Godfrey Douglas Giles
Encyclopedia
Godfrey Douglas Giles was a painter of horses, military scenes and battles, many experienced at first hand while on service with the British Army
in India
, Afghanistan
, Egypt
and South Africa
. He produced numerous caricatures for the magazine Vanity Fair.
who was stationed at Karachi. He was sent to Sandhurst
to launch his military career, and his first posting was in India in 1875. He saw action in the Second Afghan War
with the 1st Sind Horse and the 19th Native Infantry, chiefly on the Khleat and Kandahar
fronts, and according to one obituary notice, had been present at Maiwand
. He certainly was present at the battle of Khuski-Nakhud in February 1879 and later painted the Charge of the Scinde Horse at Khuski-Nakhud. He also painted a scene of E/B Battery Royal Horse Artillery
at Maiwand
which was exhibited in 1893. It was drawn from details supplied by RSM Paton and Sergeant Mullane, VC who had been with the battery.
He accompanied the Gordon Relief Expedition to Sudan and commanded Turkish cavalry at El Teb
. Giles also provided a sketch of the battle which was the basis for a large fold-out panorama of the battle published in The Graphic
on March 1, 1884, and began painting a scene of the battle when he returned to Cairo shortly after the event. He was also present at the battle of Tamai
, and later received a commission from Lieut. P.S. Marling of the 60th Rifles depicting the latter saving Private Morley of the 35th Regiment for which Marling received the Victoria Cross
. Subsequently Giles served as captain in the Loyal Suffolk Hussars and the Artists' Rifle Corps
.
Having attained the rank of Major, Godfrey Douglas Giles retired from the army in 1884 and went to Paris in 1885 where he studied under Carolus-Duran
. He successfully exhibited paintings such as The Battle of Tamai
and El Teb
at the Paris Salon
and the Royal Academy
after which he settled in Newmarket where he was able to depict horses and horse-racing scenes. His illustrations also appeared in the weekly Black & White Budget
in 1891.
After the outbreak of the Boer War
in South Africa in 1899, Giles was sent there as war correspondent and artist by The Graphic
and The Daily Graphic, and was attached to French's
1st Cavalry Brigade. He witnessed the surrender of General Piet Cronje
after the Battle of Paardeberg
, and was present at the subsequent relief of Kimberley
. Later he wrote a piece for The Graphic
titled "With French to Kimberley and Roberts to Bloemfontein" which appeared in The Graphic
History of the South African War. Giles contributed greatly to the pictorial record of the Boer War with works on display in museums in both South Africa and England. He was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal
on 12 February 1903.
Giles died at the age of 83 in Edinburgh on 1st February 1941.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. He produced numerous caricatures for the magazine Vanity Fair.
Biography
Giles was the son of Captain Edward Giles of the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
who was stationed at Karachi. He was sent to Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
to launch his military career, and his first posting was in India in 1875. He saw action in the Second Afghan War
Second Anglo-Afghan War
The Second Anglo-Afghan War was fought between the United Kingdom and Afghanistan from 1878 to 1880, when the nation was ruled by Sher Ali Khan of the Barakzai dynasty, the son of former Emir Dost Mohammad Khan. This was the second time British India invaded Afghanistan. The war ended in a manner...
with the 1st Sind Horse and the 19th Native Infantry, chiefly on the Khleat and Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
fronts, and according to one obituary notice, had been present at Maiwand
Battle of Maiwand
The Battle of Maiwand in 1880 was one of the principal battles of the Second Anglo-Afghan War. Under the leadership of Malalai Anaa, the legendary woman of Afghanistan, the Afghan followers of Ayub Khan defeated the British Army in one of the rare nineteenth-century victories of an Asian force...
