date	1901
Dedicated to	Those who fought in the Boer War

The South African War Memorial is a memorial located in the courtyard of Province House in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

On October 19, 1901, the Prince of Wales (the future George V) laid the cornerstone for the monument. (This was the first visit to Canada by a Prince and Princess of Wales.) The Prince also gave medals to returning soldiers. Two weeks later, on November 1, the heroes of Paardeberg returned and marched triumphantly down George Street.

The statue was made by Hamilton MacCarthy (who also made the Boer War Monument in the Halifax Public Gardens and the Harold Lothrop Borden statue in Canning, Nova Scotia). At the base of the statue are four panels. One Panel is of the departure of troops from Halifax en route to South Africa; another is the Battle of Witpoort, which made Harold Lothrop Borden the most famous Canadian Casualty of the War; another depicts the Battle of Paardeberg (Canada's most significant battle of the war, with the most casualties); and the fourth panel is of the Siege of Mafeking. These panels were also meant to honour the three Canadian Services that fought in the war: the infantry, mounted rifles and artillery. The Nova Scotia Princess Louise Fusiliers and the Nova Scotia Highlanders participated in the war.

For two decades afterwards, Canadians would gather on February 27 (known in Canada as "Paardeberg Day") around memorials to the South African War to say prayers and honour veterans. This continued until the end of the First World War, when Armistice Day (later called Remembrance Day) began to observed on November 11.

Departing Halifax

Battle of Witpoort, Boer War Monument, Province House, Nova Scotia

Battle of Paardeberg

Siege of Mafeking

See also

Part of a series on the
Military history of Nova Scotia
Citadel Hill
Events
Battle of Port Royal 1690 Conquest of Acadia 1710 Battle of Jeddore Harbour 1722 Northeast Coast Campaign 1745 Battle of Grand Pré 1747 Dartmouth Massacre 1751 Bay of Fundy Campaign 1755 Fall of Louisbourg 1758 Headquarters established for Royal Navy's North American Station 1758 Burying the Hatchet ceremony 1761 Battle of Fort Cumberland 1776 Raid on Lunenburg 1782 Halifax Impressment Riot 1805 Establishment of New Ireland 1812 Capture of USS Chesapeake 1813 Battle at the Great Redan 1855 Siege of Lucknow 1857 CSS Tallahassee Escape 1861 Departing Halifax for Northwest Rebellion 1885 Departing Halifax for the Boer War 1899 Imprisonment of Leon Trotsky 1917 Jewish Legion formed 1917 Sinking of HMHS Llandovery Castle 1918 Battle of the St. Lawrence 1942–44 Sinking of SS Point Pleasant Park 1945 Halifax VE-Day Riot 1945 Walter Callow Wheelchair Bus established 1947
Notable military regiments
Mi'kmaq militias 1677-1779 Acadian militias 1689-1761 40th Regiment 1717-57 Troupes de la marine 1717-58 Gorham's Rangers 1744-62 Danks' Rangers 1756-62 84th Regiment of Foot 1775-84 Royal Fencible American 1775-83 Royal Nova Scotia Volunteers 1775-83 King's Orange Rangers 1776-83 1st Field Artillery 1791-present Royal Nova Scotia 1793-1802 Nova Scotia Fencibles 1803-16 The Halifax Rifles (RCAC) 1860-present The Princess Louise Fusiliers 1867-present 78th Highlanders 1869-71 Cape Breton Highlanders 1871-present Nova Scotia Rifles 1914-19 No. 2 Construction Battalion 1916-19 West Nova Scotia 1916-present The Nova Scotia Highlanders 1954-present
Other
Nova Scotia Captivity Narratives Impressment in Nova Scotia

• South African War Memorial (Toronto)
• Boer War Memorial (Montreal)
• Military history of Nova Scotia

External links

• Canadian Anglo Boer War Museum

References

• South African War Memorial (Halifax)