The Grand Easter Battlefields’ Tour
Potted History
20 to 24 March 2008
by Harold & Theresa Rees
 The tourists gathered in Dundee at the Battlefields’ Backpackers International (BBI) on Thursday. The first to arrive were Piet and Beate and the last that night were Brian and Pam. John and Audrey only managed to get away from Gauteng on the Friday to bring the party to full strength.
BBI was rather disappointing; space was miniscule, even for seasoned hikers, and the facilities were stretched way beyond the norms of reasonableness. Evan Jones, the owner, admitted that his backpackers facility was for 8, whereas with the addition of our 3 tents this made 14 bodies - a good job Pam and Brian slept in the main house, using Evan’s bathroom. The close contact waltzing that went on in the kitchen at meal times was a true test of survival skills. That more body parts were not left on the floor was remarkable given the flourishing of cooking implements. However, despite misgivings about the security rating of the low wall along the street, against which the tents were pitched, all campers’ possessions and parked cars remained unmolested throughout. Thanks go to watchdogs Phoebe and Sadie!
 On Good Friday morning, Evan produced his R30 pp breakfast (later reduced to R25). We had expected a cooked breakfast to be served in the main house, but instead he brought into our kitchen a couple of loaves of bread, tiny muffins in a plastic bag, bananas, two jars of jam, marg, cereal and milk. This was considered by all to be a total rip-off and refused by some.
Set out below are the battle stories in date order, but not in the order in which we visited them:
BLOOD RIVER
The background to this 1838 battle was supplied by our host Evan before we left his yard on Friday morning. Andries Pretorius and his 64 wagon, punitive expedition, in response to the murder of Piet Retief and his men, selected a very defendable site surrounded on 2 sides by water and dongas. This forced the 12000 Zulus to attack across a deep river and then up a steep bank before they could be in assegai throwing range. To maximize their gunpowder usage, the Boers made little use of their cannons. In fact, the biggest cannon only fired once at the Zulu command position, but it is claimed this shot killed 10 impi commanders! After 2 hours of attack and an estimated 3000 killed, the Zulus retreated. The Boers poured out of their laager on their horses and mercilessly pursued and killed even more Zulus. Peace and quiet ruled in Zululand until 1873 when Cetswayo became king.
 Our site visit was made under a lowering grey sky with rain threatening. It made for a somber atmosphere that enabled one to gain some insight into the realities of fighting face to face with only a wagon providing some protection – if you were a Boer. The Boers certainly maximized their advantage and provided lessons that the British were slow to implement in their Zulu war beginning in 1879.
ISANDHLWANA
By late 1878 Sir Bartle Frere, Governor of the Cape Colony and High Commissioner for Native Affairs in South Africa (quite a title), had found sufficient excuse (if very flimsy in today’s politics) for an invasion of Zululand. And so we find Chelmsford, the most senior officer in S. Africa, leading Column No. 3 (of 4 entering Zululand at that time) into a temporary camp below the hill of Isandhlwana. Ignoring his experienced officer’s advice, commonsense and totally underestimating Cetswayo and his men, no effort was made to build defensive fortifications around the camp.
Evan, our guide for Saturday, stopped our convoy at several places on the side of the road to give us the background history and overall views of the countryside from the Buffalo River to the Isipezi Hill, east of Isandhlwana. One of these stops was looking down into the steep sided valley where, prior to the battle, about 20000 Zulu had been resting in total silence. They had had no intention of attacking until the next day, but when they were discovered at about mid-day, they poured towards Isandhlwana forming up in their traditional horns of the buffalo attack formation.
 Chelmsford had taken most of his men miles to the east, chasing Zulu decoys beyond Isipezi Hill and only left some 1200 souls at the camp, of whom only 600 were regular army infantry. In less than 3 hours the biggest defeat suffered by the British Army against a colonial one was complete. Only a handful of regulars escaped the slaughter.
Standing on the battlefield today, with a gentle breeze ruffling the grass, it was difficult to comprehend the magnitude of the disaster and the final hand to hand combat in its intensity and desperation. Only the piles of white painted rocks covering the bones of the fallen remind us of these dreadful few hours.