. He certainly was present at the battle of Khuski-Nakhud in February 1879 and later painted the Charge of the Scinde Horse at Khuski-Nakhud. He also painted a scene of E/B Battery Royal Horse Artillery
Royal Horse Artillery
The regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery , dating from 1793, are part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery of the British Army...
at Maiwand
Battle of Maiwand
The Battle of Maiwand in 1880 was one of the principal battles of the Second Anglo-Afghan War. Under the leadership of Malalai Anaa, the legendary woman of Afghanistan, the Afghan followers of Ayub Khan defeated the British Army in one of the rare nineteenth-century victories of an Asian force...
which was exhibited in 1893. It was drawn from details supplied by RSM Paton and Sergeant Mullane, VC who had been with the battery.
He accompanied the Gordon Relief Expedition to Sudan and commanded Turkish cavalry at El Teb
El Teb
El Teb, a halting-place in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan near the coast of the Red Sea, 9 m. southwest of the port of Trinkitat on the road to Tokar. At El Teb, on 4 February 1884, a heterogeneous force under General Valentine Baker, marching to the relief of the Egyptian garrison of Tokar, was...
. Giles also provided a sketch of the battle which was the basis for a large fold-out panorama of the battle published in The Graphic
The Graphic
The Graphic was a British weekly illustrated newspaper, first published on 4 December 1869 by William Luson Thomas's company Illustrated Newspapers Limited....
on March 1, 1884, and began painting a scene of the battle when he returned to Cairo shortly after the event. He was also present at the battle of Tamai
Battle of Tamai
The Battle of Tamai took place on March 13, 1884 between a British force under Sir Gerald Graham and a Mahdist Sudanese army led by Osman Digna....
, and later received a commission from Lieut. P.S. Marling of the 60th Rifles depicting the latter saving Private Morley of the 35th Regiment for which Marling received the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
. Subsequently Giles served as captain in the Loyal Suffolk Hussars and the Artists' Rifle Corps
Artists' Rifles
The Artists Rifles is a volunteer regiment of the British Army. Raised in London in 1859 as a volunteer light infantry unit, the regiment saw active service during the Boer Wars and World War I, earning a number of battle honours; however, it did not serve outside of Britain during World War II, as...
.
Having attained the rank of Major, Godfrey Douglas Giles retired from the army in 1884 and went to Paris in 1885 where he studied under Carolus-Duran
Carolus-Duran
Charles Auguste Émile Durand, known as Carolus-Duran , was a French painter and art instructor. He is noted for his stylish depictions of members of high society in Third Republic France.-Biography:...
. He successfully exhibited paintings such as The Battle of Tamai
Battle of Tamai
The Battle of Tamai took place on March 13, 1884 between a British force under Sir Gerald Graham and a Mahdist Sudanese army led by Osman Digna....
and El Teb
Battles of El Teb
The Battles of El Teb took place during the British Sudan Campaign where a force of Sudanese under Osman Digna won a victory over an 3500 strong Egyptian force under the command of General Valentine Baker which was marching to relieve Tokar on the 4th...
at the Paris Salon
Paris Salon
The Salon , or rarely Paris Salon , beginning in 1725 was the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris, France. Between 1748–1890 it was the greatest annual or biannual art event in the Western world...
and the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
after which he settled in Newmarket where he was able to depict horses and horse-racing scenes. His illustrations also appeared in the weekly Black & White Budget
Black & White Budget
Black & White Budget was a Victorian illustrated weekly printed and published by W.J.P. Monckton in London. The first issue appeared on 14 October 1899 under the name Black & White. Thereafter it continued as Black & White Budget until 30 May 1903, after which it appeared as Black & White...
in 1891.
After the outbreak of the Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
in South Africa in 1899, Giles was sent there as war correspondent and artist by The Graphic
The Graphic
The Graphic was a British weekly illustrated newspaper, first published on 4 December 1869 by William Luson Thomas's company Illustrated Newspapers Limited....
and The Daily Graphic, and was attached to French's
John French, 1st Earl of Ypres
Field Marshal John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres, KP, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCMG, ADC, PC , known as The Viscount French between 1916 and 1922, was a British and Anglo-Irish officer...
