TOPIC:

Everhard,

A grinder makes a lot of sense. Some kind of crank is just visible on the left-hand side. The larger aperture at the top and the series of narrow vertical slits at the base would also work in this context. The dark residue around the slits could well be ground coffee or whatever is in the basin just behind the "dead Brit". I wonder why such an item would have had official Z.A.R. markings.

I wasn't sure what was going on with the board. I had wondered whether the cork-shaped items were gaming pieces.

Neville

If it is a grinder then the items on the table could be parsnips root." Substitute for Coffee. —Scrape clean three or four good parsnips, cut them into thin slices, bake till well brown, grind or crush, and use in the same manner as coffee, from which it is scarcely distinguishable. This is not only a beverage equally as good as coffee, but it is likewise a cure for asthma." This would also put the white tray on the makeshift heating tin into context.

Same place, same cast, same props. (Photo borrowed from Tinus le Roux "Boer War in Colour" volume 1)

Bizarrely, the chap second from the left is sitting on the upended “grinder” thing. This suggests that it was a pretty robust piece of kit, whatever its function.
The “Z.A.” of “Z.A.R.” is just visible behind the bolt of the carbine.

I now see that what I thought were vertical slots near the base are, in fact, large stencilled numbers. It looks a bit like a post box from this angle.

With thanks to Tinus le Roux




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The real Danie Theron's Scouts. No Staatsartillerie uniforms in evidence.



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Superb picture, Neville. I note two burghers wear armbands - I wonder if this is taken soon after Danie Theron's death 5 Sept 1900?
Going back to the original posed photo of "Theron's" scouts::
- I think a field post box is an intriguing possibility!
- there's a third in the series, which I attach.
You'll note they wear their boots in bed? It's to keep dewet from defeet.