Horse Memorial
Photo: NJR ZA · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Horse Memorial

Gqeberha Monument

The Horse Memorial, known as Perdstandbeeld in Afrikaans, is a provincial heritage site in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape province. It commemorates the horses that served and perished during the Second Boer War when Britain imported numerous horses to South Africa. The memorial was designed by Joseph Whitehead and depicts a life-sized bronze sculpture of a soldier kneeling beside a horse with a bucket of water.

During the conflict, more than 300,000 horses died in British service. Port Elizabeth played a significant role as it served as the primary port for these equine arrivals from around the world. A ladies' committee was formed to raise funds for the statue, with Mrs Harriet Meyer as president. The memorial originally stood near St George's Park but was relocated to Cape Road in the 1950s.

The bronze sculpture includes a drinking trough for animals and humans alike, symbolising compassion towards those who served. It was unveiled on February 11, 1905, by Port Elizabeth’s Mayor, Mr Alexander Fettes. In April 2015, the memorial suffered vandalism from a group linked to the Economic Freedom Fighters amid broader protests against colonial-era statues.

Source: Wikipedia

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