UNITS OF THE ZULU WAR 1879
NATAL NATIVE CONTINGENT (Infantry)
The British began raising the local native tribes to take on their enemy Zulu neighbours. The Natal Native Contingent or NNC consisted of ten companies of 1,100 officers and men. A group of European officers and NCO’s led each battalion. One such NCO was Corporal Schiess who was awarded the Victoria Cross at Rorkes Drift where he was a patient.Due to the fear of arming the local black population only one in ten were armed with out of date firearms while the rest carried their traditional spears. To identify them on the battlefield they wore red head bands and the white officers had a red band on their hats. Some did wear cast of european clothing and were given blankets and cloth hats. Some formed pioneer units that wore out of date red coats with the regimental facings removed.
Officers and men of the 2nd regiment of the NNC
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