Image Ref : BHW 0001.tif

Plaque St Marys 2009

Plaque to the men of Totnes killed in the Boer War. This Memorial erected by public subscription to the memory of the Totnes soldiers who lost their lives in the South Africa campaign was unveiled at a service at Totnes Parish Church - November 1902. by the Mayor (Mr.T.W. Windeatt) who with the Corporation attended in state. The Volunteer Company was also present and the band accompanied the hymns. The preacher was Rev. J. Trelawney Ross D.D. Vicar of Paignton and Chaplain of the 1st Devon Volunteer Artillery. The order for the memorial was placed with Mr T.E.Harris of Fore Street and it was placed under one of the West windows and consists of a solid cast bronze tablet 3ft 6ins long by 2ft 3.5ins wide. Around the edge is a laurel border entwined with ribbon. On the right of the plate stands a soldier on a small hillock with full equipment and arms reversed, as if in mourning for those who have gone before. In the extreme top centre and immediately under the border is a cross surrounded by a wreath of oak, showing acorns etc and tied at the base with a ribbon. In the left hand corner the borough arms of Totnes (the Castle and Keys) appear, and beneath is the inscription "In memory of the Totnes men who lost their lives in the war. South Africa 1899 - 1902", followed by the names of the seven men. The border, soldier, borough arms, cross and wreath and all the letters are raised in relief work and the bronze tablet is fixed on a Devonshire marble slab with a margin of 2.5 inches all round.