"Question regarding irregular units in the Zulu Wars" Topic

Please, did you had any info about those irregular units?
(uniforms, weapons and campaing).

- Lydenburg Volunteer Corp
- Raaf's Transvaal Rangers
- Diamont Fields Horse
- Zulu Police (commanded by Natalian Llewellyn Lloyd).

Did anyone had wargame with them?

Any help would be much apreciated.

Amicalement
Armand

All I can say is that almost all these type of units were small troops of mounted infantry/scout cavalry of maybe a dozen(12) to 30 or 40 guys! Seldom were uniformed, but some had field signs (armbands?) or scarves or pugerees? Very irregular in both appearance AND performance (decent to awfull)!!

The bibliography and notes in "The Washing of the Spears" has a comprehensive list of memoirs and articles by and about these small forces.

Raaf's Transvaal Rangers (AKA "The Kimberley Riff-Raaff") were part of Wood's column and was at Hlobane and Khambula, and also took part in the second invasion.

10 officers and 142 men at Hlobane. They wore a uniform of unknown colour described as "useful if not elegant."

picture

The seated fellow with the spiked helmet is Raaf.

Was the Transvaal Rangers a larger than normal unit? Did they often combine units to make a bigger force, either for the whole campaign, or for seperate missions?? Did this unit get waxed on the "mountain" or was that someone else at Hlobane ( pronounced Shlob bin ney ??) is that really right?? Great Picture!!

I don't know what casualties were sustained by them at Hlobane, but they weren't "waxed" as they fought at Kambula the next day. In fact it was a recce patrol by Raaff and 24 of his men that spotted the Zulu army, and warned Wood that they were coming.

They were also at Ulundi later on in the war. Some time-expired men had gone home by then, but they had also received 90 new recruits too.

They were about 150 strong from the time they were raised in the Kimberley area, 100 Europeans and 50 of mixed race.

"… a more forbidding lot of mixed Hottentots and scum of the diamond fields was never collected together outside of a prison wall."

Aha! I've found an OOB for Kambula. Says they were 135 strong that day, so I guess they did lose a few the day before on the mountain, if that earlier figure of 152 for Hlobane is correct.

Not sure if you would say they were a larger-than-average sized unit. The Frontier Light Horse mustered 219 in May 1879, the Natal Light Horse 130 or so soon after formation, and Baker's Horse 105 when it joined up with Wood in March.

Many of the So-and-So Mounted Rifles, Mounted Police, Natal Hussars and such units were very small in numbers, as you say. Though they tended to have a smarter, more military appearance than the fellows we've been discussing.

Another update: Ian Knight says 71 of Raaff's force took part in the battle of Hlobane, seven were killed and two wounded. I guess the rest stayed behind at the camp or were detached scouting somewhere else.

One killed and one wounded out of the 135 that fought the next day at Kambula.

Many thanks Mr. Plynkes!!.

Amicalement
Armand

Plynkes

OK a little research can really help! In WOTS it says that the unit that got waxed on the mountain was actully an English settler (not Boer) troop called the Border Horse, and not the T Rangers as you pointed out!! They and a small troop of Frontier Light Horse lost 66 KIA out of 83 with a number of wounded that escaped! Must have been an impressive sight to see 20,000 Zulus passing by within a mile or two and all looking right up at YOU with bad intentions!!

The Ian Knight book I got the info on Raaff from says the FLH lost 29 and Weatherley's Border Horse lost 44 on the mountain (73 between them). Doesn't quite tally with WOTS, but is pretty close.

WOTS claims that only 8 guys from The Border Horse got out and only 4 of the troop of the F Lt Horse who were "brigaded" with them. Maybe the small difference is guys who got zapped with the other elements of the F Lt Horse further( south?) on the mountain! Just guessing!