TOPIC:

By 21 February 1900, the preliminary phases of the Battle of Tugela Heights had been completed. The south side of the Tugela River had been secured and there was a footing on the north bank. Today is the 113th anniversary of the beginning of the most critical and bloody phase of the battle, which culminated with the lifting of the Siege of Ladysmith on 28 February 1900.

"... the Battle of the Thukela Heights was, until the Second World War, arguably the biggest fought by the British in Africa, and until the Falklands war of 1982, the biggest battle fought by the British in the Southern Hemisphere."

This is written in an advertisement for the following book:

'The Battle of Thukela Heights 13th-28th February 1900' by Ken Gillings. (Published by Just Done Productions [ www.justdone.co.za/ ].)

The price is given as 100 ZARand, which is about 7 GBP. (Given the frightening devaluation of the ZAR against the world's main currencies, it may not be long before the publishers will be paying customers in the civilised world to take copies of the book.)

I must emphasise that I have not yet seen a copy of this book, but the author is probably Natal's best battlefield guide, so I feel it will be worth buying. Having written that, I must confess that the last book of this type that I recommended turned out to be a huge disappointment, so my opinion in such matters is questionable.

Brett

Hello Brett,
Still a full week of very important anniversaries to go in Natal, along with the carnage that was Paardeberg on the western front, happening at the same time.
I suppose we can group the operations to relieve Ladysmith into four phases, the first would be the direct assualt at Colenso, the second, a pointless affair at Spion Kop, the third, the seizure of Val Krantz, with the forth, being the assualt on Monte Cristo and Cingola on the 17th of February.
The next day, the enemy is driven across the Tugela and on the 21st, the fifth division is able to get across.
Light at the end of the tunnel perhaps, but, still much more vicious fighting left to do, at Pieter's Hill, before Lord Dundonald can, at long last, get his cavalry into Ladysmith!
Regards Frank