Zulu War: The police unit that fought at Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift

Рет қаралды 9,808

10 ай бұрын

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

Пікірлер: 38

@peterrooke5336 10 ай бұрын

" he's a peeler 716 , come to arrest the zooloos "

@JoeyArmstrong2800 10 ай бұрын

"Don't you Redneck's have names?"

@jon9021 10 ай бұрын

Haha! I remember that scene!

@FranciscoPreira 10 ай бұрын

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.

@mikenunz 10 ай бұрын

Sort of like Theodore Roosevelt's "Rough Riders" that fought in the Spanish American war. They were Dandies alright.

@lyndoncmp5751 9 ай бұрын

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.

@oldhippiejon 4 ай бұрын

And with the column spread out the death toll would have been doubled if not totally wiped out.

@lyndoncmp5751 4 ай бұрын

@@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?

@UkrainianPaulie 10 ай бұрын

Thanks for this.

@redcoathistory 10 ай бұрын

No problem, hope you found it interesting.

@mazambane286 10 ай бұрын

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.

@stephencook7555 8 ай бұрын

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.

@redcoathistory 8 ай бұрын

Great. Glad you enjoyed it 👍🏼

@macdansav1546 10 ай бұрын

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 !

@redcoathistory 10 ай бұрын

Thanks for your kind words. Glad you are enjoying the videos but sorry I wont see you in London - maybe another time!

@kennethhummel4409 10 ай бұрын

My great great granddad. It’s neat to hear about him.

@gerryhasell7828 10 ай бұрын

Mentioned many times in Donald Morris's book.Brave men.

@keithagn 10 ай бұрын

Always enjoyable and fascinating to learn of the history you bring us, Chris. Thank you! Regards from Canada 🇨🇦

@olafjensen4508 10 ай бұрын

Thanks, interesting.

@jon9021 10 ай бұрын

Well done mate, great episode.

@redcoathistory 10 ай бұрын

Thanks a lot mate

@stevewixom9311 10 ай бұрын

Terrific video. Love learning about individual units

@redcoathistory 10 ай бұрын

Thanks, Steve!

@haydnjames5617 9 ай бұрын

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

@redcoathistory 9 ай бұрын

A terrific story and I really appreciate you sharing.

@olafjensen4508 10 ай бұрын

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.

@ljdasilva3139 10 ай бұрын

"Ooh, Is that true then? He's a peeler, 716. Come to arrest the Zulus." - It's a cruel world.

@BiscuitsTotalWar 10 ай бұрын

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?

@redcoathistory 10 ай бұрын

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 👍🏼