1st Cavalry Brigade. He witnessed the surrender of General Piet Cronje
Piet Cronje
Pieter Arnoldus Cronjé, commonly known as Piet Cronjé was a general of the South African Republic's military forces during the Anglo-Boer wars of 1880-1881 and 1899-1902....
after the Battle of Paardeberg
Battle of Paardeberg
The Battle of Paardeberg or Perdeberg was a major battle during the Second Anglo-Boer War. It was fought near Paardeberg Drift on the banks of the Modder River in the Orange Free State near Kimberley....
, and was present at the subsequent relief of Kimberley
Siege of Kimberley
The Siege of Kimberley took place during the Second Boer War at Kimberley, Cape Colony , when Boer forces from the Orange Free State and the Transvaal besieged the diamond mining town. The Boers moved quickly to try to capture the British enclave when war broke out between the British and the two...
. Later he wrote a piece for The Graphic
The Graphic
The Graphic was a British weekly illustrated newspaper, first published on 4 December 1869 by William Luson Thomas's company Illustrated Newspapers Limited....
titled "With French to Kimberley and Roberts to Bloemfontein" which appeared in The Graphic
The Graphic
The Graphic was a British weekly illustrated newspaper, first published on 4 December 1869 by William Luson Thomas's company Illustrated Newspapers Limited....
History of the South African War. Giles contributed greatly to the pictorial record of the Boer War with works on display in museums in both South Africa and England. He was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal
Queen's South Africa Medal
The Queen's South Africa Medal was awarded to military personnel who served in the Boer War in South Africa between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902. Units from the British Army, Royal Navy, colonial forces who took part , civilians employed in official capacity and war correspondents...
on 12 February 1903.
Giles died at the age of 83 in Edinburgh on 1st February 1941.
Paintings
- Norman Ramsay's Guns at Fuentes De Onoro, 5 May 1811 (1897 - Royal ArtilleryRoyal ArtilleryThe Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
Institution) - Charge of the Heavy Brigade (Private Collection)
- The Battle of Tamai, Soudan Campaign, 1884 (1885 - National Army MuseumNational Army MuseumThe National Army Museum is the British Army's central museum. It is located in the Chelsea district of central London, England adjacent to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the home of the "Chelsea Pensioners". The National Army Museum is open to the public every day of the year from 10.00am to 5.30pm,...
) - An Incident at the Battle of Tamai, Eastern Soudan, March 13, 1884 (Private Collection)
- The Battle of Tamaii (1885 - York and Lancaster RegimentYork and Lancaster Regiment-History:It was formed in 1881 through the amalgamation of two other regiments:*65th Regiment*84th RegimentThe title of the regiment was derived not from the cities of York and Lancaster, or from the counties...
Trust, on loan National Army MuseumNational Army MuseumThe National Army Museum is the British Army's central museum. It is located in the Chelsea district of central London, England adjacent to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the home of the "Chelsea Pensioners". The National Army Museum is open to the public every day of the year from 10.00am to 5.30pm,...
) - Charge of the 10th Hussars at El Teb (1884 - Queen's Royal Hussars)
- After the Battle of Atbara. The Emir Mamoud brought prisoner to Sir H. Kitchener (1899 - National Army MuseumNational Army MuseumThe National Army Museum is the British Army's central museum. It is located in the Chelsea district of central London, England adjacent to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the home of the "Chelsea Pensioners". The National Army Museum is open to the public every day of the year from 10.00am to 5.30pm,...
) - Cronje's Laager, Paardeberg, 18 February 1900 (1900 - National Army MuseumNational Army MuseumThe National Army Museum is the British Army's central museum. It is located in the Chelsea district of central London, England adjacent to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the home of the "Chelsea Pensioners". The National Army Museum is open to the public every day of the year from 10.00am to 5.30pm,...
) - Advance on Kimberley (1901 - Queen's Royal Lancers)
- To the Relief of Kimberley (1901 - National Army MuseumNational Army MuseumThe National Army Museum is the British Army's central museum. It is located in the Chelsea district of central London, England adjacent to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the home of the "Chelsea Pensioners". The National Army Museum is open to the public every day of the year from 10.00am to 5.30pm,...
) - A Troop of the 10th Hussars racing the Boers for a kopje above the Modder River (1902 - Queen's Royal Hussars)