Memorial

Coombe Hill, Buckinghamshire - Second Boer War

Buckinghamshire- Boer War Memorial 1899-1902

Source: Copyright Simon Atkins

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Current Location

On top of Coombe Hill, Buckinghamshire Boer War Memorial, Coombe Hill, Butlers Cross, Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP17 0TU, England

SP 84889 06752

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Type of Memorial: Pillar / Column
WMR Reference Number: 8315
Description: Stone square pillar on three-stepped base and plinth with plaque and crossed flags: four squat stone posts surmounted by balls at each corner of base. The pillar is topped with a stone ball and a gilt flame. A plaque is in shape of heavy cross is set into memorial plinth section: it has the commemoration at the top, above the names and then has a section explaining the monument's history at its base. All lettering is in raised and in gilt apart from the dates which are carved in black.
Inscription: 1899-1902 THIS MEMORIAL/ WAS ERECTED BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION RAISED UNDER A RESOLUTION/ PROPOSED BY THE LORD LIEUTENANT AND UNANIMOUSLY PASSED/ BY THE MAGISTRATES OF THE COUNTY OF BUCKINGHAM/ IN QUARTER SESSIONS ASSEMBLED IN HONOUR OF THE MEN OF BUCKS WHO/ AT THE EMPIRE'S CALL, LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES DURING THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA/ 1899-1902/ DULCE ET DECORUM EST PRO PATRIA MORI/ (NAMES)

Maker(s): Joseph Whitehead & Sons, Builder
Sponsor Type: public
Additional Cost/Sponsorship Information: Site given by Bertram Frankland-Russell-Astley of Chequers.
Maintenance History: Largely destroyed by lightning in 1938, and rebuilt same year. Because of its proximity to Chequers it was camouflaged in WW2. Its bronze plaque and decorations were stolen 1972 and then replaced by a marble tablet, on which nine names additional to the original 148 were added, and iron flag. It was again badly damaged by lightning in the early 1990s and repaired with lightning conductors fitted. As the names were becoming illegible and there was a County Council appeal to fund further restoration and, in 2010, the marble tablet was replaced by the current bronze plaque.