TOPIC:

I ran across this on the internet, which might be of interest. Does anyone have any more information on the source of this footage? It seems like this is staged. The photo below is one frame from the footage which can be seen via the imbedded link. The fellow out front seems to be wearing what appears to be a US Civil War uniform... ??? Thanks in advance. John
www.loc.gov/item/00694155/

I agree this is staged. Rob

Believe it or not, these are from the Library of Congress (LOC) that holds Edison films. Here is another one that is blatantly staged entitled: English Lancers Charging at the Modder River.

www.loc.gov/item/00694195/

This is the description of the footage on the LOC site.
Summary
"The stubborn resistance of the Boers is shown by the activity and persistency with which they fire the two large field pieces immediately in the foreground. It seems, indeed, a hopeless matter to attempt to capture and overthrow such an invulnerable position. The British Lancers are seen advancing, urged on by their officers, with the Royal colors flying in the air. They press the battery of Boers with such vigor that before the position is surrendered, there is scarcely a handful left to retreat, the remainder lying dead and wounded on the battle field. This picture is full of action and very exciting. 75 feet"--Edison films catalog no. 105.

There are four others: Capture of Boer Battery; Capture of Boer Battery by British; Red Cross Ambulance on Battlefield and Battle of Mafeking. They are all obviously staged. If I recall, there were reenactments of ABW battles in the US; something along the lines of Buffalo Bill's shows or even today's reenactments. I suspect that Edison and his crew filmed them and now they form part of the LOC collection. These are two notes from the Battle of Mafeking page, which certainly and sadly don't tell those who access these that they are staged.
- Edison motion pictures, 1890-1900, says the location of filming was the Orange Mountains, however, the location was probably Second Watchung Mountain, which, according to Wikipedia, is often erroneously referred to as Orange Mountain.
- According to the Scottish Military Research Group WWW site, no Highland regiments were present during the siege of Mafikeng.

John,

Re-enactments were also common in the UK. For instance, R.W. Paul produced a number of "Reproductions of Incidents of the Boer War", a few of which are listed below. (Source: John Barnes, The Cinema in England 1894 - 1901, Bishopgate Press 1992, Vol. 4, pp. 215 - 220)


BATTLE OF GLENCOE (Nov 1899) - "British storming the hill, and driving the Boers over the ridge with a Maxim and a strong rifle fire. A very successful and complete reproduction".

MAFEKING: BOMBARDMENT OF MAFEKING (Nov 1899) - "Outpost seated round fires, playing cards and talking. Sentry on duty. Shells explode all round them, at which they jeer. Very funny".

PICQUET: ATTACK ON A PICQUET (Nov 1899) - "A British outpost is seen lying round their camp fire, with rifles stacked, and the sentry on duty is resting on his rifle. He is surprised by a party of Boers from behind a thicket, and clubbed with the butt-end of a rifle, the soldiers are rushed and shot down as they attempt to reach their rifles, and the Boers rob their bodies and carry off their arms. A remarkably natural reproduction of an actual occurrence".

SPY: SHOOTING THE SPY (Nov 1899) - "Boer spy brought in by escort. Sentry turns out guard. Officer offers to bandage the spy's eyes, but latter refuses. Firing party forms up, fire a volley, spy falls, and guard marches into guard-room".

CAPTURE: CAPTURE OF A MAXIM (Dec 1899) - "British capturing a Maxim".

NURSES: NURSES ON THE BATTLEFIELD (Dec 1899) - "Nurses tending the wounded". "A most affecting picture, but very beautiful and natural. It depicts the battlefield with the wounded and dead scattered over it. The picture shows the stretcher party with doctor and his orderly, who, with the nurses, are tending a wounded Boer. At the same time a British Soldier is carried down by his comrades to the other nurses. Specially recommended".

TRAIN: WRECKING AN ARMOURED TRAIN (Dec 1899) - "The armoured train". "A graphic and complete reproduction of the armoured train incident at Mafeking. The British are seen defending the train and firing on the Boers. Several are wounded, and at last the British officer hoist a white flag in token of surrender".





The 1904/1905 "Great Boer War Spectacle", which toured the US after the war did at least feature Boers who had seen service in South Africa. Generals Cronje and Viljoen received star billing (much to the disgust of their compatriots back home).


























SEE ALSO: General Ben Viljoen - an extraordinary story of love and betrayal

AND: The St Louis Fair, 1904


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Thanks Neville,
Most interesting and from a 21st Century perspective, strange.

Another British film maker that speciallised in "faked films", as they were descibed at the time, was John Wrench & Son.

Wrench issued this statement in The Era magazine:

Important Notice
We intend issuing from time to time a number of these so-called 'Faked War Films', like the above, as we find from our experience that they are infinitely more exciting and interesting to an audience than the so-called 'Genuine War Films', as the latter will never be anything more than scenes of soldiers or sailors parading &c., before the camera in time of peace. It would be more appropriate to call them 'Genuine Peace Films', for it is a sure thing that the times were never more peaceful than when the films were taken. It is absolutely impossible to take a film of a genuine battle scene or any film of fighting, as, apart from the danger, modern warfare is carried on with the armies or navies miles apart, and therefore the subject does not lend itself to cinematography.

The British Film Institute National Archive catalogue describes three of Wrench's films thus:

THE DESPATCH BEARER - A 'faked' news film representing an incident in the Boer War. A party of riflemen are attacked by the Boers and left for dead; one of the enemy removes a despatch from one of the fallen men; another of the fallen Britishers struggles to his feet, shoots the Boer and proceeds on his way with the despatch.

(BOER ATTACK ON A RED CROSS OUTPOST). A 'faked' news film representing an incident in the Boer War. A nurse is seen receiving wounded British soldiers at a Red Cross tent; a Boer emerges from behind the tent and beats a hasty retreat after throwing a bomb in front of the tent; the wounded are brought out of the tent and amongst the casualties is the nurse.

(RESCUE OF A WOUNDED GUNNER). A 'faked' news film representing an incident in the Boer War. Four gunners are seen under fire; one falls wounded as the others advance; a cavalryman rides up, drags the wounded man on to his horse and rides of in the direction from whence he came.


Source: John Barnes, The Cinema in England 1894 - 1901, Bishopgate Press 1992, Vol. 5, pp. 109 - 110.



This still appears in Peter Warwick's "The South African War" (Longman's, 1980, p. 232), with the caption:

Propaganda film, shot on London's Hampstead Heath, though music hall patrons were not told this was entirely fictional. In this frame, the unwashed Boer shoots a well-spruced Englishman in the back, having just been given a drink of water. The film ends with the Boer being soundly thrashed by another soldier, who is at present lying dead on the left of the picture.





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