Satire and the Zulu War

Posts : 2871 Join date : 2010-06-02

Although not quite on a par with Spitting Image there was quite a lot of satirical comment generated in the press during the AZW. As events unfolded in 1879 Punch carried a range of stinging articles about those involved. This little inscription is aimed at those who were advocating a memorial to the fallen Prince Imperial. It is clear that the general sentiment was that this was being generated by a small section of imperialists with ulterior motives (headed by QV) and the implication was that the majority thought him more a bloody nuisance.

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I will post a few more examples later. Anyone else have any?

Steve

Subject: Re: Satire and the Zulu War Wed Jan 06, 2016 9:33 am

Morning Steve
A joke that was passed around the troops after iSandlwana was to the effect:
I would rather make an idol of Wood ( Evelyn) than worship the Lord. ( Chelmsford)

Cheers

Posts : 2871 Join date : 2010-06-02

Morning Frank

Did you have a good trip?

I hadn't heard that one before, it's rather good. Often more "truth" can be found in these snippets than the official records.

Steve

Subject: Re: Satire and the Zulu War Wed Jan 06, 2016 11:30 am

Hi Steve
Brilliant trip, saw lots of game, from lion to leopard with every thing in between. I may, with Petes indulgence pop a couple of photos on the forum.
On the way back we popped through the Battlefields, just for a quick look see, a group of English guys were parked on the saddle and their guide hadn't pitched up so our twenty minute trip turned into a three hour session and then an overnight at the hotel and another few hours session. But after about half an hour of chatting one chap suddenly burst out with, " I know you, your of that chat forum and we went to school together." Needless to say I was rather taken aback. But what a lot of fun the day turned out to be, and my good lady took the delay to our trip with really good humour.

Posts : 1183 Join date : 2015-11-24

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Subject: Satire and the zulu war Thu Jan 07, 2016 9:35 am

Great to see you are back in one piece Frank .
Good one Les , LOL Very Happy

90th

Posts : 1183 Join date : 2015-11-24

Cheers Gary, there is loads of material in the 1879
punch..but as Steve might confirm a lot of it is
unfortunately flavoured with the casual racism of
the times and would be inappropriate to reproduce
here.. Salute

Posts : 2871 Join date : 2010-06-02

Les is right that some of it would be inappropriate to reproduce now, but some is exquisite. This is from April 1879 and is a suggestion that LC might supply a concluding chapter to his little book of guidance for officers. It might have been written today! Wonderful stuff and worth a close read.

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Steve

Subject: Satire and the zulu war Thu Jan 07, 2016 10:07 pm

Steve , never a truer word was spoken in jest ! . Very similar to many of the posts on here lambasting our good Lord Chelmsford , written , as some would say by the ' Pro Durnford group ' ! , seems to me Punch were all over it ? .
cheers 90th You need to study mo

Posts : 2871 Join date : 2010-06-02

Hi Gary
That's right. Written long before Colenso and Edward Durnford did their "thing". And before Durnford's orders were found on the battlefield. Bit like Private Eye today, I think they had LC bang to rights.

Steve

Subject: Satire and the zulu war Thu Jan 07, 2016 10:37 pm

Bang on Steve , will be interesting to see if there are any other comments ?
90th scratch

Posts : 1183 Join date : 2015-11-24

Last one from me, also from punch, the sketch of
Lord C was added by me!, in the original there was
a sketch of a pretty girl?.. this is just so funny but
also a devastating attack on his lordship.

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Subject: Re: Satire and the Zulu War Fri Jan 08, 2016 3:38 am

Nice one Les.

The one next to bottom just about sums LC up doesn't it,,,,,,,, Now, who is responsible for this?

Maybe he should have had a mirror in his hand at the time, he could have looked directly into the face of the one that was responsible, ie; himself.

Posts : 1183 Join date : 2015-11-24

Martin

very good mate! yeah Chelmsford was busted from the
off, i still cannot understand why intelligent people continue to defend him.

Subject: Re: Satire and the Zulu War Fri Jan 08, 2016 2:09 pm

Correct Les mate. agree

Maybe the answer to that is in your comment, or, to put it another way, I think it highly unlikely that the ones that do defend him could ever have been qualified to be in the Intelligence Corps of The British Army. Very Happy

Subject: Re: Satire and the Zulu War Fri Jan 08, 2016 2:27 pm

Les/Martin
Ive started a different thread rather than post an idea under this one: 'Exactly what was Chelmsford guilty of'.
Have a look

Cheers

» Did he take part in the Zulu War. William 'Zulu' Smith, was a veteran of the Zulu War of 1879
» OFFICIAL HISTORY OF THE ZULU WAR. NARRATIVE OF THE FIELD OPERATIONS CONNECTED WITH THE ZULU WAR OF 1879
» A list of common Zulu terms relevant to the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879