The Boer War began on the 11th of October in 1899 and finished on the 31st of May 1902.
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It was the first war in which Australian men and women signed up to fight for Britain and, like the rest of the country at that time, Blayney Shire offered up 123 of its citizens to fight for Country and Kingdom.
In between the RSL sub-branch building on Church Street and the Meals on Wheels building is a small memorial that is about to be rejuvenated thanks to a $10,000 grant by Blayney Shire Council to the Blayney Shire Local and Family History Group.
Installed in 1907 in the middle of Church Street near Adelaide Street, the argon gas lights that hung from it were Blayney's first public lights. Unfortunately as trucks became more frequent the monument was moved to prevent further damage.
For a period it stood outside what is now Ironbark Cafe and was then moved once more to a purpose-built garden on Church Street between the two churches.
Roadworks meant that once more the memorial would need to move and in 1976 it was relocated, sans the lamp and water troughs, to where it now stands.
Of those original 121 service men and two nurses, only two are commemorated on the memorial. In 2002 the Blayney Shire Local and Family History Group released a book titled Dear Mother, a nominal role of the men and women of the Blayney district who had served in the Boer War conflict.
At the time the plan was to use the funds raised from the sale of this book to fund the restoration of the memorial, and to include a wall with the names of those who represented the various communities that now make up the Blayney Shire.
Those funds were invested for over 18 years and in 2020 a new member questioned what the funds were for, and it was agreed that the project was to be finalised.
COVID-19 put a halt to proceedings but now Iris Dorsett and Rhonda Jones are taking on the task of seeing the names displayed on the side of the existing memorial.
"The project plan includes the restoration of the existing memorial, allows for lighting to be repaired and for the original water troughs placed back at the memorial and used for flowers," Ms Dorsett said.
"Much planning has gone into the design of the area to ensure it is in keeping with the synergy of the existing infrastructure. It's an accessible area and a pleasant space for reflection."
The project plan includes the restoration of the existing memorial.
- Iris Dorsett