Bury St Edmunds’ South African War Memorial on Cornhill to undergo cleaning and repair works

A war memorial in Bury St Edmunds which has found itself in a ‘sorry state’ is to be repaired.

The South African War Memorial on Cornhill is to undergo cleaning and repair works in a project managed by Bury St Edmunds Town Trust.

At a meeting last month, the town council approved funding of £12,500 which will go towards the project – expected to cost about £25,000. The trust is also looking to secure funding from elsewhere.

Jonathan Lloyd, chairman of the town trust, said: “It may not be a building, but it’s part of the heritage of the town.

“It’s a statue which needs regular upkeep and it hasn’t been done for a number of years.”

The memorial, constructed in 1904, pays tribute to the 193 men of the Suffolk Regiment who died during the Boer War.

Some of the works, which will take about a week, include steam cleaning the entire bronze to remove surface dirt and general build up of pollutants, fill any fissures and remove some of the green staining as far as possible.

The Royal British Legion Bury St Edmunds Branch holds an annual remembrance service at the memorial.

Chairman Nigel Wolstenholme said: “I think if it was maintained and cleaned every year it would be a lot better but it’s been allowed to get into a sorry state over a few years.

“We honestly believe that we should remember all of the sacrifices of those who put themselves between us here and danger.”