THE ZULU WAR BY IAN KNIGHT

THE ZULU WAR BY IAN KNIGHT
In January 1879, the British went to war with the independent kingdom of Zululand in South Africa. The British invaded Zululand in three separate columns, and on the 22^nd January the British Right Flank Column consisting of infantry, black auxiliaries of the Natal Native contingent, artillery with guns and rockets, a handful of mounted volunteers and a Naval detachment, defeated a Zulu force at the battle of Nyezane. This column advanced to a deserted mission station at Eshowe, where it received news that the Centre Column, under the command of Luitenant-General Lord Chelmsford himself, had been heavily defeated, also on 22^nd January. Chelmsford had split his force on the eve of an encounter with the main Zulu army, and the Zulus had slipped around his flank and fallen on the main camp at Isandlwana. Of some 1700 men of the 24^th regiment, Colonial Volunteers and Mounted Infantry, two RA guns and a rocket battery, and auxiliaries of the NNC left to guard the camp, 1300 were killed. In the aftermath of the battle, the Zulu reserve, 4000 strong, corssed into Colonial Natal and attacked the supply depot at Rorke’s Drift, which was defended by only about 130 men, mostly of the 2/24^th, under the command of Lt Chard RE. After ten hours of almost constant and vigorous fighting form behind improvised barricades of mealie bags, during which the Zulus captured the hospital building room by room, the Zulus were driven off. Although Lord Chelmsford extricated part of his force unscathed, the disaster at Isandlwana had scotched his invasion plan.

The Left Flank Column was still operatin in northern Zululand, and in particular the irregular horsmen of units like the Frontier light Horse carried out a number of daring raids. Chelmsford ordered this Column to harass the Zulus while he prepared to relieve the Eshowe garrison. On 12^th March a british convoy was overwhelmed in the north at Ntombe Drift, and in response the British attacked the Zulu stronghold at Hlobane mountain on the 28^th. The attack was carried out by the FLH and similar units, but the Zulus drove the British off the mountain, inflicting heavy casualties. The next day, however, the main Zulu army attacked the column’s camp at Khanbula, and was driven off after several hours of hard fighting, which was to prove a turning point in the war. In the meantime, Chelmsford had assembled a relief column in the coastal sector, consisting largely of the newly arrived 91^st Highlanders, 60^th Rifles, artillery, a Naval Brigade and mounted volunteers. On 2^nd April Chelmsford defeated the Zulus at Gingindlovu in a fierce battle in which the Zulus almost charged right up to his square. Eshowe was relieved the next day. Chelmsford retired to the border and planned a new invasion of Zululand, reinforced by regular cavalry – the 17^th Lancers and the King’s Dragoon Guards – sent out from England. He crossed into Zululand at the end of May and, after several skirmishes between his cavalry and thw Zulus, finally defeated the Zulu army at Ulundi on 4^th July. Ulundi marked the end of the Zulu War but not of trouble for the British in South Africa. In 1881 the Transvaal Boers rose up against the British rule and the British – still wearing the same red uniforms they had worn during the Zulu War – were defeated in four separate battles. Zululand was split by a civil war in the 1880’s and a rebellion broke out in 1888, and several small actions were fought between the British Mounted Infantry and the Zulus. In 1906 some elements in Zululand rebelled against the colonial authorities in the Bamabatha Rebellion. In these later campaigns many Zulus wore a mixture of traditional and European clothing, as the NNC had in 1879; by 1906 the Colonial forces were wearing khaki uniforms with puttees.

THE ZULU WARS

For this exciting period Redoubt have created the ultimate 25mm British Colonial range. An extensive selection of figures cast in fine white metal with a high degree of individual detail. The very extensive nature of the range makes it possible for the wargamer or collector to recreate every kind of incident in the Anglo-Zulu wars, the first Anglo-Boer war and many Boer-Zulu battles. Figures from our very large Sudan range can also be used in this period, the main difference being that the British infantry in the Sudan wore a pugaree around their helmets and were clean shaven.

