Kitchener and his band of boys
October 12 2011
Field Marshal Horatio Herbert Kitchener was born in Ireland in 1850 and went on to become one of Britain's most influential leaders during the late XIX-early XX centuries. However, despite his impeccable reputation as a war expert, rumors continue to circulate about his sexuality. Historians are puzzled as to whether Kitchner was homosexual, heterosexual or bisexual.
Kitchener served in the British military during a time that male homosexuality, including male escorts for male clients, was highly forbidden and punished. Throughout most of his military career, Kitchener was able to hide any homosexual activities, if he engaged in any. His bravery and strategies proved him to be a capable soldier. In 1898, his efforts were credited with winning the Battle of Omdurman and gaining British control of Sudan. He was named Chief of Staff of the army in 1900 and played a key role in the conquest of the Boer Republics during the Second Boer War. Appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Army in 1902, he continued to demonstrate his abilities as a military strategist and soldier. In 1914, at the start of World War I, he foresaw the war as a lengthy battle as the Secretary of State for War and mobilized and organized the largest volunteer army that Britain had ever seen, which soon proved to be essential to the war effort.
Even though Kitchener was an esteemed soldier, officer and political official, his sexuality was always in question. Kitchener rarely went on dates or entertained ladies, and he was a "constant and inseparable companion" to Captain Oswald Fitzgerald, his aide-de-camp. Some historians agree that Fitzgerald and Kitchener shared an intimate relationship of the homosexual nature. This relationship was a romantic one that went beyond the limits of the typical escort-client relationship, as it was emotional as well as physical.
While serving in Egypt in 1892, Kitchener gathered around him a group of young, unmarried officers commonly referred to as "Kitchener's band of boys." This group of men were all very attractive and said to be affectionate with one another, especially with Kitchener.
A modern journalist described Kitchener as having obtained a "taste for buggery" and compared his vice to those of Egyptian officers, who often hired young boys as escorts to perform sexual services for them.
While not strictly a homosexual trait or characteristic, Kitchener's sexuality is also questioned due to his personal interest in home decor and landscaping choices. Kitchener is described as having a penchant for decorating his residences and collecting delicate china. He garishly adorned his rose garden with four pairs of bronze statues of young boys. Historians use the term "artistic temperament" to elaborate about his personality, which is known to refer to homosexual tendencies.
Although most historians assume that Kitchener may have engaged in homosexual activities during his lifetime, many also concur that he was a bisexual, based on his "friendship" with Catherine Walter, a known escort.
Regardless of Kitchener's sexual orientation or escort services that he may or may not resorted to, British military history was forever influenced by his bravery, strategies and abilities. He was a capable officer and administrator that enabled Britain to be a powerful military force.
