Albert Borgard, 1659-1751

Borgaard mindesmærket ved kirken i landsbyen Holbæk i Nord- Djursland ses her med en dansk slægtning, Jesper Boe Hansen, Hasseris, som har været i engelsk tjeneste. Siderne af statuen bærer på den ene side den danske tekst: Rejst af landsmænd og Det kgl. Britiske Artilleri Regiment i 1948 efter Danmarks befrielse til minde om en dansk soldat som grundlagde Det kgl. Britiske Artilleri og deltog i 18 slag og 24 belejringer. Den modsatte side af statuen bærer den engelske tekst: Erected by fellow countrymen and the British Royal Regiment of Artillery in 1948 after the liberation of Denmark in memory of a Danish soldier who founded the British Royal Regiment of Artillery and took part in 18 battles and 24 sieges.

Borgaard Mindesmærket, Holbæk, Jylland, Danmark, indviet 1948.

(The Borgard Memorial, Holbaek, Jutland, Denmark, erected 1948)

Forfattet af Oberst T. H. Sebag-Montefiore:

 (By Colonel T. H. Sebag-Montefiore)

Kort efter 2. verdenskrig nedsatte Hr. Flemming Juncker - der selv havde været meget aktiv i modstandsbevægelsen under krigen - en komite, der skulle overveje mulighederne for at rejse et mindesmærke for General Albert Borgaard på hans fødested, landsbyen Holbæk i Jylland (Djursland), Danmark.

(A short time after the war M.r Flemming Juncker - who had been very active in the Resistance Movement during the war - a committee to consider the possibilities of erecting a monument for General Albert Borgaard at his birthplace Holbaek in Jutland, Denmark)

   Flemming Juncker boede ikke langt fra Holbæk (på Overgaard øst for Hadsten). Den berømte artilleri-officer Borgaard (i England kaldet Borgard) havde indtil da på det nærmeste været ukendt for danskerne, og i lyset af det overordentligt hjertelige forhold mellem vore to lande under krigen, og den hæder denne danske officer havde høstet i England, blev forslaget vedtaget med akklamation. The Royal Regiment of Artillery blev kontaktet med henblik på at deltage i projektet, og herfra blev det besluttet at donere et beløb fra the R. A. War Memorial Fund.

(Flemming Juncker lived not far from Holbaek (Overgaard, east of Hadsten). The famous artillery officer Borgard - as he was called in England - until then had been almost unknown to the Danes, and in the light of the extremely cordial relation between our two countries during the war, and the honours this Danish officer had received in England, the proposl was received with acclamation. The Royal Regiment of Artillery was contacted regarding participation in the projact, and from there it was decided to donate an amount from the R. A. War Memorial Fund.)

   Mindesmærket er en buste af generalen udformet efter det berømte maleri i Woolwich Mess, monteret på en smuk granitsokkel med inskription på dansk på den ene side og engelsk på den anden.

(The memorial is a bust of the general after the famous painting in Woolwich Mess, mounted on a beautiful granite plinth with inscription in Danish on one side, and in English on the other.)

   Busten er udført af Baron Arild Rosenkrantz, en velkendt dansk maler og billedhugger. Det er interessant at bemærke, at Erik Rosenkrantz - en af billedhuggerens forfædre - var dansk gesandt i England i det 16. århundrede. Shakespeare må have hørt om ham, da han navngav hofmændene i "Hamlet".

(The bust is executed by Baron Arild Rosenkrantz, a well known Danish painter and sculptor. It is interesting to notice that Erik Rosenkrantz - one of the ancestors of the sculptor - was Danish envoy in England in the 16th century .Shakespeare must have heard of him when he named the courtiers in "Hamlet".)

Inskriptionen lyder således

(The inscription goes like this:)

   "Rejst af landsmænd og Det kgl. Britiske Artilleri Regiment i 1948 efter Danmarks befrielse til minde om en dansk soldat, som grundlagde Det kgl. Britiske Artilleri og deltog i 18 slag og 24 belejringer."

   ("Erected by fellow countrymen and the British Royal Regiment of Artillery in 1948 after the liberation of Denmark. In memory of a Danish soldier who founded the British Regiment of Artillery, and who took part in 18 battles and 24 sieges.")

  Afsløringen af monumentet fandt sted søndag den 11. juli 1948. General Sir Robert Haining, Generalløjtnant Sir Otto Lund og Oberst T. H. Sebag-Montefiore deltog som det danske artilleris gæster.   Ceremonien fandt sted i den lille landsby Holbæk i Nordjylland under overværelse af en stor folkeskare. Blandt deltagerne var den britiske ambassadør i København Mr. Randall med hustru, Militærattache Oberstløjtnant J. A. Mallard, General Knudtzon, fungerende General for den danske hær, Generalmajor Callisen, Inspector-General of Artillery, the G. O. C. Jutland Infantry Division, chef of officerer fra de 3 Field Artillery Regimenter i Århus, Hr. Flemming Juncker og andre fremtrædende personer.

