UNITS OF THE ZULU WAR 1879

This irregular cavalry unit of around 150 men was formed by commandant P.Raff. they were made up of all manner of adventures recruited from the Kimberley Diamond Fields. What’s interesting is that they came from all races and what they wore seems rather varied. They had a bad reputation in the press. They were originally nicknamed the Bulldogs and then the Kimberley Riff-Raaff after their leader. One news reporter described them as “mixed Hottentots and scum of the Diamond Fields was never collected together outside a prison wall.” They mostly worked on scouting missions but saw action with Woods coloumn at Hlobane and Khambula

This irregular cavalry unit was initially set up as infantry rifleman. The lack of cavalry changed that. Set up by commandant Schermbrucker from German volunteers.he had served in the Crimean war and during the Zulu war the vanguard was created to protect German settlers near the Zulu border. Most of the recruits came from East London and consisted of just over 100 men only 40 being British. They signed up for 6 months and must have been surprised to become a cavalry unit when they reached Africa and were given horses. They wore black corduroy and hats with with puggarees and carried infantry rifles rather than carbines

Bakers Horse were named after their founder and commanding officer J.F Baker. He had served in the Cape colony in the past and was at home in Britain when he heard about the disaster at Isandlwana. He recruited men from East London and headed to Natal. His irregular cavalry were outfitted in London. Black corduroy had run out so it’s believed they wore the yellowy brown outfit as they were nicknamed the canaries. They saw action at Hlobane which was a disaster but continued to fight until the end of the war.

Lieutenant-colonel weatherley was another individual who raised his own unit for the war. He was Canadian but had a long history of colonial warfare in India and had been at the charge of the the light brigade at Balaclava.  The Border Lancers were recruited in Pretoria but did not carry lancers. The name came from the mercenary term of freelance. They were a small irregular cavalry force attached vto Woods coloumn. They suffered terrible casualties at the battle of Hlobane with 44 out of 53 being killed including Weatherley. He had cut through the Zulu lines but turned back to rescue his 14 year old son. The pair died together after being incircled. There are no photos of the unit but they had white helmets and blue jumpers which may have been replaced with corduroy.

The officers if the Royal Engineers were some of the best trained in the 1870s. Responsible for building fortifications, bridges, roads and railways. As well as demolition, surveying ballooning and photography. In the field they also saw action such as Chard at Rorkes Drift. Two companies were sent to Zululand and arrived just two weeks before the war began. They were under strength band relied on native help as sappers and unlike other native help were given out if date redcoats.

More than one highlander unit was present during the Zulu war but most looked no different from other infantry. The 91st wore the distinctive frock coat and tartan trousers of the Highlands. Pipers wore green and had kilts. They played the pipes as they relieved the besieged camp at Eshowe after a 17 hour march. They had also gone without their kit and spent two weeks without tents in the rain. They had thought in the Cape before against the Xohsa and thought the Zulus at Gingindlovu.