A gun of the Elswick Battery 'going down a steep hill', while being transported from Lydenburg to Watervalonder, 1900

Photograph, Boer War (1899-1902), 1900.

The battery was equipped with 12 pounder naval guns, originally intended as armament for a Japanese battleship, but purchased by Lady Meux from Armstrong Whitworth's Elswick Works in 1900. The guns, with a maximum range of 8,000 yards were mounted on special field carriages and presented to Lord Roberts following his appointment as Commander in Chief in South Africa.

The guns were manned by officers and men of the 1st Northumberland Volunteer Artillery, many of whom were employed at the works or came from Elswick. The battery owas the only volunteer artillery unit from Britain to serve in the Boer War with a force commanded by General Sir Ian Hamilton in the Western Transvaal.

From an album of 156 photographs presented to Major General Horace Smith-Dorrien, GOC of 19th Brigade, showing its operations in South Africa from July to October 1900.