Groepsportret van Britse soldaten in Noupoort voordat zij hun zegetocht naar Rensburg beginnen 1900

This photograph captures British soldiers in Noupoort, readying for their campaign towards Rensburg, South Africa. While the photographer remains anonymous, the image speaks volumes about the colonial era and the individuals who were part of it. What does it mean to be a cog in the wheel of empire? Each soldier, an individual with a history, is subsumed into the collective identity of the British army. Consider the social dynamics at play here, class distinctions blurred by military uniform, yet ever present. The image is both a celebration of British military strength and a document that unveils the complex, often brutal, realities of colonialism, raising questions about identity, power, and the human cost of empire.