Marines from HMS Niobe cheering news from the front, Cape Town', 1900.

One of a boxed set of stereoscope photographs which was produced for sale to the general public by a profesional firm of photographers, Underwood and Underwood. The Second Boer War (1899-1902) was the first war to be covered comprehensively by both film and still photography. This was the result of improved technology in both photographic equipment and printing techniques; cameras were more portable and magazines started to reproduce half-tone photographs. The war was fought between the British and the Boer republics of the Transvaal and Orange Free State, not least because of the rich gold mines in these areas. After early reverses and several bloody battles with heavy casualties, the British eventually won the war.