Last charge of the Lancers

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by fernando

This military campaign was the first to receive photographic coverage in Portugal. This was one of the photographers involved, a sub-lieutenant called José Veloso de Castro whose images, often taken in the heat of the battles, had a regconized power.
The original picture is kept in the museum of Lancers Regiment nº 2, in Lisbon.
I have scanned it from a (bilingual) book with the illustrated memoir of the Portuguese Army which dust cover, despite having nothing to do with the topic of this thread, i will post here, due to its rather sugestive image.
It represents a velocipedy (biking) exercize at the Practical School of Infantry, in the academic year 1897-98. If necessary these bikes, specially designed for the military, could be folded and carried on one's back.
Sorry Gene, but i couldn't resist ... this is the kind of picture one enjoys sharing .
Fernando

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Thanks Fernando, thats another great picture!
I've never seen such an early example of any military using cycles 'en-masse' and I had to laugh, they are actually cycling 'in step' not just in formation, now that must have taken a lot of practice?
Now that you tell me about the folding mechanism, I can see why the frames are that shape!
I cant imagine them actually 'wanting' to ever carry them though! lol They look VERY heavy and uncomfortable to have resting on ones back! ;-)