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Expert battlefields guide Nicki von der Heyde presents 71 battles covering three wars and a series of conflicts that shaped the course of South Africa’s history – from the colonial clashes that characterised the 18th and 19th centuries through to the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 and the 2nd Anglo-Boer War of 1899–1902. Informative and lively accounts of the engagements are provided, with special attention given to the context, action, outcomes and principal combatants involved. Arranged in provincial and regional order, the Field Guide to the Battlefields of South Africa includes an array of special features that allow for an enthralling and multi-layered account of the battles: • 580 images • 80 illustrated timelines • 60 fact and feature boxes • 16 annotated battle maps • 10 regional locator maps • Detailed directions to each site • GPS co-ordinates for inaccessible locations. Comprehensive, compelling and vividly illustrated, the Field Guide to the Battlefields of South Africa is an indispensable tool for professional and amateur military historians as well as anyone interested in exploring South Africa’s fascinating history.
In this companion volume to the highly successful Field Guide to the Battlefields of South Africa, the pivotal sieges that characterised the Cape Frontier, Anglo-Zulu, Basotho and Anglo-Boer wars are brought together in one volume. Accounts of 17 sieges over the last two centuries explore in detail the historical context in which they occurred, the day-to-day military actions that sustained the investments and the conditions both soldiers and civilians faced while defending their territory against a hostile force. The siege descriptions are animated by maps, timelines and a variety of information boxes and human-interest stories, gleaned mainly from diaries, letters and eye-witness accounts, while long-form features focus on the practical aspects of siege warfare, such as artillery, medicine, food, and the psychological effects of besiegement. The book also provides practical information for visitors who wish to explore these historical sites. A fascinating read that will appeal to anyone interested in the volatile history of the country – armchair historians and travellers alike.
“Good focused context” pinpoints the historical significance of the single bloodiest episode in the Second Boer War—from a Zulu warfare expert (FGS Forum). Spion Kop, just northeast of Ladysmith, South Africa, was the largest hill in the region, being over 1,400 feet high, and it lay almost exactly at the center of the Boer line. If the British could capture this position and bring artillery to the hill, they would then command the flanks of the surrounding Boer positions. On the night of January 23, 1900, a large British force under Maj. Gen. Edward Woodgate was dispatched to secure the height, with Lt. Col. Alexander Thorneycroft selected to lead the initial assault. However, the Boe...
The Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 has become synonymous with Britain's humiliating defeat at Isandlwana and the equally heroic defense of Rorke's Drift, where little more than 140 British soldiers kept over 3,000 Zulu warriors at bay. But these two celebrated actions were only one part of a campaign that lasted for over six months and resulted in the destruction of the Zulu Kingdom, leading to a decade of civil war. Founded on a wealth of first-hand accounts, some published here for the first time, as well as the authors' intimate knowledge of the history and terrain of Zululand, Zulu Vanquished is a groundbreaking work that sheds light on the wider Anglo-Zulu conflict and will prove indispensable for scholars and enthusiasts alike.
In A Man Apart Richard Steyn once again brings to life a South African icon. Louis Botha was the first Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa, a union he did much to create in the decade after the devastation of the Anglo-Boer War. During the war Botha was a brilliant young Boer general who through his battlefield strategy won significant victories over the British in the early stages of the war. When the weight of British arms overwhelmed the Boers, Botha along with Smuts did much to encourage peace between English and Afrikaner and led the country to Union in 1910 and dominion status. Botha was a big-hearted and generous man who showed magnanimity in his dealings with all, including f...
“A densely detailed account of the 1879 Zulu defeat of the British . . . portrays a complex and interesting segment of British/African history.”—Library Journal The battle of Isandlwana—a great Zulu victory—was one of the worst defeats ever to befall a British Army. At noon on 22 January 1879, a British camp, garrisoned by over 1700 troops, was attacked and overwhelmed by 20,000 Zulu warriors. The defeat of the British, armed with the most modern weaponry of the day, caused disbelief and outrage throughout Queen Victoria's England. The obvious culprit for the blunder was Lieutenant General Lord Chelmsford, the defeated commander. Appearing to respond to the outcry, he ordered a cou...
Born in Dublin in 1822, Lieutenant-General John Nicholson was raised and educated in Ireland. He joined the East India Company's Bengal Army as 16-year old boy-soldier and he saw action in Afghanistan, the two Anglo-Sikh wars and the Great Rebellion or Mutiny. He died in the thick of battle as the British army he was leading stormed the ancient city of Delhi in September 1857. He was only 34 years old. His legacy and his legend as the 'Hero of Delhi', however, far outlived him. As well as the Indian cult drawn to him, at home he became a hero and was portrayed in epic stories for children, inspiring generations of young boys to join the army in his footsteps. In more recent times, some turned the hero into a villain; others continue to consider him the finest army front-line British field commander of the Victorian era.
Since the start of the Anglo-Boer War today 120 years ago thousands of publications, written or typed reports and other creations have been produced to narrate the war events, express opinions on its origins, causes, course, results and legacy and on participants in the struggle. This process is ongoing, since the debate amongst both professional historians and interested amateurs on exactly what happened and why is still raging and new information on the war still crops up. The history of the Anglo-Boer War is truly a neverending discourse. As the author of a number of books on the war, I have consulted hundreds of both published and unpublished sources. Some were of limited value, but a sm...
This bundle e-book volume contains both 'The Anglo-Boer War' and the accompanying 'Maps, Stats & Facts' volume from Pieter G Cloete.
Issues for Nov. 1957- include section: Accessions. Aanwinste, Sept. 1957-