British Infantryman vs Zulu Warrior: Anglo-Zulu War 1879

(Paperback)

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Description

The short but savage Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 pitched well-equipped but complacent British soldiers into combat with the Zulu, one of historys finest fighting forces. The clashes between these two different armies prompted tactical innovation on both sides, as the British and their Zulu opponents sought to find the optimal combination of mobility, protection and firepower. This engrossing study traces the changing face of infantry combat in the Anglo-Zulu War. Three major engagements are detailed: the Zulu ambush at Nyezane, repulsed by the British using their established tactics; the shocking defeat and massacre of outmanoeuvred British forces in savage close-quarter fighting at iSandlwana; and the British victory at Khambula following their adoption of more condensed firing lines and prepared positions.

Reviews

"This is the third book in the new Combat series from Osprey which looks at soldiers who faced each other in battle. The book compares the fighting styles and tactics of the British and Zulus in three very different battles -- Nyezane (22 January 1879), iSandlwana (22 January 1879), and Khambula (29 March 1879). Accounts from combatants on both sides are included. Besides the period black and white photos and artwork, there are color maps, color photos of the battlefields as they appear today, and weapons carried by British troops and Zulus. Illustrator Peter Dennis has done some excellent panoramic paintings of the battles as well as full-page illustrations of both a British infantryman and a typical Zulu warrior." --IPMS/USA

Author Bio

Ian Knight is a leading international expert on the Anglo-Zulu War. He has written, co-written or edited over 30 books, including several in the Osprey Men-at-Arms, Elite, Warrior and Campaign series. He studied Afro-Caribbean Studies at Kent University, and is an Honorary Research Associate of the Natal Museum and Vice President of the Anglo Zulu War Historical Society. He has also contributed to a number of television documentaries on the war. In 2000 he was the Historian advising the Glasgow University team who made the first archaeological survey of the Isandlwana battlefield.