Piper Findlater VC at the NAM

Statuette detail of George Findlater VC.
Made by Elkington & Co. 1897.
National Army Museum Collection, London.
(P. Ferguson image, November 2017

George Findlater VC

The National Army Museum (NAM) retains in its holdings some items related to Piper George Findlater who became a recipient of the Victoria Cross for his actions 20 October 1897 at the Battle of the Dargai Heights. Included in the NAM’s collection is a silver-plated statuette, Findlater’s smashed bagpipe chanter from Dargai, and and oil painting by Edward Matthew Hale and photogravure (after Schornberg) both depicting the wounded George Findalater rallying the First Battalion Gordon Highlanders by continuing to play the pipes. At the time of his actions Findlater was suffering from wounds to both ankles and was unable to walk.

Full size statuette.
Piper George Findlater.
National Army Museum.
(P. Ferguson image, November 2019)

The Findlater painting, on exhibition at the NAM, was completed by the artist Edward Matthew Hale who painted several military themed works of art including The Drums of the Fore and Aft (Leeds Art Gallery), The Charge of the 21st Lancers at Omdurman (National Army Museum) and a portrait of Colonel J.W.R. Parker held by The Green Howards Regimental Museum.

Piper George Findlater V.C., Dargai Heights, 1897.
National Army Museum Collection, London.
(P. Ferguson image, September 2017)

The 5,000′ tall (1,524 meters) Dargai Heights painting of Findlater shows piper playing as the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders advance. Troops of the Indian Army appear on the right. The Dargai Heights occupy a strategically important position in the Khyber Pass and was the sight of repeated conflict between the British and the local Afridi peoples. The Order of Battle of the Tirah Field Force comprised the two divisions of which the 1st Gordon Highlanders were included in the Third Brigade of the Second Division. Their brigade also included the 1st Dorsetshire Regiment, 15th Sikhs, and the 1st/2nd Gurkhas.

The Victoria Cross awarded to George Findalter is held by the regimental museum of the Gordon Highlanders. Dargai is located in the Malakand District, Khyber Pakhtunkwa Province, Pakistan.

Victoria Cross Recipients for Dargai 20 October 1897

Lieutenant Henry Singleton Pennell (2nd Battalion Derbyshire Regiment)
Piper George Findlater (1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders)
Private Edward Lawson (1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders)
Private Samuel Vickery (1st Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment)

Helpful Link

National Army Museum Online Collections

Tags: 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders, Dargai Heights, Edward Matthew Hale, Elkington & Company, Khyber Pass, National Army Museum, Piper George Findlater VC, Tirah Field Force, Victoria Cross

This entry was posted by pferguson on Friday, October 28th, 2022 at 10:55 am and is filed under Pipers of War. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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pferguson

Paul has worked with the Paradigm Motion Picture Company since 2009 as producer, historian and research specialist. Paul first met Casey and Ian WIlliams of Paradigm in April 2007 at Ieper (Ypres), Belgium when ceremonies were being held for the re-dedication of the Vimy Memorial, France. Paul's sensitivity to film was developed at an early age seeing his first films at RCAF Zweibrucken, Germany and Sardinia. Paul returned to Canada in 1967 and was captivated by David Lean's "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Bridge on the River Kwai". Over time Paul became increasingly interested in storytelling, content development, character, direction, cinematography, narration and soundtracks. At the University of Victoria, Paul studied and compared Japanese and Australian film and became interested in Australian film maker Peter Weir and his film "Gallipoli" (1981). Paul was inspired when he learned Weir visited the beaches, ridges and ravines of the peninsula. "Gallipoli", the film, led Paul on many journeys to sites of conflict in England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Malta, Hawaii, Gallipoli, North Macedonia and Salonika. When Paul first watched documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, "The Civil War", Paul understood how his own experience and insight could be effective and perhaps influential in film-making. Combining his knowledge of Museums and Archives, exhibitions and idea strategies with his film interests was a natural progression. Paul thinks like a film-maker. His passion for history and storytelling brings to Paradigm an eye (and ear) to the keen and sensitive interests of; content development, the understanding of successful and relational use of collections, imagery and voice. Like Paul's favorite actor, Peter O'Toole, Paul believes in the adage “To deepen not broaden.” While on this path Paul always remembers his grandmother whose father did not return from the Great War and how his loss shaped her life and how her experience continues to guide him.

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