BRITISH LINE INFANTRY

ZU1	British officer drawing pistol
ZU2	British Sergeant holding rifle and shouting
ZU3	British bugler blowing bugle
ZU4	British infantry advancing at high port
ZU5	British infantry advancing at 45’
ZU6	British infantry charging at full speed
ZU7	British infantry stabbing forwards
ZU8	British infantry clubbing downwards
ZU9	British infantry standing at the ready
ZU10	British infantry standing firing
ZU11	British infantry kneeling firing
ZU12	British infantry lying wounded
ZU13	British infantry standing loading
ZU14	British infantry in shirt and braces standing firing
ZU15	British infantry in shirt, loose braces, standing ready
ZU16	British infantry kneeling firing in shirt, bandaged head
ZU17	British infantry lying firing in shirt and braces
ZU18	British infantry on guard
ZU19	British infantry crouching firing

HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY IN TREWS

ZU20	Highland light infantry advancing with level rifle
ZU21	Highland light infantry charging, rifle at 45’
ZU22	Highland light infantry running
ZU23	Highland light infantry standing firing

MOUNTED INFANTRY FIGHTING ON FOOT

ZU30	M.I. advancing, carbine at 45’, bandolier, cord breeches
ZU31	M.I. standing firing, bandolier and cord breeches
ZU32	M.I. kneeling firing, bandolier and cord breeches
ZU33	M.I. horse holder, bandolier and cord breeches

OFFICERS FOR BRITISH REGULAR OR COLONIAL IRREGULAR FORCES

ZU40	Officer, braided patrol jacket and sun helmet pointing sword
ZU41	Officer in braided jacket and cap loading pistol
ZU42	Officer in braided patrol jacket and cap with rifle

NATAL MOUNTED POLICE OR NATAL CARIBINIERS

ZU50	Officer in spiked sun helmet firing pistol
ZU51	Trooper in spiked sun hemet standing ready with carbine
ZU52	Trooper in spiked sun hemet advancing with carbine
ZU53	Trooper in spiked sun hemet standing firing
ZU54	Trooper in spiked sun hemet kneeling firing
ZU55	Horse holder trooper in spiked sun helmet
ZU56	Wounded trooper on foot, clutching stomach

FRONTIER LIGHT HORSE AND SIMILAR IRREGULAR UNITS

ZU60	Trooper in braided jacket and slouch hat advancing with carbine
ZU61	Trooper in braided jacket and slouch hat standing firing carbine
ZU62	Trooper in braided jacket and slouch hat kneeling firing
ZU63	Trooper crawling wounded
ZU64	Trooper lying dead

BOERS AND OTHER IRREGULAR UNITS

ZU70	Boer advancing crouching, bandolier, slouch hat
ZU71	Boer standing loading, bandolier, slouch hat
ZU72	Boer standing firing, bandolier, slouch hat
ZU73	Boer kneeling firing, bandolier, bareheaded
ZU74	Boer running, rifle at the trail
ZU75	Boer in shirt wearing bandolier advancing with rifle
ZU76	Boer youth advancing with rifle
ZU77	Boer youth kneeling firing
ZU78	Boer girl with pistol
ZU79	Standing Boer horseholder

CAVALRY (Need horses from the X range below)

ZU80	British or Colonial officer in braided jacket, bareheaded, pistol
ZU81	Mounted British infantryman holding carbine
ZU82	Mounted Caribinier or Natal Police with upright carbine
ZU83	Frontier Light Horse (Irregular) firing carbine
ZU84	Kings Dragoon Guard officer with sword
ZU85	Kings Dragoon Guard trooper with carbine
ZU86	17^th Lancer officer with sword
ZU87	17^th Lancer trooper, open handed
ZU88	Mounted Boer with slouch hat and slung bandoliers, riding
ZU89	Mounted Boer, slouch hat and bandoliers, firing
ZU96	Mounted Frontier Light horseman holding carbine across shoulder
ZU97	Mounted Frontier Light horseman clutching shoulder
ZU98	Mounted Boer commander shouting

WAGON DRIVERS, ETC

ZU90	British seated waggon driver
ZU91	Boer seated waggon driver
ZU92	Zulu whip boy walking with whip
ZU93	Surgeon standing, pointing (Surgeon Reynolds)
ZU94	Surgeon Kneeling
ZU95	Quartermaster with check list

ZULUS!

