When war broke out in 1899, and early target for the Boers was the diamond-mining centre of Kimberley. This was located near the point where the Transvaal, Orange Free State and Cape Colony met. General Sir Redvers Buller detached the 1st Division under Lieutenant General Lord Methuen to relieve the Siege of Kimberley. This decision was made partly for reasons of prestige. To capture Kimberley (which contained the famous imperialist and former Prime Minister of Cape Colony, Cecil Rhodes) would be a major propaganda victory for the British. Methuen's force advanced north and won two engagements against the Boers of the Orange Free State. Reinforcements from Transvaal under General Koos de la Rey arrived and he convinced the Boers to follow his plans for attacking the British. Instead of relying on the hills for protection and missing their targets, de la Rey proposed they make use of the flat veld and introduced them to the Mauser rifle with its flat trajectory. Trenches were built in the banks of the Modder River from which they could sweep the veld for a great distance. The trenches were built on the south side of the river and on the smaller Riet River where they meet at Modder River Station. Methuen's force began advancing towards the Modder planning to cross the river. The Boers opened fire and the British troops were unable to find cover on the veld. They had to lay flat so as not to be seen or hit. The British guns pounded the buildings near Modder River Station and the north bank of the river, missing the trenches on the south bank. The battle became a stalemate. The British found an opening on the Boer's right flank at Rosmead ford downstream and drove the Boers out of Rosmead. De la Rey drove them back into a small insecure bridgehead. The Boers feared they were vulnerable and withdrew during the night. Methuen reported that the battle had been "one of the hardest and most trying fights in the annals of the British army". Individual image from photographed poster of tobacco and cigarette cards.boers, diamind-mining, kimberley, transvaal, orange free state, cape colony, sir rdvers buller, lieutenant general lord methuen, siege of kimberley, cecil rhodes, general koos dde la rey, mauser rifle, veld, modder river, modder river station, trenches, riet river, rosmead

"James Doan was a doctor who lived in a town called Kingsville, in Canada, in North America. Sick people took journeys of many days to go to see him, and to get his medicine. He was a doctor who excelled in his neighborhood, because he prepared his medicine with his own hands, so he knew it was well prepared, and good. He used to make it with shrubs, and roots, and herbs, which he gathered in the woods and veld near his home. He made many kinds of medicine; but the most excellent is that which is called Doan’s Backache Kidney Pills." (info. from raycityhistory website)This magazine reflects the popularity of over the counter remedial medications in the early 20th century.A small magazine advertising medicines. It is titled, "Doan's Birthday Book". On the front cover is an illustration of an older lady, a cat on her lap and holding a walking stick, reading to two young girls.doan's-medications medicine

This trophy awarded annually for best troop was presented by former Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Alan Cunningham. The 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles was raised as a regiment of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps on 1 May 1948 with Headquarters in Melbourne and squadrons in Sale, Benalla/Wangaratta and Albury. In 1955 Regimental Headquarters moved to Wangaratta and a second squadron was located at Albury. The Sale squadron transferred to 4th/19th Prince of Wales’s Light Horse. In 1977 8/13 VMR Regiment was reduced to an independent squadron A Squadron 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles and in 1991 was linked with 4th/19th Prince of Wales’s Light Horse forming the VMR Squadron of that regiment.Black and white photograph of 23 soldiers of ' A ' Squadron 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles being the winning troop in the Cunningham Shield Competition for the best troop for 1986. Troop leader is Lieutenant Bill Russell." Cunningham Shield Winners 1986 " Back Row: Tpr Cox, Cpl Kuschel, Tpr Pye, Tpr Melton, Tpr Middleton, Tpr O' Leary, L/ Cpl Van de Veld, Tpr Bowen M Row : Tpr Warberton, L/Cpl Mozzocato, Tpr Dowling, Tpr hale, Tpr Blucher, Tpr Cameron, Tpr Peck, Tpr Logg, Tpr Fabrik. Front Row : Tpr Pratt, Tpr Rose, Sgt Pike, Lt Russell, Cpl Burvill, Tpr Harding. "military, vmr, trophy, cunningham, russell