TCDE-Team at 23:54, 11 November 2025

2025-11-11T23:54:26Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:54, 12 November 2025
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	Bloemfontein, April 6.		Bloemfontein, April 6.

	Dr. Conan Doyle sends to to-day's "Friend" "A First Impression."		[[Arthur Conan Doyle\|Dr. Conan Doyle]] sends to to-day's "Friend" "A First Impression."

	<~~span class="~~q">"It was only General Smith-Dorrien's Brigade,"</~~span~~> he writes, <~~span class="~~q">"but if it could have been passed, just as it was, down Piccadilly, it would have driven London crazy.</~~span~~>		<q>"It was only General Smith-Dorrien's Brigade,"</q> he writes, <q>"but if it could have been passed, just as it was, down Piccadilly, it would have driven London crazy.</q>

	<~~span class="~~q">"I watched them — ragged, bearded, fierce-eyed infantry — struggling along under their cloud of dust. Who could conceive, who has seen the prim soldier [in time] of peace, that he could so quickly transform himself into this grim, virile barbarian?</~~span~~>		<q>"I watched them — ragged, bearded, fierce-eyed infantry — struggling along under their cloud of dust. Who could conceive, who has seen the prim soldier [in time] of peace, that he could so quickly transform himself into this grim, virile barbarian?</q>

	<~~span class="~~q">"Bulldog faces, hawk faces, hungry wolf faces, every sort of face except a weak one. Here and there a man smoking a pipe, here and there a man who smiled; but the most have their swarthy faces lean a little forward, with eyes steadfast and features impassive but resolute.</~~span~~>		<q>"Bulldog faces, hawk faces, hungry wolf faces, every sort of face except a weak one. Here and there a man smoking a pipe, here and there a man who smiled; but the most have their swarthy faces lean a little forward, with eyes steadfast and features impassive but resolute.</q>

	<~~span class="~~q">"Here is a clump of Highlanders with workmanlike aprons in front and keen faces burnt black with months on the veldt; and honoured name that they bear is on their shoulder-straps.</~~span~~>		<q>"Here is a clump of Highlanders with workmanlike aprons in front and keen faces burnt black with months on the veldt; and honoured name that they bear is on their shoulder-straps.</q>

	<~~span class="~~q">"'Good old Gordons', I cried as they passed me. A sergeant glanced at dirty enthusiasm in the undershirt. 'What cheer, matey?' he cried, and the men squared their shoulders and put a touch of ginger into their stride.</~~span~~>		<q>"'Good old Gordons', I cried as they passed me. A sergeant glanced at dirty enthusiasm in the undershirt. 'What cheer, matey?' he cried, and the men squared their shoulders and put a touch of ginger into their stride.</q>

	<~~span class="~~q">"Here is a clump of mounted infantry, a grizzled fellow like a fierce old eagle at the head of them. Some are maned like lions, some have young, keen faces, but all leave an impression of familiarity upon me; yet I have not seen irregular British cavalry before.</~~span~~>		<q>"Here is a clump of mounted infantry, a grizzled fellow like a fierce old eagle at the head of them. Some are maned like lions, some have young, keen faces, but all leave an impression of familiarity upon me; yet I have not seen irregular British cavalry before.</q>

	<~~span class="~~q">"Why should it be so familiar with this loose-limbed, head-erect, swaggering type? Of course! I have seen it in an American cowboy over and over again. Strange that a few months on the veldt has produced exactly the same man that springs from the western prairie!</~~span~~>		<q>"Why should it be so familiar with this loose-limbed, head-erect, swaggering type? Of course! I have seen it in an American cowboy over and over again. Strange that a few months on the veldt has produced exactly the same man that springs from the western prairie!</q>

	<~~span class="~~q">"But these men are warriors amid war. Their eyes are hard and quick. They have a gaunt, intent look, like men who live always under a shadow of danger. </~~span~~>		<q>"But these men are warriors amid war. Their eyes are hard and quick. They have a gaunt, intent look, like men who live always under a shadow of danger. </q>

