South African War Memorial, War memorial at University Avenue and Queen Street West in Toronto, Canada.
The South African War Memorial is a war memorial located at the intersection of University Avenue and Queen Street West in Toronto. The structure features three bronze figures positioned at its base and a winged figure holding a golden crown atop the column.
The memorial was commissioned in 1910 to honor Canadian soldiers who served and died during the Second Boer War from 1899 to 1902. The initiative to build it emerged from the community's desire to create a lasting tribute to those who participated in that distant conflict.
The memorial is not named after the Battle of Paardeberg; it commemorates Canada's participation in the Second Boer War. For about two decades after the war, Canadians gathered on February 27, known as Paardeberg Day, at South African War memorials to pray and honour veterans. The practice ended with the First World War, when Armistice Day, later Remembrance Day, was observed on November 11 instead.
The memorial sits at a busy street corner in downtown Toronto and is easily accessible for visitors to approach and view. The location offers open access, allowing people to stop by and observe the structure at any time throughout the day.
The Ontario Heritage Foundation plaque at the memorial states that Walter Allward studied under Emanuel Hahn, but the relationship was the reverse: Hahn was Allward's student. Allward designed the monument, which was unveiled in 1910 by Sir John French.
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