The Fighting Retreat to Dusters' Drift

Our Colonial game this week was a LOT of fun!  It saw a British Column, led by the 3rd Foot & Mouth Regiment (Major Backsight commanding) conducting a fighting retreat to the small logistics base at Dusters' Drift. Opposing them were the Impis of Zulu noble Oomagooglies (the Zulu King's cousin twice removed, on his mother' side).

  I've done something a bit different and stitched together a video of the after action dispatches!
 

"We come on the orders of the Great White Queen!"

My Imperial Force

As promised, here is the British and Boer forces for the Zulu war.  The British Cavalry bore the worst of the damage to their lances and swords but otherwise this whole thing is a testament to the wonderful Testors' dullcoat - and always use two coats! The lad helped me build this - my first wargaming video. Its a but self indulgent but it was fun to make For those who prefer stills, here are the key ones.

24th Foot: The Thin Red Line

The 60th Rifles

Stout lads of the Naval Brigade - with Gatling Gun!

Fire support of the Royal Artillery

Breach loading 9pdr - note the VC on the right most figure (painted on during a game in which this gun, down to the last man, held off and then broke the last Zulu Regiment to claim the day!)

British Cavalry - 17th Lancers and Hussars

Boer Irregulars

Hoping to get them onto a table for some action shortly!

Lord Chelmsford and the senior staff

"Zulus Sah! Fousands of 'em!"

Massed warriors (around 350 of them)- how a Zulu Impi should look!

This is a post some 24 years in the making. Some time ago I quite enjoyed Colonial gaming and the Zulu War was my conflict of choice.  Some mates and I put together armies in 15mm and had a great time.  Early in 1994 I had a major life change and the figs were packed away.  I've since moved house some 18 times and the figs have remained unopened; the awful noises that came from the box made me shy away.  Then last week when there was interest at the club about doing some Colonial gaming and I realised I (might) have all the figures.  Depending on how they fared at least. Here is what greeted me once I plucked up the courage to open the Zulu Box...

The Horror... The Horror...

And after 23 years this was the sum total of damage - other than bent spears and knoberries which needed reshaping

The vast majority of these figs, if not all, are from Essex 15mm colonial range

Usuthu!!!

I love the warrior in the bottom right corner wearing a captured British flag as a trophy!

And if one of going to cross the Buffalo River into Zululand, you need some terrain to fight over right?

Semblance of a small veldt hamlet named after an Irishman

British tentage and a Kraal

Next Up: The British and their Boer allies.

Usuthu!!!!

Learned gentlemen and long time readers of this humble blog will know that today is the anniversary of the Zulu War Battles of Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift in 1879 (see here).  But today is extra special as it is also the 50th Anniversary of the classic movie of the latter battle, Zulu.

Stop whatever you are doing, pour yourself youself a generous Gin and Tonic, and watch the movie to celebrate.  I am!

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Build your own Islandwana

Thats what this guy did - very effectively too!
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Usuthu!!!!

Yes, today is the Anniversary of the Battle of  Isandlwana and day 1 of of the Battle of Rourke's Drift, in which the most Victoria Crosses were awarded for a single engagement.  May you have a better day than the lads of the 24th and raise a glass to the courage of the participants.

More Stout Chaps

Warlord Games continue to develop their comprehensive (and impressive) line of Zulu war figures with more plastic British Infantry, out in time for the Anniversary of the Battles of Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift.  Have at 'em chaps!

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"Alright then - nobody told you to stop working!"

And certainly not least, are these Heroes of the Empire!

The sullen but doughty Private Hook VC, the stoic but reluctant Lt Chard VC, the dandy English gentleman Lt Bromhead VC and the unflappable bayonet fighting Colour Sgt Bourne.

Horns of the Buffalo

If you are serious about getting into the 1879 Zulu War, and can commit to a bit of painting!, then you may be interested in this figs and terrain mega-set from Warlord- if you get stuck into it over Christmas you might even be ready to play on the Anniversary of the battle next month!!!
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Rorke's Drift Play Set

Gentlemen, and boys of a certain age and intelligence, will be pleased to learn that those wallahs at Warlord Games have released a Rorke's Drift play set complete with buildings, loads of blooming zulus and some stout redcoats so one can recreate the heroic battle using Well's Little Wars on the dining room table with a port once cook has cleared away the Christmas goose...

One can also send one's servant out to purchase more brave redcoats which will be damned useful for chaps paying Little Wars games against other nefarious foes such as the bally French or Martians.

Men of Harlech

This never fails to get the juices flowing!

Usuthu!

Those wallahs at Warlord Games are showing off the 3 ups of the plastic Zulus they're going to produce in conjunction with the memsahibs at Empress Miniatures. Look jolly good and perfect for Little Wars games of Rourke's Drift. Ah, Men of Harlech, makes one's moustache twirl!!

'With some Guts behind it!"

