Private David Jenkins kneeling to fire, 1879

Pencil sketch by Elizabeth Southerden Butler (née Thompson, later Lady Butler) (1846-1933), 1879.

This is one of Butler's sketches for her oil painting 'The Defence of Rorke's Drift' (in the Royal Collection). Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 24th (The 2nd Warwickshire) Regiment who had fought at Rorke's Drift in January 1879 were made to pose for the artist on their return to England, as she had been commanded to paint the action by Queen Victoria. Lady Butler was thus able to get eye-witness accounts as well as to sketch the combatants.