WWW.1879ZULUWAR.COM

Film Zulu Dawn:General Lord Chelmsford: For a savage, as for a child, chastisement is sometimes a kindness. Sir Henry Bartle Frere: Let us hope, General, that this will be the final solution to the Zulu problem.
 
HomeHome  GalleryGallery  Latest imagesLatest images  SearchSearch  RegisterRegister  Log inLog in  
Latest topics
» Colonialism: A Moral Legacy
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyYesterday at 5:25 pm by Julian Whybra

» Punch's view of Chelmsford's tactics!
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyYesterday at 11:37 am by lydenburg

» Writing advice
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyTue Mar 26, 2024 2:26 pm by Julian Whybra

» Private John Scott 24th Regiment a fugitive at large
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyWed Mar 20, 2024 12:53 pm by Dash

» Sergeant W E Warren RA - Veteran
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyTue Mar 19, 2024 9:32 pm by Matthew Turl

» Your favourite line from Zulu or Zulu Dawn
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyTue Mar 19, 2024 4:52 pm by Julian Whybra

» 100,000 posts!
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyTue Mar 19, 2024 2:20 pm by Julian Whybra

» Zulu Dawn/Zulu - New Immortals Film The Way Forward ?
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptySat Mar 16, 2024 2:34 pm by jgregory

» Badge on 2/60th and 3/60th foreign service helmets
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptySat Mar 16, 2024 11:05 am by John Young

» Corporal James Frowen Williams F Company.
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyFri Mar 15, 2024 9:08 am by Julian Whybra

» British rations and morale
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyMon Mar 11, 2024 11:05 pm by Julian Whybra

» Blue Plaque to James Egan, alias Private Hagan
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyMon Mar 11, 2024 9:16 pm by ADMIN

» A few questions regarding Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyWed Mar 06, 2024 9:16 pm by Julian Whybra

» William J Hoare 24th Regiment??
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptySun Mar 03, 2024 7:08 pm by Dash

» Swinburn Carbine issue in AZW
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyThu Feb 29, 2024 12:53 pm by Rob D

» Australians who went to Zululand and fought in the 1879 war.
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyThu Feb 29, 2024 8:39 am by John Young

» Philip Price
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyThu Feb 29, 2024 7:55 am by Julian Whybra

» Alfred Fairlie Henderson
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyThu Feb 29, 2024 7:47 am by RoryReynolds

» August Hammar Letter Dated 6th Jan 1879
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyThu Feb 22, 2024 8:34 pm by Stefaan

» Bearing The Cross by Ken Blakeson | BBC RADIO DRAMA: Ken Blakeson's play tells the story of the Battle of Rorke's Drift and the effect it had on three of the soldiers who fought in it.
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyWed Feb 21, 2024 10:57 am by Julian Whybra

» Letter of officer during Zulu wars.
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyWed Feb 21, 2024 10:47 am by Julian Whybra

» About the second invasion
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyTue Feb 20, 2024 9:14 pm by 90th

» Zulu Festival Brecon July 2024
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptySat Feb 17, 2024 7:35 pm by John Young

» Watford band boys killed at iSandlwana
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyFri Feb 16, 2024 8:26 am by Julian Whybra

» Private J. McCrudden 1/13 Foot
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptySun Feb 11, 2024 3:10 am by 90th

» Death of Michael Jayson (Zulu Dawn)
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyThu Feb 08, 2024 9:55 pm by ADMIN

» The anniversary of 22nd January in 2024
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyThu Feb 08, 2024 3:51 pm by luke1997

» What was the distance?
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyThu Feb 08, 2024 8:46 am by Stefaan

» Mrs Henry Hook
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyTue Feb 06, 2024 3:14 pm by Kenny

» "With 6 good riflemen"
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyMon Feb 05, 2024 2:30 pm by Mr M. Cooper

» What was G company supposed to do?
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptySun Feb 04, 2024 9:31 pm by Julian Whybra

» Private 1445 Charles Meates 17th Lancers and his brother William Wylie
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyFri Feb 02, 2024 10:07 pm by John Young

» South Africa Medal With Clasp To Pvt J. Salter 3/60th
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyFri Feb 02, 2024 3:12 pm by Foody

» Weatherleys Border Horse Flag
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyThu Feb 01, 2024 9:40 pm by Herbie

» Edward Plantagenet Kemeys-Tynte
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyTue Jan 23, 2024 10:06 pm by Edjg

Search
 
 

Display results as :
 
