Patriotic Handkerchiefs: The Lancer

Patriotic handkerchiefs were common during the Victorian era. Women could pull them out in any company and display their patriotism in a salon, or at a band shell concert in the park.

This one featuring the alphabet of patriotism starts of with "A stands for Army, Fighting the Boers." It features uniforms which were no longer worn into battle including a heroic lancer charging at the centre.

This kerchief dates from 1899 or early 1900, when the lancer was still the most celebrated arm of the army, as he had been since the days of Napoleon.

This kerchief in fact, memorializes the end of an era. The Boers, with their high power rifles, and deadly accuracy, shooting from a mile away, delegated the lancers to the dust bin of history. They never saw a Boer they could charge.

In fact in the besieged towns like Ladysmith the only good thing one could say about lancers was that they brought horses - which could be eaten by the hungry populace.

Patriotic Handkerchiefs: The Cavalryman

Another kerchief celebrated the cavalryman, who like the lancers, are shown charging on white horses.

Within months only fools would ride a white horse, an easily visible target for the sharp-shooting Boers. Even the famous Scots Greys saw the writing on the wall and painted their horses khaki to have them blend better into the dry grass of the veldt.

The cavalry were the "Death or Glory" boys celebrated in verse around the charging trio at the centre. There would be no "sword work" for the cavalry in this war either. Their day, like that of the lancer was over. The war saw the cavalryman, his silly sword and small carbine, unceremoniously dumped from the saddle and replaced with an infantryman carrying a heavy rifle.

Patriotic Handkerchiefs: The Unity of Empire

The British - and Lord Roberts especially - were keen to stress the inclusive nature of the British Empire. They welcomed participation from all four corners of Victoria's Dominions.

The central medallion features a New South Wales cavalryman, over a Maltese (Victoria) Cross, suggesting men from Canada, India, South Africa, and Australia were all capable of Victoria Cross action to protect the rights of the Queen.

Incidents of the Transvaal War: Another early hanky celebrates early incidents in the war - later there were none - and before people at home knew the men were fighting in khaki not parade dress red and blue uniforms.

Taking center stage here, is the hoisting of the flag at Pretoria, which everyone figured would end the war - hence this silk and the triumph of adding "Another patch of red" to the Empire.

An early incident that stirred many hearts was when teenage Bugler John Shurlock of the 5th Lancers used a pistol to win fame - if not fortune - as "The Boy Who Shot Three Boers," celebrated in the panel, right, at the Battle of Elandslaagte, in Oct. 1899. It also notes correctly that, indeed, he was carried on the shoulders of elated Tommies through the victorious British camp after the battle.

Wrote his proud mother, that, none of this was a surprise to her: "He is brave, good, and generous son."

Patriotic Handkerchiefs: Bobs

The most common handkerchief of all was the one celebrating the ordinary slogging foot soldier, popularized by Rudyard Kipling as the Absent-Minded Beggar, who did all the real work of the war and got precious little thanks for it. Left is the handkerchief celebrating him published by the Graphic.

This, probably the most famous handkerchief of the war - it certainly is the most commonly found today - featured the three most popular people in England during 1900: the Queen, Lord Roberts ("Bobs"), and Tommy Atkins, the "Absent-Minded Beggar."

It also featured Kipling's poem and the music to sing it with, and a map of the two Boer Republics in South Africa with place names from which the cheery letters came first, and then later, the numerous death notices saying that another "Tommy" would not return home.