ZU100	Zulu standing firing rifle in British jacket
ZU101	Zulu standing firing musket
ZU102	Zulu kneeling firing rifle in British jacket
ZU103	Zulu running with rifle in British jacket
ZU104	Zulu, unmarried regiment, crouching firing musket

NATAL NATIVE INFANTRY

ZU105	NNC Advancing crouched with woolen cap and waistcoat
ZU106	NNC Advancing crouched with headband and rolled blanket
ZU107	NNC Advancing crouched in slouched hat
ZU108	NNC Kneeling firing carbine in jacket
ZU109	Mounted Edendale Horse, NNH contingent, boots, holding carbine
ZU110	Mounted Sikali Horse, NNH contingent, barefoot, holding spear
ZU111	Sikali Horse native on foor, firing carbine
ZU112	NNC/ZULU running with rifle, bandolier and headband

EXTRAS FOR THE ZULU RANGE

ZX1 and ZX2 are packs of fighting Zulus with torsos and legs that can be mixed to create a variety of exciting figures with separate weapons and shields of different sizes.

ZX1	Ten Zulus with headrings (married regiments), two part castings with shields and weapons
ZX2	Ten Zulus without headrings (unmarried regiments), two part castings with shields and weapons
ZX3	Five dead and wounded Zulus in fighting dress
ZX4	Zulu Induna pointing knobkerrie and holding shield
ZX5	Zulu Induna waving shield and assegai
ZX6	Zulu boy crouching with bedmats and water gourds
ZX7	Zulu boy walking with bedmats and water gourd
ZX8	Zulu in full dress with shield charging and lunging
ZX9	Zulu in full dress advancing with assegai, shield up
ZX10	Bareheaded British soldier breaking open box with rifle
ZX11	British soldier running with ammo box in both hands
ZX12	British soldier giving water to wounded comrade
ZX13	Zulu Induna mounted on a horse, pointing
ZX14	British soldier dragging ammunition box with rifle in his free hand
ZX15	Bareheaded soldier kneeling and handing out ammunition
ZX16	Caribinier/Natal Police firing from behind a dead horse
ZX17	British Cavalry horse trotting
ZX18	British cavalry horse trotting
ZX19	Irregular/Boer horse trotting
ZX20	Irregular/Boer horse galloping
ZX21	British standing horse, can be used for the Mounted Infantry
ZX22	Two British soldiers carrying wounded comrade in a blanket
ZX23	Pack of British dead and wounded (can be used for Sudan)
ZX24	Boer woman standing with young child
ZX25	Boer woman loading musket
ZX26	British General Service wagon
ZX27	Pair of mules for wagons
ZX28	Rocket trough with rocket and crew of four men
ZX29	British 9lb field gun with crew of five figures
ZX30	British artillery crew of five figures
ZX31	British limber
ZX32	Zulu, top knot and feathers, charging
ZX33	Zulu, top knot and feathers standing
ZX34	Zulu, ear flaps and large head feather, advancing arm out
ZX35	Zulu, ear flaps and large head feather advancing
ZX36	Zulu, bunched feather headdress advancing, arms upraised
ZX37	Zulu, bunched feather headdress charging
ZX38	Pack of ten Martini Henry rifles
ZX39	Pack of ten Martini Henry carbines
ZX10	Pack of ten Ammunition boxes, open and closed
ZX41	Boer sharpshooter with elephant gun firing over tree stump
ZX42	Mounted war correspondent, use horse ZX21. Also for Sudan
ZX43	Large Boer wagon
ZX44	Pair of British limber horses

The following figures were designed to recreate the exciting fight at Rorkes Drift. They are slightly larger than the other Zulu War figures to make them stand out from the crowd.