Rechercher Advanced Search
March 2024
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
CalendarCalendar
Most active topics
Durnford was he capable.1
Durnford was he capable. 4
Durnford was he capable.5
Pte David Jenkins. 'Forgotten' Survivor of Rorke's Drift Returned to Official Records
Isandlwana, Last Stands
The ammunition question
Durnford was he capable. 3
Durnford was he capable.2
Pte David Jenkins. 'Forgotten' Survivor of Rorke's Drift Returned to Official Records
The missing five hours.
Most Viewed Topics
Please Do Not Post Ads on Our Forum
Google Chrome new standards imposed
Isandlwana, Last Stands
Pte David Jenkins. 'Forgotten' Survivor of Rorke's Drift Returned to Official Records
Recent Members To The ZULU WAR 1879 Discussion & Reference Forum ( A Small Victorian War in 1879)
The missing five hours.
ISANDLWANA SURVIVIORS
The ammunition question
Lieutenant Adendorff 1-3 N.N.C.
Pte David Jenkins. 'Forgotten' Survivor of Rorke's Drift Returned to Official Records
Top posting users this month
Julian Whybra
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Bar_leftThe fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings BarThe fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Bar_right 
Dash
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Bar_leftThe fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings BarThe fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Bar_right 
Hobbes
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Bar_leftThe fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings BarThe fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Bar_right 
SRB1965
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Bar_leftThe fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings BarThe fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Bar_right 
Bill8183
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Bar_leftThe fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings BarThe fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Bar_right 
ADMIN
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Bar_leftThe fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings BarThe fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Bar_right 
jgregory
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Bar_leftThe fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings BarThe fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Bar_right 
John Young
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Bar_leftThe fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings BarThe fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Bar_right 
Tim Needham
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Bar_leftThe fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings BarThe fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Bar_right 
1879graves
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Bar_leftThe fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings BarThe fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Bar_right 
New topics
» Colonialism: A Moral Legacy
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyYesterday at 5:25 pm by Julian Whybra

» Punch's view of Chelmsford's tactics!
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyYesterday at 11:37 am by lydenburg

» Writing advice
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyTue Mar 19, 2024 8:57 pm by Hobbes

» 100,000 posts!
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptySun Mar 17, 2024 11:14 am by ADMIN

» Badge on 2/60th and 3/60th foreign service helmets
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyFri Mar 15, 2024 8:27 pm by Rob Herrick

» British rations and morale
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyWed Mar 06, 2024 9:24 pm by Hobbes

» Alfred Fairlie Henderson
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyThu Feb 29, 2024 7:47 am by RoryReynolds

» Australians who went to Zululand and fought in the 1879 war.
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyFri Feb 23, 2024 2:23 am by peterfarrell

» About the second invasion
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptySat Feb 17, 2024 9:53 pm by Hobbes

Similar topics
Zero tolerance to harassment and bullying.
Due to recent events on this forum, we have now imposed a zero tolerance to harassment and bullying. All reports will be treated seriously, and will lead to a permanent ban of both membership and IP address. Any member blatantly corresponding in a deliberate and provoking manner will be removed from the forum as quickly as possible after the event.  If any members are being harassed behind the scenes PM facility by any member/s here at 1879zuluwar.com please do not hesitate to forward the offending text.  We are all here to communicate and enjoy the various discussions and information on the Anglo Zulu War of 1879. Opinions will vary, you will agree and disagree with one another, we will have debates, and so it goes. There is no excuse for harassment or bullying of anyone by another person on this site. The above applies to the main frame areas of the forum. The ring which is the last section on the forum, is available to those members who wish to partake in slagging matches. That section cannot be viewed by guests and only viewed by members that wish to do so. 
Fair Use Notice
Fair use notice. This website may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorised by the copyright owner. We are making such material and images are available in our efforts to advance the understanding of the “Anglo Zulu War of 1879. For educational & recreational purposes. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material, as provided for in UK copyright law. The information is purely for educational and research purposes only. No profit is made from any part of this website. If you hold the copyright on any material on the site, or material refers to you, and you would like it to be removed, please let us know and we will work with you to reach a resolution.
 

 The fascinating story of Two Field Guns! And our Man Ken Gillings

Go down 
3 posters
AuthorMessage
John

John


Posts : 2558
Join date : 2009-04-06
Age : 61
Location : UK

The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Empty
PostSubject: The fascinating story of Two Field Guns! And our Man Ken Gillings   The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyMon Dec 16, 2013 9:39 pm

