The Troopers' Memorial

Thames Star, Volume XXXX, Issue 10252, 19 December 1902, Page 4

The Troopers' Memorial

The ceremony of unveiling the memorial erected to> the memory of the Thames troopers*, who have fallen |in South Africa, or died during the I late campaign, took place yesterday | I in'the presence of a large and repro ! sentative gathering, including the local volunteer companies, bands. | veterans, lfturneil troopeis, and school cadets. In the absence of Ilis i Worship 'the Mayor (Mr F. Trembath) Mr J. W. Poulgrain' (one of the senior councillors) pre-iideid. There were present: The Hon. J. McGowan, Ministed- of Mines and Justice, the I?eve. A. D. Thomson (secretary), E. Drake, Crs. Theo. Wood, Burton, and others, Messrs Kennerley and) other Lodge representatives, Mrs Donkin (mother of one of the deceased troopers), and . other ladies who had been invited to ! take seats oni the plaitfdrin. Apologies ! wore received for the absence* of Mr ' R. S. Bush, Mr Ja.s. Renshaw, Rev. ' E. IL Taylor, and Lieut.-Coloonel For- ! rilt. j Cr. J. W. Poulerain, as chairman, i said that he had been called upon, to | tact in that capacity at very short j notice, -and! .therefore he asked tlinsa present to overlook any shortcomings on, his. behalf. He was pleased to preside at that day's fumdtion, and he thought that the object was a miOot commendable one. The committee Iliad sett, to work earnestly and with' a, will, amldl'they were lo be complimented upon the result of their labour*. Mi* Poulgira-rn spoke of the goodi work done by the colonials in' the field, and said it was but: fitting that the district should erect, some suitable memorial to those* wlio had fallen. (Applause.) , The Rev. A. D. Thomson then road the committee's report, which detailed the progi ossi made, and stated that there was still a small sum to be collected bsifoie the. memorial would be free from, debt. Mr Thomson also dlelirored a short addiess, in which he referred! to the deaths thrt had occuircd and of the sacrifices, that th ecolOin:esr had made on behalf of the Mother Country during the progress of the South, African war. (Applause.) The- Hon. Mr Me Go wan, whci wast received with applause, said Tie was pleased to bo present that day to unveil the mcmoi'a] to thtH troopers who hadl fullem in the late South African war. He thought tlicit a good deal of credit wa«s due to 1 the committee for the manner in which they had worked and! to the public for i,ho heairty rel-lpon^e made. There was no occasion for the speaker to refer at length to the serv:rj| rendered by tho New Zealand' and other colonial contingents in the late South African war; what they had done was now known throughout the world, and it rofleatedi credit, upon the loyalty and courage of the colonials. A debt, a heavy debt, was due to those who had fallen during the war; what more could a man give than ibis life' lie was pleased to see that 'the memory off the dead was thus honored, and he wnis pleased to note that the Thames w,as to the fore in the erection of a memorial. In, the, speakers dpinii'on, there) was not ai sufficient number of memorials of this inaiture in the colony, for they afforded some little gratification to the relatives left belli hd. The .speaker them'mowed towards, tho memorial, which was; dtraipe'd with- <a Uniomi Jaick, anidi at a, given .signal the flag wasl pulled away and amidst applause the memorial was unveiled. , The memorial stands, on a base of Maimesbury bluestone, 7feet square. From 'this rise three steps of the game •material, each 8 inches high and diminishing in size. On the: top step near the, corner are square pillar's 3ft 4in high, enclosing panels of white Sicilian marble. Fro-mi one of these springs! th© fountain:' a,nd ornamental bowl. ■ ■ Surniioun'tinig this •:«' a further marble base carrying the die of the monument with 'ornamental .moulding projecting on the face)--, on which, the ! niaan.es of 'the fallen, troopers are inscribed. Rising from the summit of ■the die are four panels decorated with 1 • shields, on,' which 'are in boWdi . relief the English lion amdl a bunch of the Imperial! rose 1*; thei Scotch lion iraimipaint and! a spray of .thistle; 'the Irish!, harp iaiidi a cluster of Sham- 1 rod).; the Southern Cross find .a bunch of fern. The Mm® a,nld emblems of England, Scotland, Ireland, 1 and this colony respectively.. Above the foun^ tain the inscription iruntsi: "Erected 1' by the residents of Thames goldfkikte, 18th December, 1902." Immediately j over this and facing Pollen street, to- : wardisl Grahamstown diagonally is inscribed! "In memory of those who Ml, and in fhonc-ur of those who served : in; South Africa, 1899-1.902. The Empire's hour of need?' Above all appears the three English, lion® on; a i-hi-eld. On- the opposite side—the' antipodes—isl the' sihieldi with the New. Zealand!:, ensign, the : Southern Cross, -and underneath:': "Robert Farsuibairj. itiijoio'per, H Squadron, Brabant's Horse." On, the (right side of the front appears the ishield 1 with 'the, Scottish lion rampant* '. aril ' underneath : "Fredi W. D. Forbes-, gunner, sth Contingent." 'On 1 the) fourth; sidie is the shield 1 with the Irish harp and the words : "Williami Donkin, trooper, 7th" Contingent." On the faces' of th© mexb block are wreaths of laurel. Frorni the cube SO' adorned rfces a tapering shaft tor 1- | miniating tut 'the toip- with a floraili die> vice. ' The work was canned! out by Messrs MeNab and Mason, off Symonds street, , Auckland', who are to be camplimemited on the success' that has attended their labour!*. Votes of thanks 'were passed' to the Hon. J. McGowan,, band's, volunteers, veterans, returned troopers 1, and cadets.(on the motion of the Rev. E. Drake, seconded by Mr Theo. Wood) and! -ciairried' by, pp^liam,n,ti6n,. cheers were them given 1, for tho King and Queen, three cheeate for the coanmittee, and three hearty cheers: ftoir ; the Hon. J. McGowan. A special word of praise) is due to tlie bandsmen, volunteers^ veterani-s', returned troopers, -and cadets,, who were present at some inconvenience. The Hanraki and Battalion 1 Bands massed for the occasion, and Conductors Gordon a,ndi Booth superintended the mulsieal portion of the programme, which was. most complete. Returned troopers took up a: oolleo tioto, and ■& hearty 'response was madie. i