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I've just had a look; very interesting. Thank you for pointing that out Rob.

Ian

Rory, even when measured against your usual standard, this is an exceptionally well drafted and interesting writeup.

Thanks for posting and keeping many of us enthralled.

RobM

Many thanks Rob.

Excellent piece of research, saw it this morning and was so enthralled that my coffee went cold......

Bravo Zulu Rory........

Mike

Thanks Mike - I've seen your PM and will respond shortly

Below is a silver-mounted inkwell, fashioned from a hoof taken from the carcass of the lead horse of the 66th Battery at Colenso.

Inscribed: "REMOVED FROM THE LEADING HORSE OF THE GUN TEAM / OF THE 66TH FIELD BATTERY / AFTER THE BATTLE OF COLENSO 15TH DEC. 1899 / BY CAPTN F.W. BEGBIE R.A.M.C."

Silver mounts with hallmarks for Sheffield 1902 and maker's mark "HA" (for Atkin Brothers - Harry Atkin).

Captain Frank Warburton Begbie served with the "1st Corps Troops Field Hospital", receiving the QSA with clasps for Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith & Laing's Nek, and the KSA with clasps for South Africa 1901 & South Africa 1902. Note in Remarks Column of QSA medal roll reads: "4th Bde Bearer Coy duty; 14th Stat Hospl duty".

The extremities of the hoof show signs of decomposition of the keratin, suggesting that these souvenirs were retrieved from the battlefield sometime after the event.

Such mementoes were keenly sought after, a similar hoof from “a horse killed at Colenso in Colonel Long’s 66th Battery” selling at Stevens’s Auction Rooms on 27th June 1900 for £1 10s (Dundee Evening Telegraph, 27/06/1900).







Two similar hooves from Colenso, photographed together with shells from the Ladysmith area (taken after the lifting of the siege). These examples retain their original iron shoes, which were often replaced with silver or silver-plate mountings when the "owner" returned home.
Note the branded "541" and "RFA". Today all army horses are branded with an army number and a troop number. The army number has four digits, the first being burnt into the near-side front hoof, and the remaining three into the off-side front hoof. The troop number is burnt into the near-side hind hoof.


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