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Gordon Highlanders Leaving for the Boer War

A rambunctious crowd greets the Highlanders in Aberdeen, some more interested in the camera than the soldiers.

1899 1 mins Silent

Overview

Union Terrace, Aberdeen: the William Wallace statue surveys a rambunctious crowd as they greet the Scottish infantry regiment the Gordon Highlanders. Something of a cross between the popular β€˜factory gate’ films and those of troops embarking, the kids jostling to get in front of the camera are fully aware that their faces – along with those of the soldiers headed to South Africa – are likely to be exhibited far and wide thanks to the new technology of the cinematograph. The gentleman with the moustache is clearly keen to keep them out of shot… but does he intend to be as visible as he is?