South African War Memorial (South Australia) - Design and Construction

Design and Construction

A committee to build a memorial to those who served and died in the Second Boer War was formed shortly after the war was ended, spurred by a suggestion in July 1901 by J. Johnson to erect an equestrian statue. Chaired by George Brookman, the committee rapidly raised £2500 from public donations. With the assistance of the Agent-General, Henry A Grainger, a subcommittee consisting of members who were present in London at the time was engaged to find a sculptor who would be able to provide the statue that they desired. The original intent of the committee was to purchase a secondhand statue and to make alterations to suit. Nevertheless, the Agent-General recommended Captain Adrian Jones, a veterinarian, military officer and sculptor who had an "affinity for animals", and who had previously worked on equestrian projects. Jones made two offers to the committee: the first was to construct a replica of a work that he had entered into a South African competition, on the condition that it would be cast only if the original was accepted; while the second was to model a smaller work based on a sketch he had produced. The second option he priced at £1600, arguing that the reduced cost was acceptable as it would allow him to keep his staff in employment until the larger South African commission was finalized. The committee were quite taken by his sketch, agreeing to the second option and looking no further.

Finding that he needed advice in regard to accouterments and the attitude of Australian soldiers, Jones made inquiries about consulting with an Australian. George Henry Goodall, a South Australian veteran of the Second Boer War, was at the time serving as Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant with the Australian Corps engaged in London at the coronation ceremonies for King Edward VII. Goodall was "volunteered" to attend Jones in order to model and to provide advice. Goodall later described how Jones had requested that he pose while the sculptor created a clay model of his head, but Simon Cameron observed that Jones's memoirs "do not mention any sittings." Nevertheless, a 1940 memorandum, based on a conversation with Goodall, noted that "a comparison of a photograph of Mr Goodall, taken in 1902 with the statue itself certainly indicates a strong facial likeness". In the same memorandum it was noted that Goodall only posed for the head, and that he insisted that his selection to model for the statue was not based on any outstanding merit as a soldier.

With the choice of statues settled, a competition was run in Adelaide in 1903 to find the design for the pedestal. A total of 12 entries were received, with the submission by Garlick, Sibley and Wooldridge being selected as the winner. The pedestal is 12 feet in height, and was constructed from granite quarried from the nearby town of Murray Bridge.

The bronze plaques which are mounted on the sides of the pedestal list the names of 59 South Australians who died in the conflict, and were cast from gun plates by A. W. Dobbie and Company. (A. W. Dobbie and Company were later responsible for the bronze castings on the South Australian National War Memorial to those who served in World War I). A further 16 South Australians died in relation to the Boer War, while an additional four died either during training or upon their return. Also missing from the list is Harry "Breaker" Morant, who had served in the second contingent of troops to be sent from South Australia, and was executed by the British after being found guilty by court martial of the murder of unarmed Boer troops. There was no controversy at the time in regard to his omission, although the decision not to include his companion Peter Handcock (who was executed alongside Morant) on the Bathurst, New South Wales, memorial was more problematic, and was rescinded in 1964.

The memorial is located in front of Government House on the corner of North Terrace and King William Street, one of the busiest corners in the city.