A group of Indian soldiers are labouring in the mid-summer heat of Cyprus under the watchful eye of two army supervisors. The one placed in the foreground appears to be an Indian of lower rank while the one who stands on top of the cliff in the background seems to be a senior British officer. The soldiers appear half naked and agile as they toll under harsh working conditions. They are all part of Indian troops brought to the island from Malta in July 1878 and stationed here until August. They were involved in construction and military building as well as road works. The Madras Sappers, corps of engineers of the Indian Army, were kept on the island until October [Diaries of Sir Garnet Wolseley].
The Illustrated London News, founded by Herbert Ingram and first published on Saturday 14 May 1842, was the world's first illustrated weekly news magazine. The magazine was published weekly for most of its existence, switched to a less frequent publication schedule in 1971, and eventually ceased publication in 2003. The company continues today as Illustrated London News Ltd, a publishing, content, and digital agency in London, which holds the publication and business archives of the magazine.
PNT-00213 > The Illustrated London News, The occupation of Cyprus, Indian troops at work, Engraving, 20x23cm, 1878
