The South African War Memorial at Magdalen College

This brass memorial is on the east wall of Magdalen College's antechapel: Imperial War Museum Register 31936. It remembers Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein and three other members of that college who died in the South African War in 1900/1901. It was erected in November 1904.

IN PIAM MEMORIAM CHRISTIANI VICTORIS PRINCIPIS DE SLESVICO-HOLSTINIA CAROLI KERSHAW ELWORTHY ALBERTI SAVORY EDVARDI VANRENAN INGHAM BROOKE COLLEGII OLIM COMMENSALIUM QUI IN AFRICA MERIDIANA MERENTES ANNIS MCM–MCMI PRO PATRIA VITAM PROFU[N]DERE

In pious memory of Christian Victor Prince of Schleswig-Holstein Charles Kershaw Elworthy Albert Savory Edward Vanrenan Ingham Brooke once members of the college, who while serving in South Africa in the years 1900–1901 gave up their lives for their native land

The lettering is in relief on a bronze plaque in a frame of Purbeck marble, designed by the architect George Frederick Bodley, and the Latin inscription was composed by Herbert Warren, the President of Magdalen College from 1885 to 1928. The enamelled shields in the corners bear the arms of the four men who died:

Top left corner: The Prince of Schleswig-Holstein; top right corner: Elworthy
Bottom left corner: Savory. bottom right corner: Brooke

Brief biographical details of the four men

• Prince Christian Victor Albert Lewis Ernest Anton, Prince of Schleswig-Holstein (born 14 April 1867) was matriculated as a Commoner by Magdalen College on 26 January 1886 and studied there until June 1887, He then entered the Royal Military College at Sandhurst and in 1888 joined the King's Royal Rifle Corps, and after serving as a brevet major and then a captain in India, West Africa, and the Sudan died of enteric fever in Pretoria on 29 October 1900. He has a Wikipedia entry, and there are numerous other references to him. He has a statue at Windsor Castle, and large individual memorial on The Hoe in Plymouth. He also had a memorial plaque on one of the South African War Memorial Cottages in Cowley
• Charles Kershaw Elworthy (born 1865) was the eldest son of Charles James Elworthy of Wellington, Somerset. He was matriculated as a Commoner by Magdalen College on 16 October 1884 and obtained his B.A. in 1887. He served as a Captain in the 6th Dragoon Guards and died at Zand River on 10 May 1900. He has a brief biography on the Clifton College Roll of Honour, and his portrait can be seen here
• Albert Savory (born in 1878 in Banbury) was the eldest son of Albert Savory senior. He went to school at Winchester College and was matriculated as a Commoner by Magdalen College in 1889. He had served for nearly eight years in the regular army (including in the Tirah Campaign), when he went to South Africa as a Captain in the Royal Hussars (attached to the South African Light Horse). He died of his wounds on 23 August 1900 at Dalmanutha after fighting with the forces of General Buller. He has an individual memorial in the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, Middle Tysoe, Stratford-upon-Avon, and his portrait can be seen here
• Edward Vanrenan Ingham Brooke (born 3 September 1877) was the second son of the Venerable Joshua Ingham Brooke, Archdeacon of Halifax. He was matriculated as a Commoner by Magdalen College in 1895 and obtained his B.A. in 1898. In 1897 he was appointed Second Lieutenant in the Third Battalion of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment. He joined the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry on 20 May 1899 and was attached to the 3rd Mounted Infantry when he was killed in action at the age of 23 in October 1901 at Bethal, near Brakenlangte.

There is more information about these Magdalen College men in this thread on the Boer War Forum discussing the Magdalen College memorial.

 

The Memorial Cottage in Cowley to Prince Christian Victor

Oxford's South African War Memorial