| Images from Southern Africa |
| Pre-Boer War Photographic Images |
| 94th Regiment Officer. c. 1881 |
| European and Native Zulu Constabulary. Natal c. 1890's |
| John Rouse Merriott Chard V.C. Royal Engineers Mounted Photograph c. 1880 |
While besieged for more
than two months at the
mission station at Eshowe
during the Anglo-Zulu War of
1879, the British garrison had
been plagued by Zulu snipers
on the nearby hill
Mbombotshana. Volunteers
were called upon to clear the
enemy from the heights and
six men stepped forward
including Trooper Garland of
the Victoria Mounted Rifles.
That night the men made their
way to the top of the hill and
drove off the Zulu riflemen the
next morning.
than two months at the
mission station at Eshowe
during the Anglo-Zulu War of
1879, the British garrison had
been plagued by Zulu snipers
on the nearby hill
Mbombotshana. Volunteers
were called upon to clear the
enemy from the heights and
six men stepped forward
including Trooper Garland of
the Victoria Mounted Rifles.
That night the men made their
way to the top of the hill and
drove off the Zulu riflemen the
next morning.
| Trooper, later Quarter Master Alpheus Howe Garland Victoria Mounted Rifles/Natal Mounted Rifles |
For his actions Garland
received a Mention in
Despatches.
After the war he continued
to serve in Victoria Mounted
Rifles and later the Natal
Mounted Rifles.
received a Mention in
Despatches.
After the war he continued
to serve in Victoria Mounted
Rifles and later the Natal
Mounted Rifles.
| Autograph Major Gonville Bromhead 24th Regiment of Foot/ South Wales Borderers c. 1883 |
| Col. Anthony Durnford Royal Engineers Mounted Photograph c. 1875 |
| Sergeant of the 5th Royal Irish Lancers and wife c. 1898 |
| "Courage" The Death of Lieutenants Melville and Coghill 24th Regiment. Chromolithograph 10 1/2 Inches by 10 1/2 Inches (26.5 cm x 26.5 cm) British/American Tobacco Co., Ltd. Litho by A. Hoen & Co. Inc. Richmond, Virginia, U.S.A. c. 1880 |
| Lt. Nevill Coghill, V.C. 24th Regiment of Foot Mounted Photograph c. 1880 |
| Lt. Teignmouth Melvill, V.C. 24th Regiment of Foot Mounted Photograph c. 1880 |
Colour Sergeant Bourne: "It's a miracle." Lieutenant John Chard: "If it's a miracle, Colour Sergeant, it's a short chamber Boxer Henry
point 45 caliber miracle." Colour Sergeant Bourne: "And a bayonet, sir, with some guts behind it."
From the 1964 film ZULU
point 45 caliber miracle." Colour Sergeant Bourne: "And a bayonet, sir, with some guts behind it."
From the 1964 film ZULU
Perhaps there is no more tragic figure in the annals of Queen Victoria's "Little Wars" than
that of Louis Napoleon, the Prince Imperial of France. The son of Napoleon III, he was the heir
of the Bonapartist throne of Imperial France and the last hope for an Imperial restoration after
the death of his father.
Raised amidst the glorious traditions of the Second Empire, young Louis was a personal witness
to France's defeat at the hands of Prussian efficiency during the Franco-Prussian War.
Exiled to England with his mother after the war, the family was joined by Napoleon III after his
release from Prussian custody although the former Emperor died not long afterward. With little
in the way of a future for the exiled heir of a failed dynasty, Louis was granted admittance to the
Royal Military Academy, Woolwich in 1872. Through hard work and a winning personality Louis
graduated in 1875 although as a foreign prince he was denied holding actual rank in the Royal
Artillery, his chosen branch of service.
With the outbreak of the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879 and the news of the disaster at Isandlwana
Louis sought permission to join forces departing for South Africa. Denied by Prime Minister
Disraeli he none the less was given letters of ....
that of Louis Napoleon, the Prince Imperial of France. The son of Napoleon III, he was the heir
of the Bonapartist throne of Imperial France and the last hope for an Imperial restoration after
the death of his father.
Raised amidst the glorious traditions of the Second Empire, young Louis was a personal witness
to France's defeat at the hands of Prussian efficiency during the Franco-Prussian War.
