The two significant wars of conquest fought by Britain against her South African rivals were the Anglo/Zulu and the Anglo/Boer Wars. Both were fought at great cost, both proved to be much more difficult than the Imperial Government initially thought, but both were ultimately won by overwhelming force, and the application of all the resources of a modern fighting force and global empire. In the first conflict it was against a native army employing set piece formations and fighting with shields and spears, in the second it was against a seasoned and well armed force of Boer Commandos who knew the country, understood the odds, and waged one of the first effective, large scale guerrilla campaigns in modern warfare.

The catastrophic reverse suffered by the British and their allies at Isandlwana was the worst incident of its kind in colonial warfare, and perhaps the most spectacular defeat suffered by a modern army at the hands of a native force. The subsequent siege at Roukes Drift evened the score somewhat, but in reality the Zulu people, as with almost all of the native peoples of sub-Saharan Africa, were doomed as independent nations. Slowly, like dominos, the old orders fell, and the Pax Britannia ruled supreme.

The Anglo/Boer War was also a race war of sorts, but this time it was a contest between a great imperial power allied to her capital adventurers, against a retrogressive, chauvinistic white race that believed in its God given right to live without interference from outside power.

The relics of both wars are well preserved, and the battlefields route in South Africa follows the fortunes of all sides both sensitively and accurately. There are a number of museums and national monuments that celebrate both wars, and a great many enthusiasts and battlefield guides to add individual perspective to great events.

For more information on touring the battlefield sites of South Africa, in combination with a selection of conventional pursuits, please contact me for an indication of times, dates and prices.