Zulu War: The police unit that fought at Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift
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- čas přidán 28. 06. 2023
- The Natal Mounted Police suffered terrible casualties at the Battle of Isandlwana fighting in the donga alongside Colonel Durnford.
In today's episode of the Redcoat History Podcast Cam Simpson joins us once more to talk about the history of the unit and its fascinating men. He calls them the Blue-blood troopers, as a number were sons of generals and senior figures from across the empire.
Cam's new book on the subject is out today and you can purchase it at Amazon (link below):
amzn.to/44ihFHL
He should also have some paper copies for sale at the Clash of Empires Zulu War exhibition happening now in London (July 2023).
If you want tickets to the event, please order via clashofempires.org
If you are interested in the Zulu War, then please sign up for my mailing list to receive my free book on the subject: www.redcoathistory.com
If you are very generous, you can also buy me a coffee and help support the channel via ko-fi.com/redcoathistory
" he's a peeler 716 , come to arrest the zooloos "
"Don't you Redneck's have names?"
Haha! I remember that scene!
Very interesting talk. Enjoyed that. Dartnell's decision to engage the Zulus late on and stay the night out there, requesting assistance from Chelmsford, isn't spoken about enough elsewhere. It's practically ignored (including in Zulu Dawn). This was the reason Chelmsford split his force. I think it should be mentioned more. If Dartnell didnt stay out and request help there likely wouldn't have been a disaster. Or at least, not in the way it occurred. The full camp moving to Siphezi Hill on the 23rd would have probably been attacked that day anyway.
And with the column spread out the death toll would have been doubled if not totally wiped out.
@@oldhippiejon
Well we don't know what would have happened. The Zulus couldn have outflanked them of course. I wonder what the order of march would have been?
Great stories about a not wel known unit, I always thought that the NMP was a sort of "dandy" militia, in other words a bunch of frustrated civilians trying to look military, but thanks to your various references to those chaps I became an admirer of those lads and change my opinion about them, thanks for sharing Chris.
Sort of like Theodore Roosevelt's "Rough Riders" that fought in the Spanish American war. They were Dandies alright.
Only on this channel would you find such fascinating facts reported in amazing detail. Absolutely brilliant as usual. Many thanks! I'd love to come to the London event but alas I live in the North of England and I'm working. Hope you have brilliant time and look forward to watching your report !
Thanks for your kind words. Glad you are enjoying the videos but sorry I wont see you in London - maybe another time!
The NMP were a proper paramilitary police force complete with artillery batteries. General Dan Pienaar started off his military career in NMP and transfered to the Union Defence Force along with the artillery in 1913 with the formation of the SAP.
The SAP went on to become the only true paramilitary police force in the world. Even flielding 2 rifle batalions during WW2.
Later during the border war the SAP would become the most successful counter insurgency unit of the war.
Thanks for this.
No problem, hope you found it interesting.
Mentioned many times in Donald Morris's book.Brave men.
My great great granddad. It’s neat to hear about him.
Thanks, interesting.
Always enjoyable and fascinating to learn of the history you bring us, Chris. Thank you! Regards from Canada 🇨🇦
I very much enjoyed this discussion. So much research and knowledge. I was fortunate enough to see Cam Simpson's talk at the Royal Phillatelic Society in July, which was a great day. As usual an excellent video from Chris.
Great. Glad you enjoyed it 👍🏼
Well done mate, great episode.
Thanks a lot mate
Terrific video. Love learning about individual units
Thanks, Steve!
Adventure and fortune maybe. What a time to be there, must have been awesome and short. For me, I would not have hesitated to sign up.
I was stationed at the Natal Mounted Police HQ, in Alexandra Road, Pietermaritzburg in the early 1990's. There is a Memorial there with the names of these fine young men who paid the ultimate price. Some of the Cannon used to be at the entrance gate to the archway that entered a beautiful courtyard with all the stables along Lindup Road. These were later turned to offices and stores. Some spooky experiences of furniture/chairs moving on the wooden floors upstairs above the modern day charge office in the wee hours of the morning. Even though there was no access to the top floor or any furniture in the rooms above for many years. We used to hear the ""clip clop"" of horses on the original cobble stones through the archway, even though this was replaced by brick driveway. Some real history and great men passed through those gates through the last 180 years. Some of the finest officers I ever served with were based here. Founding member of the Koevoet counter Insurgency unit, made famous during the South African Border war 1969-1989. We were extremely well trained and what a privilege
A terrific story and I really appreciate you sharing.
the people injured at rorke's drift in the hospital, were they injured from Sihayo's Kraal? If so do you have a video about this skirmish?
Hi mate it’s a very small skirmish really but it’s covered in my podcast video on Isandlwana and also my Isandlwana from above video if you want to have a look. I also show the spot on my video where I walk from Rorkes drift to Isandlwana 👍🏼
"Ooh, Is that true then? He's a peeler, 716. Come to arrest the Zulus." - It's a cruel world.
Is it my imagination, or does there always seem to be the odd guy wearing his pith helmet backwards in these old photos?
I hadn't noticed but will have a closer look!
We are back to Zulu wars and the police men.
Hello mate - not heard from you in ages. Hope all is well
@@redcoathistory It's good. Been quiet for a while with Summer on.
Remittance men as we’d call them. Got into trouble at home do the families sent them overseas
'promo sm' 😑
Would not the son's of general's and well to do men be classed as gentlemen adventurers much the same as the conquistadors 🤔