Exiled to England with his mother after the war, the family was joined by Napoleon III after his
release from Prussian custody although the former Emperor died not long afterward. With little
in the way of a future for the exiled heir of a failed dynasty, Louis was granted admittance to the
Royal Military Academy, Woolwich in 1872. Through hard work and a winning personality Louis
graduated in 1875 although as a foreign prince he was denied holding actual rank in the Royal
Artillery, his chosen branch of service.
With the outbreak of the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879 and the news of the disaster at Isandlwana
Louis sought permission to join forces departing for South Africa. Denied by Prime Minister
Disraeli he none the less was given letters of ....
| Napoleon Eugene Louis Joseph Bonaparte, The Prince Imperial of France Mounted Woodburytype from The South African Campaign of 1879 London Stereoscopic Company, London, England c. 1880 |
| Autograph Signature of the Prince Imperial from the Duke of Cambridge's Guest or Calling Book 14 February, 1879 |
| Bandsman Ted LeGros Prince Alfred's Guard 1885 |
| Trooper "FB" Natal Volunteer c. 1880's |
| Unidentified Cape Mounted Rifleman 1877 |
Lt. Coghill: "There Melvill, there stretched out is my Lord Chelmsford's Army. What a
wonderful adventure we undertake. What a marvellous spree."
from the Cy Endfield film Zulu Dawn
wonderful adventure we undertake. What a marvellous spree."
from the Cy Endfield film Zulu Dawn
| Boer War-era Photographic Images |
| Signalers The Queen's West Surrey Regiment Natal Field Force c. 1900 |
| Trumpeter Donovan 4th Dragoon Guards c. 1904 |
| Private 1st Batt., West Riding Regt. c.1901 |
| Saddler Corporal "Tom" Royal Artillery? 1900 |
| Sergeant J. Alexander Royal Horse Artillery c. 1900 |
| Unidentified Old Soldier c. 1900 |
| Medic Royal Army Medical Corps c. 1900 |
Harry "Breaker" Morant: "It's a new kind of war, George. It's a new war for a new century."
from the Bruce Beresford film Breaker Morant
from the Bruce Beresford film Breaker Morant
| Royal Artillery Howitzer Battery Natal. c. 1902 |
| Trooper F. E. Ashton Natal Volunteer? c.1900 |
| Unidentified Officer Cape Town c. 1900 |
| Band Sergeant A. J. Warren 1st Bat., Gloster., Regt. 1902 |
| Group of British Infantrymen c. 1902 |
| "John Bull - is a Little "Boer-ed" Original Boer War Political Cartoon Pen and Ink/ Water Colour on Paper. 7 inches by 10 inches (17.5 cm x 26.5 cm) Charles K. Cook c. 1900 England |
| "Jim" Black African Soldier 1 August, 1902 |
| Three Soldiers Outside Blockhouse c.1901 |
| Lieut. Harold Robert Jones 2nd Battalion, The Hampshire Regiment c. 1901 |
| Canadian Trooper South African Constabulary c.1903 |
| Unidentified Soldier Newcastle, Natal c. 1902 |
| Sergeant G. Wright Cape Mounted Rifles, South African Constabulary, New Zealand Expeditionary Force c.1905 |
| Unidentified Private Cape Town Highlanders c. 1895 |
Original painting by artist Frank Craig titled
Bursting Shell - Elandslaagte painted in 1899 possibly
for The Graphic.
This 1899 illustration by artist Frank Craig depicts
the British guns going into action at Elandslaagte
during the Boer War in 1899. This black and white
gauche painting was probably done for the British
publication The Graphic for whom Craig worked as
an artist.
Bursting Shell - Elandslaagte painted in 1899 possibly
for The Graphic.
This 1899 illustration by artist Frank Craig depicts
the British guns going into action at Elandslaagte
during the Boer War in 1899. This black and white
gauche painting was probably done for the British
publication The Graphic for whom Craig worked as
an artist.
"I'm free! I'm Winston Bloody Churchill, and I'm free!"
from the 1972 Richard Attenborough film Young Winston
from the 1972 Richard Attenborough film Young Winston
| "Fred" Eastern Mounted Rifles c. 1905 |
| Captain William Degacher 1st Batt. 24th Foot c. 1877 |
| Unidentified Soldier or Police Constable c. 1890 |
| Captain George Vaughan Wardell 1st Batt. 24th Foot c. 1877 |
| Private 1st Battalion the Welch Regt. or North Stafforshire Regt. c. 1890 |
| Left: A veteran of the Anglo-Zulu War, this private or NCO was a member of the 58th Regiment of Foot. Carte de Visite Natal, South Africa c.1880 |
Wearing his recently presented 1877-79 South
Africa Medal, this private or possibly NCO was
a member of the 58th (Rutlandshire) Regiment
of Foot. His collar badges clearly bear this out.
