IAN CASTLE

The Zulu War of 1879 was devastating in its brutality. Pitting the firepower of the professional British army against the skill and determination of King Cetshwayo's Zulu warriors, it was a mighty clash of military cultures that ended with the collapse of Zululand - the last great black kingdom bordering Britain's African colonies. This book traces the course of the Zulu War, covering the major battles of Rorke's Drift, Isandlwana and Khambula, and showing that the British victory was by no means easily won. The opposing forces - the British, under Gen Sir Arthur Cunnynghame and the Zulus, under their King Cetshwayo - are profiled, and their dress, equipment, organisation and military methodologies are examined in detail. This book includes material previously published as Campaign 14: 'Zulu War 1879', Elite 32: 'British Forces in Zululand 1879' and Elite 21: 'The Zulus'

Mention of the Zulu War of 1879 inevitably conjures up images of the redcoats at Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift; it is often forgotten that the limited number of Imperial troops available led to the raising of several thousand local troops from Natal, Cape Colony and beyond. Typified by hard-riding white frontiersmen and lightly armed African infantry, these units made up for the British Army's severe shortage of cavalry scouts and local knowledge. Ian Castle's concise study of their organisation, uniforms, weapons, and campaign service covers a far wider range of units than ever previously published; it is illustrated with rare photographs and vivid colour plates.