Peter Ewart
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Sapper
I'm not sure whether Lummis's Corporal Schiess, the Swiss VC was ever published but it was apparently due for publication in, perhaps, c1979/1980, either as a book or as an article. He had certainly completed some genealogical and biographical research on Schiess by the late 1970s. If this never saw the light of day I suspect it would have been due to Lummis's great age - he was nearing 90 at the time, although perhaps his son, Lt-Col ET Lummis, might possibly have arranged it posthumously? The research benefited from contact with a relative of Schiess in Switzerland and included some of his military service in Europe. Lummis, too, states categorically that no photograph of Schiess was ever taken - a bold statement to make, but it would seem that Schiess's living relatives in the 1970s knew of no likeness. Phil It would seem highly likely that the huge painting of Rorke's Drift in a branch of your family was an example of the de Neuville effort, as a number of the defenders appear to have owned a copy at one time. There were certainly a few large copies about and a number of proofs or "engravings" (not necessarily accurately so described) were around in Victorian times. Chaplain Smith, whom I believe assisted the artist, gave away at least one huge copy in the 1890s and still there remained at least one (possibly two) examples surviving in Preston for many years into the 20th century. Yet another survived in his family until relatively recently. It would not surprise me at all if a number of defenders acquired - or were presented with - one of these. Peter |
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Lady Butler's depiction of Corporal Schiess |
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