The 58th arrived in South Africa directly from
England as part of the reinforcements
requested by Lord Chelmsford after the
abortive first invasion of Zululand in early 1879.
Africa Medal, this private or possibly NCO was
a member of the 58th (Rutlandshire) Regiment
of Foot. His collar badges clearly bear this out.
The 58th arrived in South Africa directly from
England as part of the reinforcements
requested by Lord Chelmsford after the
abortive first invasion of Zululand in early 1879.
Taken from the April 1935 issue of The
Journal of the South Wales Borderers, this
image is an exact facsimile of the
muster roll that was
drawn up by hand for Col. Glyn, 24th
Foot on 3 February, 1879 by Lt. John
Rouse Merriot Chard, R.E. who was
commanding at Rorke's Drift, January
22-23, 1879.
While several muster rolls for Rorke's
Drift exist, and exhibit some variations,
this one in Chard's own hand is can be
considered as authoritative as any.
Journal of the South Wales Borderers, this
image is an exact facsimile of the
muster roll that was
drawn up by hand for Col. Glyn, 24th
Foot on 3 February, 1879 by Lt. John
Rouse Merriot Chard, R.E. who was
commanding at Rorke's Drift, January
22-23, 1879.
While several muster rolls for Rorke's
Drift exist, and exhibit some variations,
this one in Chard's own hand is can be
considered as authoritative as any.
| Sergeant Thomas Connelly DCM Royal Irish Regiment c. 1903 |
Signed "Yours Truly", this photograph
of 5689 Sergeant Thomas Connelly of
the Royal Irish Regiment shows him
sometime after the end of the
Anglo-Boer War. He wears his Queen's
South Africa Medal with six clasps and
the King's South Africa Medal with its
usual two. He also wears his
Distinguished Conduct Medal which he
was awarded in 1901.
of 5689 Sergeant Thomas Connelly of
the Royal Irish Regiment shows him
sometime after the end of the
Anglo-Boer War. He wears his Queen's
South Africa Medal with six clasps and
the King's South Africa Medal with its
usual two. He also wears his
Distinguished Conduct Medal which he
was awarded in 1901.
Connelly received a Mention in Despatches for the his actions from General
Roberts in the September 10, 1901 edition of The London Gazette. This was
upgraded to the Distinguished Conduct Medal in the September 27, 1901
issue of the Gazette.
Roberts in the September 10, 1901 edition of The London Gazette. This was
upgraded to the Distinguished Conduct Medal in the September 27, 1901
issue of the Gazette.
| Far left:Unidentified Mounted Infantryman - 58th Regiment of Foot. Carte de Visite Natal, South Africa c. 1880 |
| Left: Private James Osborne - 58th Regiment of Foot - 2nd Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment. c. 1882 |
At far left is a Carte de Visite of an unidentified
mounted infantryman of the 58th Foot taken in
Natal, South Africa shortly after the end of the
Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. On the right is a
photograph c. 1882 of Private James Osborne VC
of the 58th Foot / 2nd Battalion, The
Northamptonshire Regiment.
When closely compared both these photos appear
to depict the same individual. If this is the case
then the carte de visite would be a relatively rare
image of an other rank taken prior to being
invested with the Victoria Cross.
James Osborne was born on 13 April, 1857. He
served with the 58th Regiment of Foot as a
mounted infantryman during the Anglo-Zulu war
of 1879 and remained in South Africa after the
end of that conflict.
mounted infantryman of the 58th Foot taken in
Natal, South Africa shortly after the end of the
Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. On the right is a
photograph c. 1882 of Private James Osborne VC
of the 58th Foot / 2nd Battalion, The
Northamptonshire Regiment.
When closely compared both these photos appear
to depict the same individual. If this is the case
then the carte de visite would be a relatively rare
image of an other rank taken prior to being
invested with the Victoria Cross.
James Osborne was born on 13 April, 1857. He
served with the 58th Regiment of Foot as a
mounted infantryman during the Anglo-Zulu war
of 1879 and remained in South Africa after the
end of that conflict.
| Graaff Reinet Volunteer or Constable Cape Colony c. 1885 |