Godfrey Douglas Giles

Godfrey Douglas Giles (9 November 1857 Karachi - 1 February 1941) was a painter of horses, military scenes and battles, many experienced firsthand while on service with the British Army in India, Afghanistan, Egypt and South Africa. He produced numerous caricatures for the magazine Vanity Fair.

Giles was the son of Captain Edward Giles of the Royal Navy who was stationed at Karachi. Godfrey Douglas Giles was a boarding boy at Cheltenham. He was sent to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, to launch his military career, and his first posting was in India in 1875. He saw action in the Second Afghan War with the 1st Sind Horse and the 19th Native Infantry, chiefly on the Khleat and Kandahar fronts, and according to one obituary notice, had been present at Maiwand. He certainly was present at the battle of Khuski-Nakhud in February 1879 and later painted the Charge of the Scinde Horse at Khuski-Nakhud. He also painted a scene of E/B Battery Royal Horse Artillery at Maiwand which was exhibited in 1893. It was drawn from details supplied by RSM Paton and Sergeant Mullane, VC who had been with the battery.

He accompanied the Gordon Relief Expedition to Sudan and commanded Turkish cavalry at El Teb. Giles also provided a sketch of the battle which was the basis for a large fold-out panorama of the battle published in The Graphic on 1 March 1884, and began painting a scene of the battle when he returned to Cairo shortly after the event. He was also present at the battle of Tamai, and later received a commission from Lieut. P.S. Marling of the 60th Rifles depicting the latter saving Private Morley of the 35th Regiment for which Marling received the Victoria Cross. Subsequently Giles served as captain in the Loyal Suffolk Hussars and the Artists' Rifle Corps.

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