I recently acquired this photograph after it was described as King George V on Horse Guards Parade, in my defence the building in the background looked familiar. However the building which reminded me of the Methodist Central Hall is Cardiff City Hall, both buildings were designed by Edwin Alfred Rickards. The date is Saturday 20th November 1909 and Sir John French, the Inspector General of the British Army is in Cardiff to unveil two memorials to the Welsh soldiers who died during the Boer war. I have another photograph on my photostream of the unveiling of the Ipswich Boer war Memorial, Sir John French unveiled that one too and it was also sculpted by the same man who sculpted the Cardiff Memorial, Albert Toft.
The Times newspaper reported the event in its Monday 22nd issue.
MEMORIALS TO WELSH SOLDIERS.
General Sir John French, who had been the guest of Colonel Sir Ivor Herbert, M.P., at Llanover, visited Cardiff on Saturday for the purpose of unveiling two memorials to the Welsh soldiers who fell in the South African war. At noon a service was held in Llandaff Cathedral, where a mural tablet in memory of the officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of the 1st Battalion of the Welsh Regiment who died in South Africa was unveiled by General French. The Bishop of Llandaff and the Dean took part in the service, the Bishop saying a prayer of dedication. Many past and present officers of the Welsh Regiment were present. The Lord Mayor of Cardiff (Mr. John Chappell) afterwards entertained Sir John French and a number of other guests to luncheon at the Cardiff City Hall.
SIR JOHN FRENCH, replying to the toast of his health, said it rejoiced his heart to see how Wales was honouring her soldiers. This feeling of wishing to honour her soldiers and to forward military work in the Principality had come already within his knowledge. He had heard of the splendid work done by his friend and comrade Sir Charles Burnett. A short time ago it was his duty to go round the different headquarters of the Territorial units with the View of reporting to the Army Council how matters were proceeding, and nowhere in the whole kingdom did he find things going on better than, if indeed as well as, they were in Wales. Wales might well be proud of its Territorial Army as it was at present, and especially proud of the prospects of that Army. This year the Territorial Army had been put to a very high test, and he could say confidently that it had exceeded the most sanguine expectations. (Cheers.)
After the luncheon General French unveiled the Welsh National War Memorial, which had been erected near the municipal buildings. The weather was brilliantly fine, and in addition to 3,000 troops a crowd estimated at nearly 40,000 persons had assembled in the broad space in front of the City Hall, from a platform in front of the statue Sir Ivor Herbert asked Sir John French to unveil the monument. The guard of honour presented arms, and the “Last Post " was sounded by the buglers. The Welsh National Anthem (“Hen Wlad fy Nhadau ") was sung, and the Bishop of Llandaff said a dedicatory prayer.
SIR JOHN FRENCH, having unveiled the monument, said that the one pleasing result. of the South African war was the knowledge that it had been another great step in the welding together of the greatest Empire the world had known, and in this magnificent work by British soldiers the Welshmen had proved themselves equal to the best of them. The Royal Welsh Fusiliers were in some of the most stirring events of the war, and they were also present, he believed, at the relief of Ladysmith and Mafeking. (Cheers.) Much distinguished work, and gallant, was done by these brave corps, who had splendidly maintained the best and the everlasting traditions of the British Army. They found out the fighting quality of the Welsh men at Colesberg, as well as their marching power and endurance in the division commanded by General Kelly-Kenny. After Paardeberg it was the Welsh and the Essex regiments who turned the Boers out of two strong positions at the point of the bayonet. (Cheers.) No regiment had done more to uphold the traditions of the Empire. The Welsh were also well represented in the Colonial contingent, who did so remarkably well in every engagement in which they participated. (Cheers.)
The Lord Mayor of Cardiff, on behalf of the Principality, accepted the custody of the memorial, at the request of Sir Ivor Herbert, who said that the inception of the scheme was entirely due to the Western Mail and to the fervent nationalism of its editor, Mr. William Davies.
On the monument, which stands at the foot of King Edward VII. Avenue in Cathays Park, are inscribed the names of nearly 900 Welsh men and women who belonged to the regiments of the Principality, the Welsh Hospital, and the other units of the home and Colonial forces. More than 100 units are represented on the monument. The funds with which it has been erected were subscribed in response to an appeal by the Western Mail. Mr. Albert Toft designed the memorial. The pedestal is in the Renaissance style. At the sides are bronze figures representing “Warfare” and “Grief," and the Monument is surmounted by a winged figure of “Peace.”
