South Africa Battlefields

Together with the crews of Minnie B, Zen Again and Vulcan Spirit we set off on a partly guided tour of battlefields of the conflicts between the Afrikaners and the Zulus, the British and the Zulus and the British and the Afrikaners (Boers). Links under each heading lead to a fuller description of the battle.

Siege of Ladysmith 1899-1900

We started at the excellent siege museum in Ladysmith which gave an excellent account of the siege of the town by the Boers in 1899 - 1900 which lasted 118 days before relief.

Blood River 1838

Meeting our extremely well-versed and enthusiastic guide the next day in Dundee the tour went back 61 years to the conflict at Ncome River (Blood River) where 470 Afrikaner pioneers (Voortrekkers) seeking to obtain land defeated a Zulu army of some 20000 with 3 Voortrekkers wounded and some 3000 Zulu dead. The Voortrekkers established a ring of wagons which they could defend with firearms, against which the Zulu spears were to no avail.

The wagon ring is reproduced, in full size bronzed steel, at the battlefield site - making a significant monument.

 Isandlwana 1879

In the first engagement of the Anglo-Zulu war the battle of Isandlwana was a disaster for the British. Poor command decisions left a significant force at the mercy of a massive Zulu army resulting in a defeat that shook the British establishment.

Isandlwana Hill with monument in foreground

The battlefield - each cairn is over a mass grave of British dead

The monument to the 2000 or so Zulu dead

Rorke's Drift 1879

The line of the hastily constructed defensive rampart

Immediately after the battle of Isandlwana a small garrison óf 139 held Rorkes Drift against a Zulu army of around 4500, resulting in the award of a record number of 11 Victoria Crosses.

None of the original buildings remain but a church occupies the site of the original store and the original hospital has been reconstructed and houses the offices and cafe.

Monument to the British dead

Reproduction of the hospital

The Zulu monument

As the main regiment involved was the 24th regiment of foot, we had come prepared to sing "Men of Harlech" the regimental hymn of the South Wales Borderers. However, our guide pointed out that the 24th only became the South Wales Borderers in 1881, some two years after the battle. At the time it was the 2nd Warwickshire Regiment. Our recital was cancelled.

Ulundi 1879

The battle of Ulundi was the final battle of the Anglo-Zulu war in which a large British force attacked and burnt to the ground the large "kraal" of the Zulu king Cetshwayo and destroying his army.

The royal kraal site has been excavated and has been reconstructed.

The Ulundi monument

Reproduced guard hut

Reproduced dwelling hut

Spioenkop 1900

On our final tour alone we drove up steep Spioenkop hill, overlooking the Tugela River.  This was held by the Boers and was impeding the British advance to relieve Ladysmith.

The British initially took the hill but were then forced to retreat by rifle and artillery fire from adjacent hills, allowing the Boers to retake it. The inadequate British trench is now the mass imposing grave.

First British assault up this ridge 

Line of the inadequate British trench