Today is the anniversary of the conclusion of the Battle for Rourke's Drift, 1879.  The battle started the previous day when around 4,500 Zulus under the command of Prince Dabulamanzi kaMapande (the King's brother) attacked the station after the main impi annihilated the main British column at Isandlwana.

Lieutenant Chard directs the Defence of the station, from the movie 'Zulu'

The post was held by some 139 men, (mostly of the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment) but only 104 men were fit to fight. The command of the post had passed to Lieutenant Chard of the Royal Engineers, when Major Henry Spalding of the 104th Regiment left on the morning of the 22nd January. Commanding a company-strength infantry force was Lieutenant Bromhead of the 24th Regiment. James Langley Dalton, a volunteer serving as an Acting Assistant Commissary and a former Staff Sergeant, ordered the construction of barricades connecting the two buildings with sacks of corn, and an inner barricade with biscuit boxes.   

When the Zulus attacked, wielding their short stabbing assegais, they were unable to reach the men behind the barricades and they were blasted by rifle fire at point blank range. Most of those who did mount the breastwork were repulsed by the bayonets of the defenders. Some of the Zulus were armed with rifles, purchased from unscrupulous traders, but they were not trained marksmen and the British soldiers were able to pick them off at long range.

The hospital at the western end of the fortifications became the focus for the fighting. Set on fire and stormed by the Zulus, it became untenable. As many men were extracted as possible, the remaining patients perishing in the flames. Privates John Williams, Henry Hook, William Jones, Frederick Hitch and Corporal William Allen all fighting with bayonets once their ammunition was expended, as they contested every room with the attacking warriors.

The fighting now concentrated on the wall of biscuit barrels linking the mission house with the mealie wall. As night fell the British withdrew to the centre of the station where a final bastion had been hastily assembled. The light from the burning hospital assisted the British in their fire.

Both sides fought with desperate courage. A patient from the hospital, a Swiss born adventurer Christian Ferdnand Schiess, stabbed three Zulus in quick succession after he had clambered over the breastwork. In the yard Surgeon James Henry Reynolds tended to the wounded, oblivious to the life and death struggle going on all around him. Those too badly hurt to shoot propped themselves up as best they could and reloaded the guns, and re-supplied ammunition to those who were still on their feet.

The savage Zulu attacks were resisted until around midnight when unexpectedly the ferocity of the assault fell away. Firing continued until around 4am when the Zulus drew off taking their wounded with them and leaving at least 351 dead around the barricades. By then the British held only the area around the storehouse.  

At 7am a body of Zulus appeared on the hill, but no attack followed. It became apparent that the Zulus could see Lord Chelmsford’s column approaching from the direction of Isandlwana to relive the garrison. The Zulus turned and left.  Soon afterwards the column arrived at the drift and crossed the Tugela, marching up to the mission station. Chelmsford’s delight at finding the garrison alive and still resisting was heavily tempered by his despair at finding that no survivors from Isandlwana had escaped to Rorke’s Drift.

Lieutenants Chard and Bromhead were both awarded the Victoria Cross, as were the redoubtable privates Alfred Hook, Frederick Hitch, Robert Jones, William Jones, Corporal Allen, James Langley Dalton and Pte. John Williams. Surgeon Reynolds got the Cross for tending the wounded under fire; and the Swiss volunteer Christian Schiess - the first to a soldier serving with South Africa forces.  This was is the highest number of VCs to be awarded in a single action.

So this last bit of the movie Zulu might be a bit ahistorical but its top-draw stirring stuff none-theless!

Zulus Sir - thousands of them!

"March slowly, attack at dawn and eat up the red soldiers."

 - Zulu King Cetshwayo's order to the 24,000 strong main Zulu impi

Painting of the Battle by Charles Fripp - I have a print of this in my Dining Room.

Today is the Anniversary of the Battle of Isandlwana, in 1879.  This battle rocked Victorian Britain when the Zulus wiped out a substantial British force including the 1st Battalion, 24th Foot.

Lt. Colonel Pulleine was in command of 1774 British troops encamped on the eastern slope of Isandlwana. By 10am Pulleine had received a dispatch from Lt. Gen. Lord Chelmsford to break camp and move the entire contingent to Chelmsford’s location 13 miles southeast of Isandlwana mountain. Tents were being struck, oxen hitched to wagons.

At 12 o’clock the camp was attacked by 24-25 000 Zulu warriors, using the tactics of the horns of the buffalo. The Zulus totally surrounded the camp annihilating 1 329 British soldiers.   Lt. Melvill gallantly attempted to save the Queen’s colour and was helped by Lt. Coghill whilst trying to cross the Buffalo river. Lt's. Melvill and Coghill died in their attempt to save the colour and the honour of the regiment.

Thou great and mighty chief!
Thou who has an army
The red soldiers came:
We destroyed them.
The mounted soldiers came:
We destroyed them.
The mounted police came:
We destroyed them
When will they dare
To repeat their attack?

Zulu Victory Song, sung after the Battle of Isandlwana 

The Zulus then went on to surround and attack the British outpost at the small mission of Rourke's Drift, but that had a very different outcome...