"The fascinating story of two field guns that fired a 17-gun salute at the coronation of King Cetshwayo kaMpande in 1873 are currently being restored at the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Museum Services workshops in Pietermaritzburg.
“It’s a challenging project,” says restorer Rob Scott. “There’s absolutely no one to go to for advice on the technical aspects.”
The guns, 2,5-inch Armstrong rifled breech-loaders, manufactured in 1863, were the first to be used by the Natal Field Artillery established in September 1862, then known as the Durban Volunteer Artillery.
Scott and his assistant, Innocent Ndlela, who have been “working intensely on the guns for the past six months” are not only restoring but, where necessary, remaking the gun mounts or trails, the wheels and the limbers.
“We’ve been teaching ourselves blacksmithing and now I suddenly have to become a wheelright,” says Scott. “We’ve had to remake the entire trail, all the attaching hardware, wood screws and rivets. And to make them involved making special tools plus screwdrivers and spanners.”
The guns were the first field guns to boast breech-loading mechanisms, according to historian and battlefield guide Ken Gillings. “They were the first departure from the muzzle-loading concept for about 550 years.”
Perhaps it’s not surprising Gillings should be one of the main drivers behind the restoration of the guns: he did his national service in the artillery in 1965, thereafter being posted to the Natal Field Artillery (NFA) from which he retired as regimental sergeant major in 1988. Coincidentally, Scott also happens to be a former member of the NFA.
According to Gillings, one of the earliest tasks of the two guns was the firing of a 17-gun salute at the “coronation” of Prince Cetshwayo kaMpande by Theophilus Shepstone, Natal’s secretary for Native Affairs, at the Mlambongwenya ikhanda (military garrison) near present-day Ulundi.
After the death of Zulu King Mpande ka Senzangakhona in 1872, the crown prince Cetshwayo was recognised by the Zulus as his rightful heir, and when Cetshwayo informed the Natal government of Mpande’s death he invited Shepstone to visit Zululand when the mourning period was over. When this ended in July 1873, Shepstone set out from Pietermaritzburg in early August with an armed escort of 110 officers and men of the Natal Volunteer Corps, among them members of the Natal Carbineers and 10 men of the Durban Volunteer Artillery under the command of Captain Harry Escombe.
According to historian John Laband, writing in Rope of Sand, “this eager, if inexperienced, force” faced “very real dangers ... and took precautions against surprise attack. But they were also conscious that their object was to impress the Zulu with their military effectiveness ... and to show off fancy drill manoeuvres and fire power.”
Both Cetshwayo and Shepstone were playing a political game. Cetshwayo hoped Shepstone would support the Zulus in their dispute over territory with the Transvaal Republic and also discourage ambitious chiefs eyeing the Zulu throne. Shepstone saw an opportunity to extend British influence into the Zulu kingdom as well as a way of asserting his own authority as “the Great White Chief”. To that end, he planned to crown Cetshwayo himself, but his plans were thwarted. When he arrived at the designated meeting place, he found that Cetshwayo had already been crowned.
A few days previous to Shepstone’s visit, Cetshwayo had led his followers to the eMakhosini Valley where he sacrificed 20 head of cattle to the ancestral spirits. That night, thousands of people assembled to celebrate the new reign and the following morning Cetshwayo was declared king.
Nevertheless, Shepstone went ahead with his own “coronation”. Discussions were held with Cetshwayo concerning various “laws” that Shepstone wished Cetshwayo to adopt, and it was agreed these would be promulgated at the “coronation” ceremony.
According to Gillings, the two guns “were most certainly the coronation party’s showpieces and when the Zulus gathered around them in wonder, in order to show them the ease with which they could be handled, one was unlimbered and it fired a blank cartridge — the first shot ever fired by field artillery in Zululand”.
On September 2, in a marquee set up for the purpose, Cetshwayo was invested with a scarlet and gold mantle and a crown designed by a military tailor. He was then taken to a chair of state in front of the marquee and, following a 17-gun salute, Shepstone declared Cetshwayo king.
Cetshwayo believed the “laws” he had agreed to and that were read out at the “coronation” would be useful in curbing the powers of chiefs who might pose a threat, while the colonial authorities saw them as limiting his royal powers. But they would “disastrously backfire”, as Laband comments. “It was a short step to advancing the false claim that Cetshwayo had been crowned king conditional on the ‘laws’ laid down by Shepstone, and that, if he failed to abide by them, it was Britain’s right and duty to depose him.”
Between them, Cetshwayo and Shepstone had laid the foundations for the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 and the subsequent destruction of the Zulu kingdom.
After the ceremony, Shepstone’s small force returned to Pietermaritzburg and the guns wended their way back to Durban.
They were replaced in 1892 by four nine-pounder rifled muzzle-loaders and it is thought they were retired to the Old Fort in Durban around this time. “These historic guns have been deteriorating in the humidity of Durban’s tropical climate for many years,” says Gillings.
In 2004, the Durban branch of the Gunners’ Association and the KwaZulu-Natal branch of the South African Military History Society embarked upon a fundraising drive to restore them and they were removed and transported to Pietermaritzburg for restoration. The restoration project has the support of the Amafa aKwaZulu-Natali, the provincial heritage body, British historian Ian Knight, who provided a conduit for international funding. Local funders included Magnum Magazine, the Winston Churchill Moth Shellhole and several individuals"
Back to top Go down
24th

24th


Posts : 1862
Join date : 2009-03-25

The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Empty
PostSubject: Re: The fascinating story of Two Field Guns! And our Man Ken Gillings   The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyMon Dec 16, 2013 9:49 pm

Nice post John. Let's hope Ken, can post images of the end product!
Back to top Go down
impi

impi


Posts : 2308
Join date : 2010-07-02
Age : 44

The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings Empty
PostSubject: Re: The fascinating story of Two Field Guns! And our Man Ken Gillings   The fascinating story of Two Field Guns!  And our Man Ken Gillings EmptyMon Dec 16, 2013 11:34 pm

agree  Good post!!!!!!!
Back to top Go down
 
The fascinating story of Two Field Guns! And our Man Ken Gillings
Back to top 
Page 1 of 1
 Similar topics
-
» The fascinating story of Cetswayo's guns
» Passing of Ken Gillings
» Ken Gillings - Fort Napier Cemetery Records/Visitors Book ?

Permissions in this forum:You cannot reply to topics in this forum
WWW.1879ZULUWAR.COM  :: GENERAL DISCUSSION AREA-
Jump to: