Cannon Hill Park Boer War Memorial…
Approaching the memorial, a dull December sky
Drizzled rain upon the darkened bronze figures, rising
Imperiously above the park, located near the cricket ground
Of Edgbaston and unveiled in 1906 to commemorate
The memory of Birmingham’s soldiers who had fought and died…
A female figure dominates the theatre, Peace deified
Above two artillery soldiers, preparing to operate
A cannon, before straining to load yet another round
Of fire at the guerrilla Boers and help to quell their uprising.
Yet their faces fail to mask the fear of death lurking and surely nigh…
Peace supports both a shield depicting the city’s coat of arms
And an olive branch in her left hand, but a wreath
Once held in her right has long since disappeared,
Leaving only desperate, clawing, jagged fingers…
Female figures of grief and sympathy, their palms
Resting upon another inscribed shield beneath
Long, sinewy fingers, kneel, of soldiers’ demise afeard
And an aura of sadness around the composition lingers…
Pete Ray
4th December 2024…
The Boer War memorial in Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, so close to Warwickshire’s cricket ground.
All 521 soldiers listed there died in the second Boer War, 1899-1902.
The two kneeling female figures really set the tone for an emotional piece of bronze sculpture, created by Albert Toft…
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