An article in the latest Legion Magazine, courtesy of the RCAC Association.
War Graves In South Africa Get Attention
by Tom MacGregor, Legion Magazine
Many of the graves of Canadians who died in the South African War of
1899-1902 are being restored after years of not being maintained.
There have been media reports of vandalism and theft to cemeteries
throughout South Africa. However, Veterans Affairs Canada spokesperson
Pamela Price said, "The majority of Canadian markers are in perfect
condition. Only a couple are broken. Some need polishing. Weeds push over
some markers but that can be fixed without replacing them."
Phil Michael, the director of national and international monuments in VAC's
Canada Remembers division, agrees. "There is a lot of misinformation about
the Canadian graves in South Africa," he said, adding nonetheless that about
30 per cent of the graves need work.
"In the past regular maintenance of these graves was never adopted," he
said. "South Africa was not open with apartheid. (Inspection and
maintenance) didn't happen."
VAC began working with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the
Canadian High Commission in South Africa to identify the graves and report
on their condition. In 2000 the department, the war graves commission and
the high commission began negotiating with the South African Heritage
Resources Agency, a governmental agency that will carry out the work
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Michael said 279 Canadians died during the war, known more commonly in
Canada as the Boer War. Of them 248 are buried with markers and about 30
have no known grave. "We are constantly trying to verify our information,"
said Michael. The graves are in about 50 locations throughout the country.
"They are scattered all over the place. We really have to work grave by
grave."
Three areas in particular have been identified for maintenance, De Aar War
Cemetery in central South Africa, and Kroonstad Cemetery and Thaba Nchu
Cemetery in the east. De Aar is the one that needs the most attention.
The South African War began as British settlers clashed with the independent
Boers in the Orange Free State and Transvaal. The discovery of gold and
diamonds in the Transvaal made the British even more convinced South Africa
should be united under British rule. The Boers had early victories, which
only served to rally support throughout the British Empire. Sir Wilfrid
Laurier was not anxious to get involved in the war. It was seen as an
imperialistic land grab by French-Canadians while many in English Canada saw
it as a fight for the Empire in which they believed.
Laurier compromised and called for volunteers to sail for South Africa. It
would be the first time Canadian troops fought as units overseas. In the end
7,368 Canadian soldiers and 16 nurses served.
Canadians particularly distinguished themselves in the tough battles of
Paardeburg in February 1900 and Lillefontein in November 1900. Five
Canadians were awarded the Victoria Cross for valour (Saving The Guns In
South Africa, May/June).
"Every Canadian who served and died should have a grave marker that is kept
with the greatest respect," said Michael.
The five-year contract calls for SAHRA to do the maintenance work, bringing
the graves up to the standard set by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
in other parts of the world.
Michael says work has also started so the names of all the dead from the war
can be added to VAC's Web site the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, www.
vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers. The site lists the names of Canada's war dead from
World War I and II and the Korean War. There are more than 100 names of
people who died serving Canada since the Korean War as well. Files are kept
on individuals with service numbers, including when the person died,
information on the grave and additional information supplied by family or
historians.