RORKES DRIFT
Evan directed our convoy back to the Buffalo River (did you know the Buffalo rises near Wakkerstroom?) which Chelmsford had crossed 10 days prior to Isandhlwana. Although Cetswayo had ordered that no impis were to cross the Buffalo, one impi under Dabulamanzi, Cetswayo’s brother, who had seen little action at Isandhlwana, approached the Swedish mission station at Rorkes Drift on a looting expedition.
 Lieutenants Chard and Bromhead had only a couple of hours notice before the Zulus arrived at dusk. They used the time to construct an outer perimeter of mealie bags, and an inner one with biscuit tins. The fighting began at 5.30 p.m. and it wasn’t long before Chard realised the hospital, with its 6 able-bodied defenders and patients would have to be evacuated. The room by room withdrawal in the dark, with the thatched roof on fire above them, must have been truly a nightmare. However, by 7 p.m. all 100 of Chard’s men were within the inner perimeter. By 2 a.m. when the fighting had largely ceased, 20000 rounds of ammunition had been fired (no automatics back then either). By dawn the Zulus had retreated, leaving 17 British and over 400 Zulu dead on the field. An incredible 11 Victoria Crosses were awarded for supreme bravery that night.
TALANA
Again highlighting the importance of Natal in S. African history, this hill in Dundee was the first battle (in 1899) in the Great Anglo-Boer War. It seems that little was learnt from earlier British defeats in the Transvaal War of Independence at Bronkhorstspruit, Laing’s Nek and Majuba – except perhaps that the Redcoats now wore khaki. The battle for Talana Hill may have been a victory in that the Boers retreated. However, it was a crude frontal attack with no attempt even at a flanking movement. The commander (General Symons) was shot off his horse; the retreating Boers were not followed and harassed, and over 200 British cavalry were taken captive by the Boers. Dundee turned out to be indefensible and Gen. Yule had to make a 4 day forced march to get the troops back to Ladysmith, where they were besieged for 4 months. A very expensive “victory”!
Our visit to the Hill was a little disappointing in that we were advised that the paths were overgrown, such that we couldn’t re-trace the course of the battle. However, there is a fascinating complex of museum buildings including:
Henderson Hall – with reconstructions of local coal mines; displays of locally produced glass and a re-creation of Dundee circa 1912.
Miners’ Rest – an ex-miner’s cottage, wood and iron style, now a delightful tea room.
Smith Cottage – used in the Battle of Talana as a dressing station for the wounded, but now furnished with period pieces.
Many other buildings and exhibits saw our group split up and criss-cross the site for a very pleasant afternoon.
After our visit to Isandhlwana and Rorkes Drift on Easter Saturday with Evan, we all enjoyed an evening meal at the local Spur. Service was exceptionally slow, which may have been due to our numbers - 18 in total as Evan and his son joined us.
IZEMFENI DAY HIKE – 10 kms outside Glencoe – Sunday morning
 Although a pleasant half-day in the sun, this hike will not go down in ERHC history as a great triumph. The troops were well led by Derek, Don and Piet, but the trail was seldom to be found. A great deal of beating about in the bushes fighting off attacks by the thorn trees and sneaking through 2 metre high stands of coarse grass, eventually led us to the summit of a minor kopje. The promised 10 km hike was forever lost in the ever present stands of khakibos and blackjacks. A strategic retreat was beaten, and despite threatened attack by an unruly bunch of local bulls, the whole group arrived safely back at the cars – a trifle scratched and bloody, covered from head to foot in blackjacks, but definitely unbowed.
Arriving back at the Backpackers in the early afternoon, allowed time for rest and relaxation followed by a convivial evening braai with Brian providing the music.
 On Easter Monday morning, a great communal breakfast braai was arranged by Audrey, Beate and John. This really showed Evan what breakfasts should be – huge helpings of egg, bacon, mushrooms, tomato, onion, potato, toast, flapjacks and honey. With Evan standing on the sidelines drooling, we felt we had to invite him to join us. Although he said he had already eaten, he quickly demolished one large plate of breakfast!
The breakfast was a great way to round off a lovely weekend. Thank you to all the lady cooks and assistants and of course to John, who single handedly did most of the cooking on the skottel.
The troops: Gretta, Derek, Audrey, John, Pam, Brian, Betty, Johnny, Brenda, Lucilla, Irene, Don, Beate, Piet, Theresa & Harold.
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