Memorial Details

Plaque Eagar 1899 St. Nicholas

G9.07

GOSFORTH

NZ 251681

St. Nicholas' Church, Church Road. On wall of south aisle.

South Africa 1899-1902

Plaque 33 inches high x 24¾ inches wide with fluted marble surround. There is a wide patterned border of Celtic interwoven string, ending in roundels at the corners. At the top of the main plate is a plain cross. The lettering is in Roman and archaic lettering.

Brass and marble.

See above

Public subscription

1. There is a panel in the Garrison Church at Portsmouth depicting St.George and the Dragon in dull bronze, with a dedicatory plaque which reads: “In loving memory of / Edward Boaz Eager, Captain / and of / Robert Walter Maxell Brine, / Lieutenant / 1st Battalion Fifth Fusiliers. / They served in the Soudan Expedition / to Khartoum, and at the / Occupation of Crete in 1898-9, / and were killed in action 23rd November 1899, / at Belmont, South Africa, / where they res / aged 39 and 24 years, respectively. / In their death they were not divided”

2. There is a memorial Cross at Thomas Farm Cemetery, Belmont, South Africa, erected in memory of those of 1st Battalion 5th Northumberland Fusiliers who fell in the Battle of Belmont. On the west face is the inscription: “In loving memory of Captain Edward Boaz Eagar, and of Lieutenant Robert Walter Maxwell brine, killed in action. ‘Until the day breaks’” It also lists the names of the other men who were killed: W. Bain; J.A. Binns; A. Brooks; J. Cassidy; A. Cagger; C.G. Harman; W. Jecks; C. Lannen; T. Kelly; R. Noland;T. Oldis, A.T. Pool; A.Y. Sey. “Pro Regina et Patria”. This was erected by Mrs. E.B. Eagar (widow) and Col. and Mrs. Bruce Brine (Parents).

3. CAPT. E.B. EAGAR
Capt. Edgar Boaz Eagar, 1st Batt. Northumberland Fusiliers, was killed in action at Belmont, Nov. 23rd 1899. He was a son of Col. E.H. Eagar, was born April 7th 1860, and educated at Wellington where he was in Blucher. Capt. Eagar entered the 41st Foot fron the Royal Military College, aug. 1880 and was transferred to the 5th Foot in Oct. the same year, being promoted Lieut. July 1881 and Capt. Jan. 1890. He was Adjutant to the 3rd V.B. Northumberland Fusiliers, June 1891 to June 1896. He served in the Nile Expedition 1898 and was present at the Battle of Khartoum, receiving the medal, also the Egyptian medal with clasp. It is stated that he was killed by a wounded Boer who was holding up a white flag. Capt. Eagar was married to a daughter of Col. Thoyts, and left a widow and four children.
From 'The Last Post', Mildred G. Dooner, published 1903.
Acknowledgments: Colin Boyd

4. Capt. Eagar is commemorated at Newcastle on on NUT017

Photo: P. Thirkell

Gosforth and Its Parish Church - a 1000 years of history (written and published by George Harbottle)

4th Royal Warwickshire Regiment For remembrance and in honour of those who lost their lives in the South African War 1899-1902. James Gildea, Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1911. This has a poor photo of the memorial

St.George’s Gazette Vol.XX (1902) 30th September 1902 page 163 gives information in Note 1 above; 29th November 1902 page 197 gives information in Note 2 above. This has a poor photo of the memorials.

Source of quotation
“Dulce et decorum est” (It is a sweet and noble thing {to die for one’s country}) : Horace, Odes Book 3, No.2, 1.13

P. Thirkell; Gosforth Local History Society; the late R.W. Gould, Tony Harding; Patrick Easen; Colin Boyd

If you are researching this memorial please contact 2014@newmp.org.uk

 

Notes for this Parish

Individual stories for this Parish