BATTLE OF MAFIKENG GREAT BOER WAR LITHOGRAPHIC PRINT

THIS IS AN VINTAGE 1980S LITHOGRAPHIC REPRODUCTIVE PRINT OF A GREAT BOER WAR BATTLE OF MAFIKENG SCENE FROM 31ST MARCH 1900.

IT DEPICTS COLONEL PLUMERS UNSUCCESSFUL RELIEF ATTACK OF MAFIKENG. ON 31ST MARCH 1900, COLONEL PLUMER ATTEMPTED TO FIGHT HIS WAY INTO MAFEKING WITH THE RHODESIAN REGIMENT, BUT WAS REPELLED WITH HEAVY LOSS.
 
BATTLE OF MAFIKENG (14 OCT 1899 TO 16 MAY 1900):
The siege of the railway town on the Bechuanaland border, from 14th October 1899 to 16th May 1900, that fired the British imagination with its resourceful defence by Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Scout Movement.
Mafeking lies on the railway north to Rhodesia, in the Northern tip of Cape Colony in South Africa, near to the Bechuanaland border.
Commanders: Colonel Robert Baden-Powell against General Cronje and from November 1899, General Snyman.
Size of Forces: 1,500 British colonial troops against initially 7,500 Boers, reduced in November 1899 to 1,500.
WINNER: The British held out until relieved.
It was planned by the British that, on the outbreak of war with the Boers, Colonel Robert Baden-Powell with two regiments of mounted colonial irregulars would invade the north-western tip of the Transvaal from the Bechuanaland/Cape Colony border, thereby drawing significant Boer forces away from the Boer invasion of Natal.
Baden-Powell raised his two regiments, one from Rhodesia, the other from Bechuanaland, but Milner the High Commissioner in Cape Town changed the scheme, requiring Baden-Powell to garrison Mafeking and resist any attempt by the Boers to capture it.
Baden-Powell sent Colonel Plumer with the Rhodesian Regiment to a nearby town, Tuli, while he established his Bechuanaland Regiment in Mafeking, with a handful of British officers.
Baden-Powell conducted the defence of the town with great energy and resource, leading the Boers to believe there was a larger garrison than was the case.
FROM JANUARY 1900, FOOD STOCKS IN MAFEKING FELL LOW AND A RELIEF ATTACK WAS PLANNED. ON 31ST MARCH 1900, COLONEL PLUMER ATTEMPTED TO FIGHT HIS WAY INTO MAFEKING WITH THE RHODESIAN REGIMENT, BUT WAS REPELLED WITH HEAVY LOSS. THIS LITHOGRAPHIC PRINT IS A DEPICTING OF THIS EVENT.
On Saturday 12th May 1900, the Boer Field Cornet Sarel Eloff launched the most significant assault on Mafeking, in an attempt to capture the town before it could be relieved by the advancing British force under Colonel Mahon.
The operation began with Eloff attacking through the Baralong town (the Native Stadt) and captured the police barracks in the centre of Mafeking. Throughout the rest of the day, fighting raged around the barracks, until Eloff was forced to surrender and the attack collapsed.
The following Wednesday, 16th May 1900, Colonel Mahons flying column of Imperial Light Horse and Royal Horse Artillery rode into Mafeking, after an epic ride and the siege ended.
The relief of Mafeking caused ecstatic joy in Britain, out of all proportion to its significance. For a time, the word mafeking meant to celebrate excessively.
BADEN-POWELL WENT ON TO ESTABLISH THE WORLD-WIDE BOY SCOUT MOVEMENT, BASED ON THE YOUTH CORPS SET UP IN MAFEKING DURING THE SIEGE. I HAVE AN EARLY TRANSVAAL CADETS BADGE (1905-1913) ALSO ON AUCTION THIS WEEK.
 
ORIGINAL PUBLICATIUON OF SKETCH: The original wood engraving of a sketch drawn by British artist Frank Dadd was published in The Graphic Weekly Newspaper in 1900. It was subsequently published in The Scripta Africana 11 volume 1000 limited edition series by Hans Strydom in 1985-1989 which is almost impossible to come by these days. This reproductive print was supplied by courtesy of the Africana Museum in Johannesburg.
 
FRANK DADD (1851-1929):
Frank Dadd was born on the 28th March 1851 in London. He studied at the Royal College of Art and at the Royal Academy Schools, where he won a Silver medal for drawing from life. He commenced black and white work in about 1882 and worked as an illustrator for the Illustrated London News from 1878-1884 and then at The Graphic. He specialised in historical and genre paintings, and in addition illustrated several books.
 
Size: 420MM WIDE 297MM HIGH
 
CONDITION: IN GOOD CONDITION. WILL BE SUPPLIED ROLLED UP IN A TUBE.
 
PLEASE ALSO SEE MY OTHER ITEMS LISTED. I HAVE VARIOUS OTHER BOER WAR ERA BADGES AND OTHER ITEMS ON AUCTION THIS WEEK. INCLUDES AN OLD AND RARE BOER WAR BRITISH MOUNTED INFANTRY HORSE BADGE AN EARLY TWENTIETH (1881-1924) CENTURY QUEENS ROYAL REGIMENT BADGE. I ALSO HAVE TWO FIRST BOER WAR AND GREAT BOER WAR BATTLE SCENE LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTS ON AUCTION THIS WEEK ONE ABOUT THE BATTLE OF MAJUBA AND ONE ABOUT THE BATTLE OF PIETERS AND LADYSMITH.