Major A.C. Hamilton. Commander of C-Troop

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‘C’ Troop’s mounted equipment, and soldiers from the two Postal Telegraph Companies provided the telegraph for that expedition. ‘C’ Troop’s first operation was the Zulu War of 1879, when they were belatedly sent to South Africa with other reinforcements after early British army setbacks, and in ‘C’ Troop’s case they were specifically requested by the commander, Lord Chelmsford, to rescue something of a signalling debacle. There they ended up improvising greatly. On the voyage, in an unsuitable ship, twenty-seven of their horses (nearly a quarter) were lost as a result of storms; there was of course no telegraph in Zululand into which they might connect; they were unable to take sufficient line for the task because of the distances involved, weight and transportation difficulties, and grass fires damaged much of their cable. Some of the telegraphists quickly had to learn to use the heliograph because of shortage of skilled regimental signallers; and numerous other problems. It might also be added that there they used the telephone, invented in 1876, for the first time in British Army operations."

http://www.anglozuluwar.com/content/html3/2009/04/03/2009040314161330000100.htm

Good one Littlehand , certainly a part of the War that's not really well known .  
90th  

Part of 'C' (Telegraph) Troop, Royal Engineers, with their field telegraph wagon and line-running wagons.

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Royal Engineers, Field Telegraph, mid-1870's
John Young Collection



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Lt.-Colonel A. C. Hamilton, Royal Engineers, circa 1881.
John Young Collection

JY

John, top photo Wagon at the rear, man sitting on top, would that be cable drums on the back.

Thanks John & Littlehand .
Interesting stuff ! .
Cheers 90th