(The unveiling of the monument took place on Sunday 11. of June 1948. General Sir Robert Haining, Lieutenant General Sir Otto Lund and Colonel T. H. Sebag-Montefiore participated as guests of the Royal Regiment of Artillery.

The ceremony took place at the small village (or hamlet) of Holbaek in Northern Jutland in the presence of a large crowd. Among the participants were the British Ambassador in Copenhagen Mr. Randall with his wife. Military Attache Lieutenant Colonel J. A. Mallard, General Knudtzon, acting General of the Danish Army, Major General Callisen, Inspector-General of Artillery, the G. O. C. Jutland Infantry Division, chief and officers from the 3 Field Artillery Regiments at Aarhus, Mr. Flemming Juncker and other distinguished persons.)

   En æresgarde og en saluteringsenhed fra de 3 Field Artillery Regimenter i Århus deltog. Da de britiske officerer ankom, blev de hilst af trompetfanfare, og General Haining inspicerede æresgarden. Derefter tog Hr. Flemming Juncker ordet, først på engelsk og derefter på dansk; General Haining repricerede på engelsk, der blev oversat af hr. Juncker. Æresgarden præsenterede gevær, General Haining afslørede monumentet; der blev affyret en salut på 12 skud, hvorefter æresgarden affyrede 3 "feu de joies" (formodentlig en salut, hvor hver enkelt soldat i saluteringsenheden affyrede sine skud vilkårligt. Lydindtrykket kan sammenlignes med en "lynkineser"O.a.) Derefter blev der lagt kranse ved mindesmærket. Derefter overtog formanden for det lokale sogneråd Knud Friis Nyegaard i en kort tale ansvaret for monumentet på vegne af sognet, idet han lovede i tiden fremover at ville holde monumentet i god stand.

(A Guard of Honour and a salute unit from the 3 Field Artillery Regiments at Aarhus participated. As the British officers arrived they were saluted with a trumpet fanfare, and General Haiting inspected the Guard of Honour. Then Mr. Flemming Juncker spoke, first in English and then in Danish. General Haining replied in English, and was translated by Mr. Juncker. The Guard of Honour presented arms, General Haining unveiled the monument, and a salute of 12 shots was fired, after which the Guard of Honour fired 3 "feu de joies". After that wreaths were laid at the memorial. Then the head of the local parish council Knud Friis Nyegaard in a brief speech accepted the responsibility for the monument on behalf of the parish, promising in the future to keep the monument in good condition.)

   Ceremonien sluttede med, at General Knudtzon takkede komiteen på vegne af  Det danske Artilleri, idet han sagde, at der her var tale om et passende mindesmærke for en brav danske soldat og en fremragende engelsk general.

(The ceremony ended by General Knudtzon thanking the committee on behalf of the Danish Artillery, saying that this was a suitable monument for a brave Danish officer and a prominent British general.)

   Denne beskrivelse af ceremonien ville ikke være fuldendt uden en omtale og anerkendelse af modtagelsen, der blev repræsentanterne fra the Royal British Regiment til del. Regimentet mødtes med Hr. Juncker i Esbjerg. Han var kommet i militært køretøj, og han kørte os alle 140 miles til sin ejendom, hvor vi blev meget gæstfrit underholdt i hovedbygningen fra 16. århundrede. (Junckers ejendom var Overgaard, der ligger 15 km. øst for Hadsund og 32 km. fra Holbæk over Voer-Mellerup færgen.O.a.)

(This description of the monument would not be sufficient without an account of the reception of the Royal British Regiment. It was met by Mr. Juncker at Esbjerg. He had arrived in a military vehicle, and he drove us all the 140 miles to his property where we were very hospitably entertained at the 16th century estate. (Juncker's estate was Overgaard, situated 10 miles east of Hadsund and 20 miles from Holbaek by the Voer-Mellerup ferry)

   Afsløringen fandt sted næste dag, der var en søndag, og de mange militære og civile gæster blev inviteret til frokost i et stort hus i nærheden (muligvis Holbækgaard, der ejedes af Flemming Junckers søster Elizabeth Juncker og kun ligger 1,5 km. fra Holbæk.O.a.) Om aftenen sejlede de 3 Field Artillery Regiments stationeret i Århus til København med natbåden.

(The unveiling took place on the following day, a sunday, and the many military and civilian guests were invited to luch at a large house in the vicinity (possibly Holbaekgaard owned by Flemming Juncker's sister Elizabeth Juncker, only a mile from Hollbaek) In the evening the 3 Field Artillery Regiments stationed at Aarhus sailed to Copenhagen with the night boat.)

