The Armourer

ALL THAT WAS LEFT OF THEM

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Richard Caton Woodville’s painting All That Was Left of Them appeared as a chromolith­ograph published by Gilbert Whitehead & Co as a supplement to its Holly Leaves Christmas Number in 1902. On 17 September 1901 during the Second Boer War, ‘C’ Squadron of the 17th Lancers under the command of Captain VS Sandeman, a cousin of Winston Churchill, were holding a position at Modderfont­ein farm close to the Elands River. Informed of this and desperate to acquire horses, weapons and ammunition, Boer commando leader Jan Smuts moved towards the area and, surroundin­g the 17th, opened fire, killing 29 and wounding 41 before the Lancers were forced to surrender.

In Woodville’s account of the action at Modderfont­ein farm we see a small group of Lancers huddled together and firing at their attackers coming on from all sides. An officer, wearing a leather bandolier and holding a revolver, steadies the men as a Lancer to his left, wearing a slouch hat and racked in pain, holds his hand to his wounded face. On the right, a carbine falls to the ground as its owner slumps backwards by the force of a shot to his body. And the horses. Running in all directions frantic with fright, one of them is still seen serving his master by offering his body as limited, but welcomed, cover. Always there with detail, Woodville here gives us the regiment’s skull and crossbones helmet badges and their steel shoulder chains. Finely draw too is the equipment, right down to the metal fittings that do much to prolong the life of military footwear.

 ??  ?? Richard Caton Woodville’s impression of the 17th Lancers at Modderfont­ein farm
Richard Caton Woodville’s impression of the 17th Lancers at Modderfont­ein farm

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