Lancashire Fusiliers Boer War Memorial

Boer War memorial of 1905, relocated to its present position in 1920, by Sir George James Frampton.

MATERIALS: bronze statue and inscriptions, on a sandstone plinth.

PLAN: a square plinth surmounted by the statue.

DESCRIPTION: standing at the southern point of Whitehead Gardens, with the Whitehead Tower and the Town Hall to the N.

The plinth has a moulded, inward-stepping base and an almost imperceptibly-tapering shaft, with overhanging cap. There is a bronze panel fixed to each face with a design in low relief. The upper part of each panel has a stylised Art Nouveau wood of oak trees with a laurel wreath beneath, which is tied by ribbons which run among the trees. Below this is an inscription in artistic lettering with a bead-and-reel border. On the front (S) panel the wreath contains the regimental badge (a flaming grenade with the battle honour ‘Egypt’ on a sphinx), with a Lancashire rose in front of the tree canopy. This face is inscribed: TO THE GLORIOUS MEMORY/ OF LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS/ LINE, MILITIA AND VOLUNTEER/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR/ THEIR SOVEREIGN & COUNTRY/ IN SOUTH AFRICA 1900-2/ THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED/ BY THEIR COMRADES OF ALL/ RANKS & BY FRIENDS OF/ THE REGIMENT.

The E face inscription reads: THE NAMES OF OFFICERS,/ NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND MEN/ WHO WERE KILLED OR WHO DIED/ IN SOUTH AFRICA/ 1900-1902.

Below this are listed 50 names of the Fallen above the rank of Private, in descending order of rank and (except for the officers) alphabetically by surname.

The N face is headed PRIVATES, with 84 names listed alphabetically by surname. The W face continues the list of Privates, with a further 87 names.

The statue is a portrait of a soldier of the regiment wearing ‘review order’ uniform, which is realistically depicted, including his medals. His pose is of dignified triumph. His left hand holds his rifle, whose butt rests on the rocky outcrop on which he stands. With his right hand he salutes by holding aloft his busby, as a result his left heel being slightly raised. The statue is signed G Frampton RA on the E side.

This List entry has been amended to add the source for War Memorials Online. This source was not used in the compilation of this List entry but is added here as a guide for further reading, 20 July 2017.