TheScottish Horse War Memorial (Afrikaans:Scottish Horse-gedenkteken) is a monument inKensington,Johannesburg, South Africa. It was built on Caledonia Hill, between Somerset Road on the north side, Katoomba Street on the east, Highland Rd on the south, and Good Hope Street on the west. It was built to commemorate soldiers who fought in theScottish HorseBritish Armyyeomanry regiment during theSecond Boer War.[1]
During the Second Boer War, the Scottish Horse was raised in 1900 with a second battalion being raised by men of Scottish origin in Australia in 1901. After the war, the Caledonian Clubs in southern Africa wished to demonstrate their loyalty to theBritish Empire but also to celebrate their Scottish heritage.[1] The monument was designed by William Tait-Conner and unveiled on 19 May 1904.[2] An exact replica was erected in the same year atEdinburgh Castle in Scotland.[1] It consists of aCeltic cross embossed on agranite-lined pedestal.[3]
The Memorial can be reached by steps from Highland Rd and is a popular lookout with a view of the surrounding suburbs and beyond them of theHillbrow Tower downtown.[4] The memorial contains the names of members of the Scottish Horse regiment that died during the war. The memorial also later came to be viewed as the official memorial for theTransvaal Scottish regiment, that traced its origins back to the Scottish Horse.[3] This notably includes the names of fourZulu Scouts who fought in the regiment, being a rare early example of black soldiers being commemorated in a war memorial in South Africa.[5]Jeppe High School for Boys holds an annualRemembrance Day service and lay wreaths at the Memorial.[5][6]
26°12′1.73″S28°5′5.51″E / 26.2004806°S 28.0848639°E /-26.2004806; 28.0848639
