LATIMA, G.E.A.

330 x 160 mm, a well executed original pen and ink drawing with brown wash heightened in white, depicting a panoramic view of Latima mountain or hill. Watched by two Africans in the foreground, a platoon of troops marches away down the road towards the neck between Latima and Reata Hills whilst others rest under some small trees. Another group of soldiers rest under a baobab tree. Signed in the bottom right hand corner 'F.J.R.', with the title 'Latima' next to the signature. It has been laid down on card and mounted in a double mount.

Frank John Robinson was corporal in the Second South African Infantry Brigade: East Africa. He later became headmaster of King Edward's School, Johannesburg from 1931-1934. The battle for Latima and Reata Hills, whilst nominally a victory for the South African and allied forces, was one of the most costly of the war. Collyer comments, 'The British forces had sustained some 300 casualties (heavy for a few hours fighting in Africa) with a high percentage killed. The enemy's machine gun work was as thorough and effective as the rifle fire of the Askari was, as a rule, poor. The German losses were given as 17 killed and 67 wounded and 39 missing.' ('The South Africans With General Smuts G.E.A. 1916', page 77). The Germans finally made a tactical withdrawal and the hills were occupied. Von Lettow Vorbeck commented, 'The enemy occupied Reata mountain and for a while fired into the blue. By no means an unusual target for artillery in this country.'