ZX45	Lt Chard standing and firing pistol
ZX46	Lt Bromhead standing holding grounded rifle and pointing
ZX47	Colur Sgt Bourne standing and loading rifle
ZX48	Chaplain Smith in long coat handing out ammunition
ZX49	Trooper Lugg seated on a pair of ammunition boxes, firing
ZX50	Cpl Schiess reclining and loading rifle, can be propped on box
ZX51	Adendorf in N.M.P. uniform standing ready with carbine
ZX52	Pvte Hitch with wounded arm in belt, carrying ammunition
ZX53	Soldier carrying mealie bag on his back
ZX54	Two men with patient on stretcher and spare stretcher
ZX55	Two frame beds, can be stacked to make bunks
ZX56	Soldier with blanket to lie on frame bed
ZX57	War artist seated across saddle with sketchpad
ZX58	Soldier kneeling, stabbing down, to go on mealie bags or wall
ZX59	Soldier in shirtsleeves leaning over and stabbing down
ZX60	Soldier kneeling at the ready, bareheaded
ZX61	Soldier kneeling firing downwards, forage cap
ZX62	Soldier slumped over, to go over mealie bags or wall
ZX63	Dead or wounded soldier in torn shirt
ZX64	Surgeon in butchers apron wiping brow
ZX65	Soldier dragging two ammunition boxes
ZX66	Durnford mounted on horse, firing pistol
ZX67	Lord Chelmsford mounted on horse, firing pistol
ZX68	British officer carrying a furled standard, mounted on a galloping horse
ZX69	Small native pony for NNH figures
ZX70	British officer on foot with furled standard
ZX71	Gatling and Naval crew
ZX72	Corpulant Zulu chief holding musket aloft

(ZU41 can be used for Assistant-Commissary Dalton and ZU94 can be used for Surgeon Reynolds)

Special packs for the Zulu wars, complete sets of figures, equipment and buildings to recreate some of the exciting battles of the war. Everything you need at a special price.

ISANDHLWANA – ZIX 1 THE DEFENCE OF THE CAMP.

1 Mounted officer and horse

3 Companies 24^th Foot, each Co inc Officer, Sgt, Bugler & 12 soldiers

1 Troop of Natal Mounted Police

1 One N.M.P. horseholder with three horses and 5 figures on foot

1 Natal Mounted Policeman firing from behind dead horse

1 Dismounted group of six Colonial Volunteers

1 Quartermaster unscrewing ammunition box

1 Infantryman running with ammunition boxes

1 Infantryman dragging ammunition box

1 Infantryman breaking open ammunition box

1 Soldier kneeling and handing out ammunition form box

5 Five british dead and wounded

2 British soldiers carrying wounded comrade in a blanket

1 Orderly bandanging wounded soldier

1 Rocket with crew of four men

1 9lb Armstrong field gun, limber with horses and crew of five

2 General service wagons

1 pair of mules and 1 large Boer wagon

10 Ammunition boxes and 10 ten Martini Henry rifles

6 Bell and Ridge tents and camp equipment inc barrels, boxes, sacks, etc.

ISANDHLWANA – ZIX 2 THE ZULU ATTACK

1 Zulu Induna on horseback and 2 induna on foot

30 Zulus in full dress with large shields and assegais or knobkerries

20 Zulus with rifles or muskets, firing or running

20 Zulus in fighting order, married regiments, with large and small shields

20 Zulus in fighting order, unmarried regiments, large and small shields

1 Pack ten Zulu shields and 1 Pack ten Zulu assegais

2 Packs of five Zulu dead and wounded in various poses

1 Zulu stabbing down at British soldier

ZIX 3 THE DEFENDERS OF RORKES DRIFT

Probably the most famous single action in all of Queen Victorias wars, the defence of the mission station at Rorkes Drift by men of B Company, 2/24 can now be recreated using this set of figures.

Figures representing Lt Chard, Lt Bromhead, C.S. Bourne, Chaplain Smith, Pvte Hitch, Tpr Lugg, Cpl Schiess and Adendorf, Asst Commissary Dalton and Surgeon Reynolds.

Plus soldiers in shirtsleeves and fighting order with sergeant and bugler, stretcher bearers, dead and wounded, bunk beds, soldiers carrying ammunition boxes and handing out ammunition and some of our special figures for firing and fighting over mealie bag walls. The complete set to give you everytihg you need at a special price.

ZIX 4 RORKES DRIFT – THE BUILDINGS

A splendid set of lightweight resin buildings in 25mm scale to represent all of the buildings involved in the famous battle. Included is the storehouse and hospital buildings, both with lift off roofs and interior details, the mealie bag and ammunition box walls, the cattle corral. The mealie bag redoubt and even the cookhouse and toilet as wel as two big waggons for the rear defensive wall and the necessary doors. This is a large and impressive model which, when assembled will cover some four foot of table space. With the lift off roofs it is possible to add furniture and figures to the interior and recreate stirring moments of the battle as the resin foam walls are quite easily cut to make the holes for both loopholing and for entrance and exit from the various rooms of the hospital building.

For prices see separate list.
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