A season of remembrance
The old picture this week features Durban’s Cenotaph in Farewell Square, that was erected 100 years ago as a war memorial to soldiers who died in World War I.
This week's featured image showcases Durban's Cenotaph in Farewell Square, a war memorial erected 100 years ago to honor soldiers who perished during World War I. The 11-meter-high structure, constructed from granite and adorned with glazed ceramic tiles featuring two angels raising a dead soldier's soul, is a unique piece among World War I memorials due to its vivid colors.
Designed following a 1921 competition won by Cape Town architectural firm Eagle, Pilkington, and McQueen, the ceramic tiles were manufactured in England by Harold and Phoebe Stabler of the Poole Pottery before being shipped to Durban for assembly. The Cenotaph was unveiled in 1926, standing as a solemn testament to those who served in wars or lost their lives in the line of duty.
On Remembrance Sunday, the memorial was bathed in rain, prompting the traditional ceremonies to be moved indoors to the City Hall. The monument features pillars with electric torches and granite urns surrounding the main structure, with a wreath of green ceramic crowns adorning the top. Beneath the inscription "Tell it to the generation following" lies a metal statue of a fallen soldier.
The Cenotaph rests within a small, stone-walled garden enclosed by memorial plaques, guarded by imposing Art Deco lions standing atop high plinths. While South Africa observes Remembrance Day annually since the end of World War I, threats to the monument's commemorative plaques have emerged. In 2017, vandals removed 9 to 13 large bronze plaques bearing the names of Durban veterans who fell during World Wars I and II, leading to arrests and subsequent security measures to protect the site and preserve the poignant remembrance.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
