George Seaborne about body shields
This letter was written by George Seaborne (1855-1937), industrialist and businessman, on 4 august 1916 from his home Brynheulog, Hengoed, Cardiff (UK), to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Letter
Brynheulog
- Hengoed
- Cardiff
- 4 Aug 1916
- Cardiff
Dear Sir
Body Shields
When the British Officers founded to be impossible to advance in S. Africa when the Boers were able to sweep their front from their trenches in the sand I telegraphed to the War Office suggesting that the front ranks should be protected with oblong shields cut from the spare old boilers at the gold mines. Of course, this from a civilian (but one who is accustomed to deal with emergencies of all kind) was impertinence pure and unadulterated. How the Japanese used such shields to take Port Arthur with its fortresses which were thought to be impregnable defense covered with heavy guns, machine guns & Russian soldiers with rifles with a front of many miles covered with barbed-wires. In good histories of the taking of Port Arthur may be seen photographs of the Japs advancing behind the shields & cutting the wire in front of them. That occured to me that, if the shield always being used, if you saw some of these pictures it might help you in your efforts.
- Yours faithfully
- Geo. Seaborne
A. C. Doyle, Esq.
- Windlesham
- Crowborough
- Sussex
- Crowborough
