On 27 July 1880 during the Second Anglo-Afghan War, two brigades of British and Indian troops were heavily defeated by Afghan forces under the leadership of Ayub Khan. Known as the Battle of Maiwand, it is often remembered for the role of a woman named Malalai, who, seeing the Afghani flag bearer shot down, rushed forward and called on the Afghan forces to fight to the death. She herself was killed during the battle.

This photograph, published for the first time, is of a painting by New Zealand artist John Elder Moultray. A painter of landscapes, military history and journalism, Moultray was born in Scotland and emigrated to Dunedin in 1883. He later accompanied the 1st Contingent to South Africa in the South African War as newspaper correspondent, and various newspapers published his sketches and letters.

This painting, The Last Stand of the British at Maiwand, Afghanistan, 27th July, 1880 was exhibited at the Melbourne Centennial Exhibition in 1888, and was noted for its “expression, action, texture, and arrangement, with attention to accoutrements of the period.” It depicts the last stand of a group of British soldiers, who are said to have allowed other troops escape through their stand: paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18870901.2.33

Moultray sent in this image to the Copyright Office on 27 August 1887, to be registered under the Fine Arts Copyright Act. He was living in Dunedin at the time.

More information on J. Elder Moultray can be found in this thesis by Marilyn Park: researcharchive.vuw.ac.nz/xmlui/handle/10063/2042

Archives Reference: PC4 Box 1/ 1887/38 archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=18288271

For updates on our On This Day series and news from Archives New Zealand, follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ArchivesNZ