Artillery at Isandlwana

Subject: Artillery at Isandlwana Thu Jun 25, 2015 3:19 pm

Can anyone advise on the effectiveness of the battery's at Isandlwana?
What range maximum & minimum they would be firing?
How long they would've been in action?
Projected casualties?
I realise this will be educated guesswork but I would appreciate your thoughts on this.
Sorry if this has been covered by other threads, I am still fairly new to this & am still working my way through the forum topics.

Posts : 600 Join date : 2013-09-18 Location : West Country

Hi MH

Try this book.

The role of the Royal Regiment of Artillery in the Battle of Isandlwana 1879, it's also out as an ebook

Regards

Waterloo

Subject: Re: Artillery at Isandlwana Thu Jun 25, 2015 3:44 pm

Cheers do you know the author's or is it produce by the RA?

Posts : 600 Join date : 2013-09-18 Location : West Country

Hello,

The book was written By (Victor S Smallwood) Its for sale on Amazon

Regards

Waterloo

Posts : 2871 Join date : 2010-06-02

You might also try The Curling Letters by Best and Greaves. Curling was an RA officer with N5 Battery at Isandhlwana and survived.

Steve

Subject: Re: Artillery at Isandlwana Thu Jun 25, 2015 4:29 pm

Thanks Waterloo I'll add it to my expanding Amazon basket.

Regards

Subject: Re: Artillery at Isandlwana Thu Jun 25, 2015 4:38 pm

Martini-Henry,

Take a look at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] for the technical details.

By-the-way, there were no batteries at Isandlwana merely a two cannon section from a six cannon battery, the other four cannon being out with battery's commander, Brevet Lt.-Colonel Arthur Harness, with Lord Chelmsford. Initially the section was under the command of Lieutenant Henry Curling, until Brevet Major Stuart Smith assumed command on his return to the camp, which according to Curling happened at about 12 noon.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
The recovered 7lb'er R.M.L. cannon of N Battery, 5th Brigade, R.A. photographed at Ulundi.
John Young Collection.

The projectiles fired by the field guns were as shown in the below illustration from top to bottom the Common & Segment Shell; the Shrapnel Shell & Case Shot:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
John Young Collection.

John Y.

Subject: Re: Artillery at Isandlwana Thu Jun 25, 2015 6:06 pm

A very complete answer sir. Can it be estimated how many shots they would have fired & to what effect on a fast moving enemy?

Regards

Posts : 600 Join date : 2013-09-18 Location : West Country

John Young,

It took me a while but, Lacedaemonians at The Battle of Thermopylae. Tell them in Lacedaimon, passer-by that here, obedient to their word, we lie.

Do I get any points for working it out?

Regards

Waterloo

Posts : 2593 Join date : 2009-04-24

Waterloo, that was sorted in another thread! So no points.

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