	<~~span class="~~q">"Here and there are other men again, taller and sturdier than the infantry line, grim, solid men, straight as poplars. There is a maple-leaf, I think, upon their shoulder-straps, and a British Brigade are glad enough to have those maples leaves beside them, for the Canadians are the men of Paardeberg.</~~span~~>		<q>"Here and there are other men again, taller and sturdier than the infantry line, grim, solid men, straight as poplars. There is a maple-leaf, I think, upon their shoulder-straps, and a British Brigade are glad enough to have those maples leaves beside them, for the Canadians are the men of Paardeberg.</q>

	<~~span class="~~q">"And there, behind their comrades in glory, come the Shropshire Light Infantry, slinging along with much spirit after their grand sporting colonel."</~~span~~>		<q>"And there, behind their comrades in glory, come the Shropshire Light Infantry, slinging along with much spirit after their grand sporting colonel."</q>

TCDE-Team at 12:51, 6 May 2018

2018-05-06T12:51:51Z

New page

''Fierce-Eyed Infantry'' is an article written by Julian Ralph published in the [[Daily Mail]] on 10 april 1900, reproducing an excerpt of the article [[A First Impression]] written by [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] (published initially in [[Friend]] magazine on 6 april 1900).

== Fierce-Eyed Infantry ==
[[File:Daily-mail-1900-04-10-p5-fierce-eyed-infantry.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Daily Mail]] (10 april 1900, p. 5)]]

'''Dr. Conan Doyle paints a Brigade on the march.'''

(From Our War Correspondent.)

Bloemfontein, April 6.

Dr. Conan Doyle sends to to-day's "Friend" "A First Impression."

"It was only General Smith-Dorrien's Brigade," he writes, "but if it could have been passed, just as it was, down Piccadilly, it would have driven London crazy.

"I watched them — ragged, bearded, fierce-eyed infantry — struggling along under their cloud of dust. Who could conceive, who has seen the prim soldier [in time] of peace, that he could so quickly transform himself into this grim, virile barbarian?

"Bulldog faces, hawk faces, hungry wolf faces, every sort of face except a weak one. Here and there a man smoking a pipe, here and there a man who smiled; but the most have their swarthy faces lean a little forward, with eyes steadfast and features impassive but resolute.

"Here is a clump of Highlanders with workmanlike aprons in front and keen faces burnt black with months on the veldt; and honoured name that they bear is on their shoulder-straps.

"'Good old Gordons', I cried as they passed me. A sergeant glanced at dirty enthusiasm in the undershirt. 'What cheer, matey?' he cried, and the men squared their shoulders and put a touch of ginger into their stride.

"Here is a clump of mounted infantry, a grizzled fellow like a fierce old eagle at the head of them. Some are maned like lions, some have young, keen faces, but all leave an impression of familiarity upon me; yet I have not seen irregular British cavalry before.

"Why should it be so familiar with this loose-limbed, head-erect, swaggering type? Of course! I have seen it in an American cowboy over and over again. Strange that a few months on the veldt has produced exactly the same man that springs from the western prairie!

"But these men are warriors amid war. Their eyes are hard and quick. They have a gaunt, intent look, like men who live always under a shadow of danger. 

"Here and there are other men again, taller and sturdier than the infantry line, grim, solid men, straight as poplars. There is a maple-leaf, I think, upon their shoulder-straps, and a British Brigade are glad enough to have those maples leaves beside them, for the Canadians are the men of Paardeberg.

"And there, behind their comrades in glory, come the Shropshire Light Infantry, slinging along with much spirit after their grand sporting colonel."

----
* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle:Complete Works|Back to Complete Works]]
* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle|Back to Conan Doyle]]

Fierce-Eyed Infantry - Revision history

TCDE-Team at 23:54, 11 November 2025

TCDE-Team at 12:51, 6 May 2018