A fracture of the tibia and fibula of Major William Scott-Moncrieff at the battle of Spion Kop, South Africa, April 1900. Radiograph, 1900/1904.

L.J. Ramsey, 'Bullet wounds and X-rays in Britain's little wars', Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, 1982, 60, issue 242, pp. 91-102, states that "The conflict in South Africa did appear to mark a turning point [in the use of X-rays in medicine]" (p. 101)

Major William Scott-Moncrieff was a hero of the battle of Spion Kop, 24 January 1900, in which he was shot five times while attempting to outflank the Boers on Aloe Knoll. One of the wounds is shown in this X-ray. In 1904 he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, and between 1904 and 1907 he commanded the third battalion of the Middlesex regiment in South Africa, Hong Kong and Singapore. He lost his life in the Dardanelles campaign (1915), as Brigadier-General. See C.L. Kingsford, The story of the Duke of Cambridge's Own, London 1916

1900

1 photograph : photoprint, radiograph ; sheet 25.2 x 20.2 cm

Major Scott-Moncrieff. Fracture of tibia and fibula from bullet at Spion Kop, just above ankle. Time of exposure 3 minutes

Possibly by Lt. F. Bruce, who is mentioned by Ramsey as a radiographer in the siege of Ladysmith, 1 November - 28 February 1900

Wellcome Collection 38513i

One of a set of seven radiographs of Major William Scott-Moncrieff and others wounded at the battle of Spion Kop, 24 January 1900, or in other conflicts in the South African (Boer) Wars