| The Last Stand of the 44th Regiment at Gundamuck | |
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| Artist | William Barnes Wollen |
| Year | 1898 |
| Type | Oil on canvas, history painting |
| Dimensions | 75.9 cm× 122 cm(29.9 in× 48 in) |
| Location | Museum of Chelmsford, Essex |
The Last Stand of the 44th Regiment at Gundamuck is an 1898 history painting by the British artist William Barnes Wollen. [1] [2] It depicts the dramatic last stand of British troops at the Battle of Gandamak during the Retreat from Kabul during the First Anglo-Afghan War. Fought on 13 January 1842 the vastly outnumbered detachment of the 44th Foot (East Essex Regiment) made a desperate, failed attempt to hold off the enemy as Afghan forces closed in. One of the officers, Thomas Alexander Souter, has wrapped the regimental colours around his chest.
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Wollen was known for his scenes of British military history. It was part of a trend to portray the disastrous campaign into a display of British heroism. [3] The painting was subsequently purchased by the officers of the Essex Regiment, the successor unit. It was later transferred to the Museum of Chelmsford. [4]
