TOPIC:

Yes indeed, a nice contemporary wooden cross, it is nice to see that it has been preserved, a very rare survivor, certainly not something you ever expect to see these days.
His regiment was one of those that expanded and doubled it's regular component, as a direct result of the Anglo Boer War, so it's Militia battalions had to be renumbered, certainly from memory, at least, this lasted until 1906, when the order to disband came and the two war raised battalions were disposed of, although, the Militia only had another couple of years left, before it became the Special Reserve.

BereniceUK wrote:
I wonder if any other original cemetery crosses were brought back to the UK; this one was difficult to photograph because of the heavy speaker placed directly in front of it.

Brett, plaques can be moved to a nearby church or village hall, keeping them in the community - sometimes they can end up in museums or archives - but stained glass windows can be lost if a church building is knocked down, or sometimes retained in the building if it's converted to another use. What seems to be lost to us more often than anything else are handwritten rolls of honour. I don't think many people appreciate the historical importance of them.

GRAVE: SUTHERLAND, SOUTH AFRICA

Thank you, Elmarie. The Colonel is well-remembered in South Africa as well, and his grave is in good order. I suppose Sutherland is too remote, and alternatively too hot and too cold to attract vandals.
Regards
Brett

This is what can happen in more populated parts of South Africa.

Brett it is sad that this things happens!

A few years ago, we also had a great deal of vandalism at the museum when the copper plates at the graves of Gen de Wet, Pres Steyn and Emily Hobhouse were ribbed apart.

MEMORIAL PLAQUE,
NORTH TRANSEPT,
ST. MARY'S CHURCH,
OLD SQUARE,
WARWICK,
WARWICKSHIRE,
CV34 4AB.
ENGLAND.

ORDNANCE SURVEY GRID REFERENCE:SP281650.


A brass memorial plaque with black lettering mounted on a marble backboard.
Inscribed thus:

"Sacred to the memory of
Major and honorary Lt. Colonel
A E THURSBY
5th Battn. The Royal Warwickshire Regiment
(1st Warwickshire Militia)
who died at Sutherland, Cape Colony
of enteric fever March 7th 1902
whilst on active service
with the Battalion.
This tablet is erected by his
brother Officers, by whom he was universally
beloved and regretted."

Arthur Edward Thursby was born in 1861, the eldest son of Arthur Harvey Thursby of Culvelands, Berkshire.
He was educated at Wellington and Trinity Halls, Cambridge.
Following his education he joined the Lancashire Militia in March of 1880.
He was recorded as living at Hardwick Hill, Byfield, Warwickshire and in 1889, married Maud, daughter of Colonel Henry Cartwright of Eydon Hall, Hampshire.

During the Anglo Boer War he was commissioned Lt. Colonel in the London Gazette dated 1st May 1900.

As so many other men of all ranks, Arthur succumbed to enteric fever at Sutherland, Cape Colony on 7th March1902.
His remains were interred at Sutherland Cemetery and commemorated there on monument 8.