Earlier this year saw the 120th anniversary of the most famous battles of the Anglo-Zulu War, Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift. These were commemorated in South Africa by several days of events held on the battlefields. The most colourful of these was a re-enactment of the battle of Isandlwana, which was the brainchild of Greenhill author Ian Knight. The re-enactment took place at the battlefield on the anniversary of the battle in front of 5,000 Zulus, and VIP guests who included the current Zulu king, H. M. Goodwill Zwelithini, Chief Buthelezi, and from the UK the Master Gunner, Lord Vincent, and representatives of the Royal Regiment of Wales.
The part of the British troops during the battle was played by the award winning UK-based re-enactment group, the Die-Hard company, while the Zulus were represented by an Ibutho – a traditional regiment – recruited at Ulundi. 'The project was a nightmare from an organisational point of view,' admits Ian Knight, 'since we had to fly the Die-Hards out from the UK, and we were entirely dependent on sponsorship. The final go-ahead came very late in the day, and we had to pitch both red-coats and Zulus into "battle" with very litle rehearsal.' But the event was a spectacular success, and enjoyed tremendous coverage in the UK press, which included colour pictures in The Daily Telegraph on two consecutive days. Not that there weren't hitches, as Ian explains:
"Being Africa, the unexpected always happens. We were due to repeat the re-enactment two days later, but for some reason the only Zulus who pitched up were a group of young dancers. To the delight of the crowd, the Die-Hards were wiped out on that occasion by an impi of twelve-year-old boys! The following weekend, we were invited to a gala dinner in Eshowe, to commemorate the siege of the garrison there. The dinner was hosted by the South African army, with the Die-Hards in full uniform, and everyone else in DJs and posh frocks. It was a wonderful evening, but it was held outside under a marquee – and half-way through there was a tropical thunderstorm. Everyone struggled manfully on, despite spreading leaks in the canvas! With water pouring through, washing out a couple of tables, the Die-Hards, damp but undaunted, kept spirits up with a selection of Victorian songs; it was just like a scene from Titanic!"
Press coverage in Britain, South Africa and around the world was significant, and should lead to renewed and continuing interest in the Greenhill books on the Anglo-Zulu War and the republication of Ian Knight's The Anatomy of the Zulu Army in trade paperback shortly.
To quote from the book, from a British soldier's description of a Zulu army deploying for attack:
"The dark masses of men, in open order and under admirable discipline, followed each other in quick succession, running at a steady pace through the long grass. Having moved steadily round so as exactly to face our front, the larger portion of the Zulus broke into three lines, in knots and groups of from five to ten men, and advanced towards us ... (they) continued to advance, still at a run, until they were about 800 yards from us, when they began to open fire. In spite of the excitement of the moment we could not but admire the perfect manner in which these Zulus skirmished. A knot of five or six would rise and dart through the long grass, dodging from side to side with heads down, rifles and shields kept low and out of sight. They would then suddenly sink into the long grass, and nothing but puffs of curling smoke would show their whereabouts. Then they advanced again..."
On hardback publication, The Anatomy of the Zulu Army: From Shaka to Cetshwayo, 1818–1879 received high praise from the critics:
'...Makes a valuable contribution to our understanding not only of the Zulu military system, but also of Zulu society as a whole during the pre-colonial and colonial periods ... It is a landmark in the study of the history of the Zulu kingdom and its military system, which was inextricably woven into the fabric of Zulu life. Its absorbing look at the history of the Zulu army and society makes it an indispensable asset to any historian or ordinary reader who wants to understand the dynamics of the Zulu kingdom and its military system from 1818 to 1879.' –- Sibongiseni Mkhize, Natalia
'... Ian Knight has produced a work that is an excellent addition to his already formidable collection of publications on the Zulus ... I expect this book to remain the standard work for a long time to come.' – Soldiers of the Queen
'... Most welcome ... the illustrations are superb.' – British Army Review
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