In July we visited the Northumberland town of Hexham for the first time.

I spotted this statue to Lieutenant Colonel George Elliott Benson, Royal Regiment of Artillery, who died at the Second Boer War Battle of Braakenlagte, 30/10/1901.

Dedication:-

The day after Bletchley Park we visited Peterborough again.

Unlike last time, we managed to get to see the inside of Peterborough Cathedral, my photograph of which is here.

There’s a lot to see there – including a Boer War Memorial:-

In March last year we were over in Dumbarton again – no doubt for a football match.

However we also took the chance to have a look at the old Municipal Buildings which date from long before local government reorganisation in the 1960s – at a time when the town had a Town Council.

Arch and Municipal Buildings, Dumbarton:-

The plaque attached to the arch describes it as one of the tower arches of St Mary’s Collegiate Church, founded 1450. The arch was moved in 1850 to make way for the railway station and again in 1907 to its present location:-

Boer War Memorial, Dumbarton, Municipal Buildings behind. The memorial is inscribed, “Erected by the citizens of Dumbarton in memory of those who left the burgh to fight for their country in South Africa and who laid down their lives during the progress of the war 1899-1902.”:-

There are several memorials to past conflicts inside Chester Cathedral.

The most ornate is the one for the South African War of 1899-1902, known as the Boer War, though it was the second such.

Another entry for Judith, Reader in the Wilderness‘s meme.

This bookcase is in our living room. Top shelf is Military History with my extensive collection of Pan’s “British Battles” series and more. The second shelf contains more Military History, books by Primo Levi plus some novels, the third is a miscellany, some omnibus editions, hard back Hilary Mantel books plus at the extreme right books on International Exhibitions:-

The books below are in a display cabinet. These are mostly about World Wars 1 and 2 but also there is Thomas Pakenham’s The Boer War:-

Same display cabinet. Churchill’s History of the English Speaking Peoples, Conan Doyle’s The British Campaign in Flanders and Son of the Morning Star.

Highland Light Infantry, Indian North West Frontier 1863:-

Memorial to Sutherland Highlanders of the Crimean War:-

Boer War Memorial to Sappers James Hunter and Thomas Money of First Lanarkshire Royal Engineers, February 1901:-

Royal Army Medical Corps Boer War Memorial. Private W Munro, Erlandsfontein, 7/4/1901 and Corporals G G Penman, Bloemfontein, 12/11/1900 and J Howat,Bloemfontein, 1/12/1900:-

Edzell is a village in Angus, Scotland, about six miles from Brechin. We stopped there on our way down from Aberdeenshire hoping to go to Edzell Castle but it was shut for the winter.

I did however find a Boer War Memorial standing in a railed enclosure just off the road through the town. It takes the form of a Celtic cross inscribed, “To the memory of gallant soldiers belonging to Edzell & District who fell in the Great Boer War 1899-1900-1901-1902. ‘Decorum est pro patria mori.'”:-

From south, remembering Lt Colonel D T Laing, killed near Lindley, 3/1/1901, aged 41:-

Reverse, dedicated to Private James Paterson, killed Magersfontein, 11/12/1899, aged 21; Private James Candy, killed at Paarderberg, 18/2/1900, aged 30, and Private William Walker, died of wounds, Wyndberg, 22/3/1900, aged 21:-

From north, dedicated to Colour Sergeant David Christison, killed Magersfontein, 11/1/2 1899, aged 30, and Trooper W A Mcnab, died at Kroonstad, 23/2/1902, aged 21:-

Dunkeld is a village/town on the River Tay ten or so miles north of Perth. The bridge there which links Dunkeld to Birnam was built by Thomas Telford.

River Tay looking south from Telford’s bridge:-

This is a view of Telford’s bridge from the Birnam side of the river:-

And from the grounds of the town’s historic cathedral:-

The Cathedral was for a time closed to visitors but in 2018 we had a peek inside. Cathedral altar and stained glass windows:-

Just to the left in the photo above lies a memorial to the officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the Scottish Horse who gave their lives in the two Great Wars. “1914 -1918, Gallipoli, Egypt, Macedonia, France. 1939 – 1945, North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany.”

Below that are the words, “The souls of the righteous are in the hands of god. There shall…” the rest is obscured by the Roll of Honour. A barrier prevented me from getting any closer:-

In the square in Dunkeld itself is a memorial to the men of the Scottish Horse who died in the Boer War. I have previously mentioned it here.

Dingwall has an impressive Boer War Memorial not far from the memorial to the twentieth century wars:-

It’s shaped as a tapered Celtic Cross surmounting a rectangular plinth:-

The dedication reads, “Erected by the officers non-commissioned officers and men past and present of the Seaforth Highlanders, Ross-shire Buffs, the Duke of Albany’s in memory of their comrades who lost their lives in South Africa 1899-1902.”

Lower panel, “Killed in Action or Died of Wounds”

South facing aspect. Names of those “Killed in Action or Died of Wounds”

Dingwall Free Church behind. Memorial’s north facing aspect. Names of “Killed in Action or Died of Wounds” and “Died of Disease or Accident”

Roadside location:-

My previous posts on Beauly are here and here. I didn’t see a memorial to the World Wars of the twentieth century when I was there but I have since found out it’s situated on a hill to the south of the town. Maybe next time I’m up that way.

However in the centre of the town is a large memorial, “Erected by the Lovat tenantry and fuears… to commemorate the raising of the Lovat Scouts by Simon Joseph, 6th Lord Lovat….” (For full wording click on picture to where it can be enlarged.) It is also inscribed “Cape Colony” in the lower rectangle.

Northern facet. In the upper rectangle, “Of the Lovat Scouts the following fell in action or died of wounds or disease….” plus “Diamond Hill” in lower:-

Eastern facet. Bronze Frieze in upper rectangle. “South Africa” in lower:-

Bronze frieze detail:-

Southern facet. Names of Officers of the Lovat Scouts in upper rectangle. “Wittebergen” in lower:-