Tirah Memorial

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The Tirah Memorial in Bonn Square, Oxford Bonn Square and war memorial - geograph.org.uk - 1321803.jpg
The Tirah Memorial in Bonn Square, Oxford

The Tirah Memorial is a war memorial in Bonn Square, Oxford, England. It commemorates soldiers of the 2nd Battalion Oxfordshire Light Infantry who died in 1897–98 on the Tirah Expedition and Punjab Frontier Campaign [1] to suppress rebel tribes on the North West Frontier of British India.

Contents

History

The Tirah Memorial was unveiled in 1900, making it Oxford's first free-standing war memorial. [1]

The monument was designed by Inigo Thomas. [1] It is an obelisk 25 feet (7.6 m) high, with foundations 20 feet (6.1 m) deep. [1] It was erected in a public garden that had been the graveyard of St Peter-le-Bailey parish church [1] and is now Bonn Square. The digging of the memorial's foundations unearthed human remains, which were re-interred at Osney Cemetery 1.2 miles (2 km) away.[ citation needed ]

The Tirah Memorial is a Grade II listed building. [2]

Other Tirah memorials

Men of the Dorset Regiment who died during the Tirah Expedition are commemorated by a Tirah Memorial in Borough Gardens, Dorchester Dorset, southern England. [3]

Men of the King's Own Scottish Borderers who died during the Tirah Expedition are commemorated on the memorial at North Bridge, Edinburgh, Scotland.[ citation needed ]

Men of the Royal Sussex Regiment who died during the Tirah Expedition are commemorated on a memorial at Eastbourne, East Sussex, southeast England.[ citation needed ]

Men of the Northamptonshire Regiment who died in the expedition are commemorated on a plaque on the exterior of All Saints' Church, Northampton. [4]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Jenkins, Stephanie (4 September 2011). "War Memorials: Tirah Campaign, Bonn Square". Oxford Streets. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  2. Historic England. "Oxfordshire Light Infantry Memorial, New Road (1338518)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  3. Historic England. "Borough Gardens, Dorchester (1001559)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  4. Fact contained on an inscription on the memorial

Further reading

51°45′06″N1°15′36″W / 51.7517°N 1.2600°W / 51.7517; -1.2600