Cornwall Hill

Cornwall Hill is a small suburb south of Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa, It borders the suburb of Irene. Cornwall Hill takes its name from the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry brigade that was stationed here during the Anglo-Boer war.

Cornwall Hill
Cornwall Hill Military Memorial to the fallen.
Cornwall Hill
Cornwall Hill
Coordinates: 25°52′34″S 28°14′22″E
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceGauteng
MunicipalityCity of Tshwane
Main PlaceCenturion
Established1998
Area
 • Total2.30 km2 (0.89 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total628
 • Density270/km2 (710/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African30.10%
 • Coloured0.96%
 • Indian/Asian1.43%
 • White67.52%
First languages (2011)
 • English44.75%
 • Afrikaans40.13%
 • Sotho3.03%
 • Tswana2.39%
 • other9.7%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
0157
PO box
0178

Anglo-Boer War

During the Anglo-Boer War, at the time of the British occupation of Pretoria, over a thousand Mounted Infantry, two companies of the 2nd Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry and 350 Northumberland Fusiliers guarded the section of railway line at Irene. Cornwall Hill takes its name from the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry brigade. These Cornish men, camped on the western slopes of the highest hill in the vicinity of the Irene Station, built a rough stone fort to protect the railway line linking Johannesburg to Pretoria, and thus the hill became known as Cornwall Hill.

World War II Monument
Main article: Military history of South Africa during World War II

A memorial was erected on Cornwall Hill to fallen members of the South African Air Force of the Union Defence Force who died during the Second World War. It consists of an obelisk with a bronze eagle on top. The memorial contains the following inscriptions:

  • "Paul Nellmapius of Irene killed while advancing past Rome 15-6-1944"
  • "Peter Versveld of Constantia killed when H.M.S. Cornwall was sunk off Ceylon 5-4-1942"
  • "Andrew Duncan of Pretoria killed in an air battle over Libya 31-5-1942"
  • "Ulrich van Rooyen van Worcester gesneuweld in 'n lugaanval teen Ploesti 26-7-1944"
  • "David Howe-Browne of Tanganyika killed in an air battle while attacking Berlin 2-12-1943"

References
  1. "Sub Place Cornwall Hill". Census 2011.
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