Cast-metal crosses under grave threat

Almost all of the 22,000 cast-metal crosses on the graves of British and Imperial soldiers who died during the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) have been stolen in the past 20 years.

That's according to Johannesburg military historian David Scholtz, who has done extensive research at battle sites and in cemeteries, and has often even restored and erected monuments at his own expense.

The graves affected are in urban cemeteries, in rural towns, and on farms. Some also contain graves of soldiers from both world wars.

''After the end of the Anglo Boer war the British did a survey of all the graves and produced a database of their locations", said Scholtz.

The metal is presumed to have been sold for scrap since the crosses haven't turned up in second-hand or war memorabilia stores.

''The graves include those of 1,100 officers which usually had marble gravestones paid for by their fellow officers or their families. Ordinary soldiers had metal crosses on their graves. All carried the inscription 'For King and Empire' and the name, regiment and date of death of each soldier on the cross," said Scholtz.

Scholtz believes that it's not one organisation stealing the crosses. ''It's happening all over the country. I've never heard of an individual being caught or prosecuted."

Care for the war graves has changed hands over the years, but all of the agencies tasked with looking after them work on behalf of the South African government.

In 2005 the governments of South Africa and the UK transferred the responsibility for the renovation and maintenance of the graves of the British and Imperial Forces' casualties of the Anglo-Boer War to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

According to Johan van Zÿl of the War Museum of the Boer Republics in Bloemfontein, after thefts in 1999 the crosses were removed by the Bloemfontein city council and stored at the museum, until requested by the war graves commission.

''Although the War Museum voiced their concern regarding the replacement of these items in the President Brand Cemetery, they were handed over to the commission which restored the cemetery in a splendid manner. Unfortunately soon after the restoration, 300 crosses were stolen," said Van Zÿl.