The 6th Dragoon Guards at Chobham Camp, 14 June-25 August 1853

Oil on panel attributed to Samuel Henry Alken.

In 1853 Chobham Camp was the scene of the first large-scale manoeuvres in Britain since the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815). Unease at Russia's ambitions in the Balkans and eastern Mediterranean prompted an increase in British military activity. These preparations proved invaluable in the Crimean War (1854-1856).

From 14 June to 25 August 8,000 men, 1,500 horses and 24 guns mustered on the heathland in Surrey for drill, field operations and parades, under the command of Lieutenant-General John Colbourne. It attracted large crowds of spectators, including royalty and foreign dignitaries, and was recorded in numerous paintings and prints.