THORD provides a blow-by-blow account of a major battle to quell the Zulus’ Bambatha Rebellion in the dense growth of the Nkandla Valley. By then Thord was lieutenant in Royston’s Horse, part of the force tasked with destroying villages and crops to deprive the rebels of food and shelter. The Zulu rebels were armed mostly with assegais and cowhide shields. Thord reports bringing down two ‘warriors’ with his carbine. The first turns out to be a woman dressed as a man, the second a boy aged about 12. ‘I almost cried out from shame, because I could not help admiring the fine little boy.’
Two days later, a dense fog veiled the Nkandla Valley landscape. ‘The war cries and even the thumping of the Zulus bare feet could be heard at a distance as they worked their way towards the kill zone. It was a grand scene but an eerie one as well.’
Then the fog lifted: ‘Suddenly around fifty of the enemy showed up and I trained the Maxim [machine gun] on them; but to my dismay the piece jammed after about the fifth shot.’ An estimated 2 000 Zulu rebels were killed that day.