   Dagen efter besøget besøgte man Artilleriskolen i Holbæk på Sjælland, spiste frokost i messen, og om aftenen var der middag med fungerende chef for Hæren i Bellevue tæt på København. Torsdag var sat af til sightseeing, bl. a. med besøg på Kronborg Slot i Helsingør, og der var indbudt til middag om aftenen af Militær Attache Oberstløjtnant J. H. Mallard, Danmark og Den danske Hær.

(The following day they visited the School of Artillery at Holbaek in Zealand (notice the name of the Zealand town, the same as the hamlet in Jutland), had lunch in the mess, and at night there was dinner with the acting chief of the Army at Bellevue near Copenhagen. Thursday was reserved for sight-seeing, with a visit to Kronborg Castle at Elsinore, and at night there was dinner with Military Attache Lieutenant General H. M. Mallard, Denmark and the Danish Army.)

Oversat fra Journal of teh Royal Artillery 75:4 side 266 (1948) af Peter Maarbjerg

(Translated from Journal of the Royal Artillery 75:4, page 266 (1948) by Peter Maarbjerg

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography:

Elisabeth Baigent

Borgard, Albert (Albrecht Borgaard or Borregaard) (1659-1751)artillery officer, was born at Holbæk, Jutland, on 10 November 1659 of unknown parents. He is generally referred to as Albert Borgard in English sources and Albrect Borgaard or Borregaard in Danish. He joined the Danish  army in the Queen's regiment on foot in 1675 during the war betwen Sweden and Denmark, when he saw much active service on land and sea. He was made a gunner in 1676 and was promoted fyrværker or fireworker, a junior officer rank, in 1678. Described as one of 'de Conducteurer der forstaar Geometri' (cited in Rockstroh), that is, a land surveyor with a knowledge of trigonometrical surveying techniques, he spent 1680-81 as a land surveyor in Zealand. In 1680 he described in his memoir how he 'was ordered to Berlin in exchange of two Brandenburgher Fireworkers sent to Denmark to learn the difference of each Nation's work, relating to all sorts of warlike and pleasant fireworks' (Hine, 130, from Borgard's memoir (fair copy), damaged by enemy action in 1940, remains preserved at Woolwich arsenal). He studied fortification in Strasbourg in 1681 and then returned as a lieutenant to his original regiment on foot. He served in 1683 at the relief of Vienna from the Turkish siege. He helped construct the fortifications of Christiansburg and then went on to serve at the battle of Gran and the siege of Buda.

In 1688 Borgard left the Danish army and fled abroad. The reasons for his flight is not clear. In his memoir he states the reason to have been 'some Injustice do to me in my promotion' (Hine, 131). Dansk biografisk leksikon, however, mentions that he had been implicated in a treasonable matter and also the threat of a duel, which resulted from his having been passed over in promotion (Rockstroh). Whatever the reason, the result was that between 1686 and 1692 he made his way round Europe fighting in various armies. He first went to Poland as a volunteer, but later accpted a commission in the Prussian guards, with whom he served on the Rhine and at the siege of Bonn. In 1692 he left the Prussian army with a commission to raise a regiment for the emperor, but failing in this he joined the army of Louis XIV and distinguished himself in the attack on Namur. He declined a commission in the French army, and joined the English artillery.

Borgard became the first colonel of the Royal Artillery regiment on 1 April 1722. He was promoted major-general in 1735 and lieutenant- general in 1739. He died at Woolwich, where he was living, on 7 February 1751 and was buried in the Danish church in Marine Square, near the Tower of London. (The date of 15 March 1750 for the proving of his will seems to be an error for 15 March 1751). He had been a loyal member of the church, a considerable benefactor, and from 1704 a member of the church council. At his death Borgard left one of the finest corps of artillery in the world. It had benefited from his practical experience throughout Europe, but also from his considerable powers of organization, his understanding of the science of fortification, and his dedication to duty and to the education and training of the junior officers of whom he had charge. His legacy lies in the regiment itselv, in some installations built to his specifications at Woolwich, and in papers of his at Woolwich and at the British Museum, which cast considerable light on the functioning of the artillery during his lifetime.

Sources:

K. C. Rockstroh: Borgaard, Albrecht, Dansk biografisk leksikon, ed. C. F. Bricka and others, 3rd edn, ed. S. Cedergreen Bech (Copenhagen, 1979-84).

O. F. G. Hogg, English artillery, 1326-1716 (1963)

O.F. G. Hogg, The Royal Arsenal: its background, origin, and subsequent history, 2 vols. (1963)

F. Duncan, ed, History of the royal regiment of artillery, 2 vols (1872-3).

H. W. L. Hine, 'An account of the battels, sieges, &c wherein Lieut-General Albert Borgard hath served. With remarks,  Minutes of the Proceedings of the Royal Artillery Institution,13 (1885), 129-58.

O. N. von Olsen Generallieutenant A. Borgaards Levnet og Bedrifter (Copenhagen,  1839)