Selborne College War Memorial

The Selborne College War Memorial was officially unveiled in November of 1924 by Sir Frederick DeWaal, who was the Administrator of the Cape at the time. The inscription which is featured on the memorial today, displaying the names of those who died in the Second World War, was added later. The Selborne College holds an annual service of dedication, "The Service of the Key", where the school's headboy is entrusted as custodian of the key. The key to the enclosure is handed to him, and it is considered his responsibility to look after the monument.

The memorial consists of a life-size statue of a soldier sculpted from Italian marble, standing on a dressed stone base. One the side of the statue's base the school's coat of arms and motto, "Palma Virtuti" are inscribed, along with a further inscription of " To the glory of God and in proud and loving memory of those old Selbornians who laid down their lives in the Great War 1914-1919. Their names liveth for ever". One each side of the statue's base are the words " SW Africa, East Africa, Egypt and Palestine, France and Belgium", denoting the areas in which the South African Soldiers fell. The names of those who died are also inscribed on the monument, and a further inscription of "The World War 1939-1945. At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them" was added after the end of the second world war.

The monument can be viewed after obtaining permission from the headmaster of Selborne College. For more information contact Selborne College's public relations officer Mr Jeff Fetting on (043) 722 1822.