The Battle of Ulundi (also called the battle of Ondini) fought on the 4th July 1879 was the final battle of the Anglo-Zulu War.

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The Battle of Ulundi (also called the battle of Ondini) fought on the 4th July 1879 was the final battle of the Anglo-Zulu War.

In was a battle in which the British used Gatling guns for the first time in action and where regimental colours were carried unfurled for the last time.

The British victory brought to an end the independent kingdom of the Zulus established by Shaka 50 years before hand.

In a bloody, one-sided encounter, over 1,500 Zulu warriors died that morning defending the old Zulu order.

The Zulu War had not started well for the British army.
In one of the great battles in military history, the Zulus defeated the British at the battle of Isandlwana.
Not even the gallant defence of the mission station at Rorke's Drift (made famous in the film "Zulu") could deflect the scale of the disaster a few miles down the road.

The British commander, Lord Chelmsford, was bent on revenge - not least to salvage his reputation before his replacement, General Sir Garnet Wolseley, arrived in South Africa.

With a fresh army he re-invaded Zululand and by the beginning of April 1879 he was just a few miles from the Zulu capital at Ulundi (Ondini).
He brushed aside peace overtures from the Zulu king, Cetshwayo, and prepared for battle.

The day before the battle of Ulundi, the British nearly suffered another disaster.

Sir Redvers Buller, commanding a force of 500 mounted irregulars was nearly surrounded in a carefully laid ambush of 4,000 Zulu warriors.
In the ensuing scramble to get out of the trap 3 Victoria Crosses were awarded (including 2 to members of the Frontier Light Horse).

The following day (4th July 1879), Lord Chelmsford formed his army into a giant square and advanced on Ulundi.
The Zulu army of about 20,000 launched one final assault on the invaders but the British firepower was overwhelming.

As they started to fall back, the 17th Lancers emerged from the British square to clear the field.

The battle marked the effective end of the independent Zulu kingdom.


Battle of Ulundi Casualties

The battle was a one-sided affair.
the Zulus lost 1,500 warriors whilst the British lost 10 killed and 69 wounded.

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Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:43 battle of Isandlwana
1:41 Second Invasion
2:05 Cetshwayo
2:58 British close in
4:13 Sir Redvers Buller
6:11 Victoria Crosses
9:44 Eve of battle
10:23 British advance on Ulundi
11:00 The British Square
13:01 The Zulu Army
14:11 Battle of Ulundi
16:06 17th Lancers
16:40 End of the Zulu Kingdom
18:39 The History Chap

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My name is Chris Green and I love to share stories from British history. Not just because they are interesting but because, good or bad, they have shaped the world we live in today.

History should not be stuffy or a long list of dates or kings & queens.
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