Lancashire Fusilier on 2nd Boer War Memorial – Bury, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 35.317 W 002° 18.068
30U E 546260 N 5937978
Although this is a war memorial this soldier is in a rather celebratory pose, hat held aloft and cheering for his King.
Waymark Code: WMCHT1
Location: North West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 09/10/2011
Views: 3
To our modern eyes, this statue may appear overly celebratory, and we are used to sombre reflection of the results of war on war memorials. However this was erected before the devastating results of World War I, but even its day it caused heated debate between the sculptor, George Frampton and Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Lees Knowles MP, the chairman of the design committee. He is at least holding his rifle reversed to honour the memory of his fallen comrades.
We will never know the full rationale behind the design, but I’m sure one of the influences was the fact that Bury was home to the Lancashire Fusilier Regiment. In any case the design was praised at the time for its originality and boldness and determination to avoid the normal soldier in repose or mourning for his dead comrades.
The soldier is depicted wearing the regiment’s home uniform, rather than the one worn in South Africa. This allowed the full regimental honours to be displayed.
The statue was originally erected in Market Square in Bury Town centre, unveiled by the 17th Earl of Derby on the 18th March 1905. It was later moved in 1920 when a large tram shelter was erected on the original site. It is listed in the United Kingdom National Inventory of War Memorials under reference 24106.
The plaque on the front of the memorial has the following text.
TO THE GLORIOUS MEMORY
OF LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS
LINE MILITIA AND VOLUNTEER
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR
THEIR SOVEREIGN & COUNTRY,
IN SOUTH AFRICA 1900-2
THIS MONUMENT ERECTED
BY THEIR COMRADES OF ALL
RANKS & BY FRIENDS OF
THE REGIMENT