Boer War Memorial (Montreal)

War memorial in Canada

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Boer War Memorial

Monument aux héros de la guerre des Boers

The monument in 2009

Location| Dorchester Square
Coordinates| 45°29′59″N 73°34′15″W﻿ / ﻿45.49962°N 73.57096°W﻿ / 45.49962; -73.57096
Designer| (sculpture) George W. Hill
(pedestal) Edward Maxwell and William S. Maxwell
Material| (sculpture) bronze
(pedestal) granite
Opening date| May 24, 1907
Dedicated to| Heroes of the Boer War

The Boer War Memorial (French: Monument aux héros de la guerre des Boers) is a monument to the heroes of the Boer War. It is located at Dorchester Square in downtown Montreal, in Quebec, Canada.[1]

## Overview

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The Boer War Memorial was unveiled in Dominion Square (now known as Dorchester Square) on May 24, 1907. The bronze sculpture was created by George W. Hill (1862–1934). The granite pedestal was designed by Edward Maxwell and William S. Maxwell. Its inscriptions says:

> In grateful recognition of the patriotism and public spirit shown by Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal in raising and equipping a regiment of horse for service in South Africa as evidence of his sympathy with the cause of imperial unity.'; and on the opposite side, 'To commemorate the heroic devotion of the Canadians who fell in the South African War and the valour of their comrades.

It is the only equestrian statue in Montreal, and atypically, is not mounted, but restrained. The Boer War Memorial faces north, towards Mount Royal Cross, which would have been visible from the square until 1929. Around the base of the statue are copper reliefs and the names of each battle. Montreal's First World War cenotaph is in Place du Canada to the south.

The Boer War was widely unpopular in Quebec society, viewed as an imperial war. Prime Minister of Canada Wilfrid Laurier opposed the war, but ultimately compromised with the proposal for militia and volunteers en lieu of conscription.

For two decades after the war, Canadians would gather on February 27 (known in Canada as "Paardeberg Day") around memorials to the South African War to say prayers and honour veterans. This continued until the end of the First World War, when Armistice Day (later called Remembrance Day) began to be observed on November 11.[2]

The four principal monuments – the others being the Robert Burns Memorial, Wilfrid Laurier Memorial, and Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Fountain – in the square are arranged to form a five equilateral cross with the kiosk towards the Dominion Square Building.

On July 8, 2009, the official first shovelful of dirt was lifted in the $23-million project to restore Dorchester Square and Place du Canada near the Boer War memorial monument.[3]

## See also

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* South African War Memorial (Halifax)
* South African War Memorial (Toronto)

## References

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1. ^ "Monument aux héros de la guerre des Boers". Art Public Montréal. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
2. ^ "Paardeberg: The First Remembrance Day". Canadian Encyclopedia.
3. ^ "Downtown Montreal dig to unearth bones, history". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 2017-08-11.

## External links

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* Canada portal
* Visual arts portal

* Media related to Boer War Memorial at Wikimedia Commons

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Landmarks of Montreal

Museums|

* Château Ramezay
* Centre d'histoire de Montréal
* Biodome
* Maison Saint-Gabriel Museum
* Montreal Biosphère
* Canadian Centre for Architecture
* McCord Museum
* Montreal Insectarium
* Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
* Musée d'art contemporain
* Pointe-à-Callière Museum
* Redpath Museum
* Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium
* The Fur Trade at Lachine National Historic Site
* Montreal Science Centre
* Sir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic Site

Churches|

* Christ Church Cathedral
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Skyscrapers|

* 1000 de La Gauchetière
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* Tour de la Bourse
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Other structures|

* Atwater Market
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Nature and parks|

* Angrignon Park
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Squares|

* Cabot Square
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* Dorchester Square
* Phillips Square
* Place d'Armes
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* Place Émilie-Gamelin
* Place Jacques-Cartier
* Place Jean-Paul Riopelle
* Saint-Louis Square
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Islands|

* Île Bizard
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Transportation|

* Central Station
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Events|

* Canadian Grand Prix
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Cemeteries|

* Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery

Establishments|

* Fairmount Bagel
* La Banquise
* La Ronde
* Montreal Pool Room
* Schwartz's
* St-Viateur Bagel
* Wilensky's

Related|

* National Historic Sites in Montreal
* Historic places in Montreal

* Category:Montreal
* WikiProject:Montreal

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Public art in Montreal

* Angel of Victory
* Boer War Memorial
* Cactus modulaire
* Cadran solaire
* Cenotaph
* Cité Mémoire
* Edward VII Monument
* The English Pug and the French Poodle
* Enterspace
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* Fermière Monument
* George-Étienne Cartier Monument
* Hommage à Marguerite Bourgeoys
* Ignace Bourget Monument
* Irish Commemorative Stone
* Jeanne Mance Monument
* John Young Monument
* La Joute
* Les chuchoteuses
* Lion of Belfort
* Macdonald Monument
* Maisonneuve Monument
* Marie-Victorin Statue
* Monument aux braves de N.D.G.
* Mount Royal Cross
* Nelson's Column
* Nicolaus Copernicus Monument
* Les petits Baigneurs
* Pioneers' Obelisk
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* Robert Burns Memorial
* Roddick Gates
* Salvador Allende Monument
* Square Forms and Circles
* Statue of André Bessette
* Statue of Guy Lafleur
* Statue of Howie Morenz
* Statue of Jean Béliveau
* Statue of Jean Drapeau
* Statue of Jean Vauquelin
* Statue of Maurice Richard
* Statue of Mihai Eminescu
* Tai Chi Single Whip
* Tenderness
* The Three Graces
* Victoria Memorial
* War Memorial of Montreal West
* Wilfrid Laurier Memorial

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