By H P Holt
John Murray, London, 1913

Contents

I. THE DAYS OF SAVAGERY
II. THE FOUNDING OF THE CORPS
III. THE EARLY DAYS
IV. THE TRAGEDY OF ISANDHLWANA
V. ZULUS REPULSED AT RORKE'S DRIFT
VI. A CAPTIVE KING
VII. IN SNOW AND SLEET
VIII. DISCONCERTING DISCUSSIONS
IX. DISTURBANCES IN PONDOLAND
X. IMPORTANT CHANGES
XI. THE LAST BOER WAR
XII. BESIEGED
XIII. AFTER LADYSMITH
XIV. THE DEFENCE OF MAHLABATINI
XV. HUNTING THE ENEMY
XVI. A VISIT TO ENGLAND
XVII. THE REBELLION OF 1906
XVIII. AFTER BAMBATA
XIX. MOME GORGE
XX. EXCITING NIGHT IN THE BUSH
XXI. HEADQUARTERS
XXII. AT THE BACK OF BEYOND
XXIII. THE C.I.D.
XXIV. WITCHCRAFT
XXV. COLOURED CRIMINALS
XXVI. THE BRIGANDS OF DE JAGER'S DRIFT
XXVII. THE ZULULAND POLICE
XXVIII. THE WATER POLICE
XXIX. THE RAILWAY POLICE
XXX. MANY UNIFORMS
APPENDIX - PAST AND PRESENT OFFICERS OF THE NATAL POLICE

Introduction

The Natal Police have a fighting record second to that of no similar body of men in the world, and on two occasions they have had the distinguished honour of covering the retreat of British troops. The first was during the retirement of Lord Chelmsford's force from Isandhlwana to Rorke's Drift, on the 23rd January 1879. And the second was after the disaster at Laing's Nek in the Boer War of 1 88 1 , when the column under General Colley retired to Mount Prospect on the 28th January. The corps has had its ups and downs, but it is to-day the best organized police force in South Africa. In a little while all the various police bodies in the Union will be merged into one, but though the Natal Police will cease to exist under that name the men will remain at their various stations. Though certain modifications are to be made in the regulations, the force will continue to work substantially as it does to-day. Few men have a more exciting life than those in the corps, for their work takes them to remote, semi-civilized stations, where life is not as sacred as it is in Piccadilly ; but they are modest and retiring, nearly always regarding thrilling adventures that are over in the light of a jest. Hard as nails with constant exercise and fresh air, they are good soldiers and clever policemen, and they discharge their duties just as conscientiously when posted in the far north or remote west of Zululand as they do at headquarters.

My thanks are due to General Sir John Dartnell, who founded the corps in 1874, and remained its centre prop for many years, for his assistance in tracing the early history of the force. I also have to express thanks to Colonel W. J. Clarke, the present Chief Commissioner, for the valuable aid he gave me, and his kindness in personally conducting me to remote out-stations which I visited in both Natal and Zululand. But for his wonderful diary, which he has kept faithfully since he joined the corps as a trooper in 1878, I should have had great difficulty in tracing the movements of the corps. I must also acknowledge with thanks the permission given by Sub-Inspector Esmonde-White to reproduce some of the photographs which he took during the rebellion of 1906 ; and finally I have much pleasure in expressing my appreciation of the kindness of my many friends in the force who aided me in every possible way in delving into the past, so enabling me to compile this book, which I hope has at least the merit of being historically accurate.

H. P. HOLT.
PIETERMARITZBURG, NATAL,
1st March 1913.

Illustrations

MAJOR-GENERAL SIR J. G. DARTNELL, KCB
LANGALIBALELE
ISANDHLWANA HlLL
RORKE'S DRIFT DEPOT AFTER THE BATTLE OF 22ND JANUARY 1879
THE PLACE WHERE THE PRINCE IMPERIAL WAS KILLED, AS IT WAS JUST AFTER HIS DEATH
THE RORKE'S DRIFT MEMORIAL
INSPECTOR DIMMICK, ADJUTANT OF NATAL POLICE
NATAL POLICE FIELD FORCE WITH MAXIM GUNS, IN 1897
MEMORIAL AT PIETERMARITZBURG TO POLICE AND NATAL TROOPS WHO FELL IN THE BOER WAR OF 1899-1902
TROOPER POLICE CROSSING THE TUGELA DURING THE REBELLION OF 1906
TRANSPORT CROSSING THE TUGELA (1906 REBELLION)
NATAL POLICE AT BREAKFAST AT MIDDLE DRIFT, WHILE IN PURSUIT OF BAMBATA (1906 REBELLION)
TRANSPORT CROSSING THE TUGELA (1906 REBELLION)
MAN-HANDLING WAGONS UP MACALA HILL, DURING THE REBELLION OF 1906
A WELCOME DRINK AT A DRIFT ON THE TUGELA (1906 REBELLION)
A TRANSPORT WAGON OVERTURNED ON BAD ROADS DURING THE REBELLION OF 1906
CAKIJANI, THE REBEL
NDHLOVU
COLONEL CLARKE, CHIEF COMMISSIONER OF NATAL POLICE
SQUAD OF RECRUITS AT DRILL
RECRUITS AT DRILL
POLICE CAMP AT GLEN ROSA, ALEXANDRA COUNTY
POLICE CAMP AT GWALIWENI, ON THE BORDER OF SWAZILAND
ZULUS PAYING DOG TAX TO A TROOPER ON PATROL NEAR INGWAVUMA, ZULULAND
NATIVE CARRIERS BEARING KIT USED ON CENSUS DUTY
1 66 PRISONERS ON TRIAL FOR TAKING PART IN A FACTION FIGHT
POLICE CAMP AT LOTENI, NEAR BASUTOLAND BORDER
POLICE CAMP AT NQUTU, ZULULAND
A TYPICAL OUT-STATION GROUP, AT MAHLABATINI, WITH THE NATIVE POLICE AND SPORTING DOGS
NATAL POLICE TAKING THEIR MIDDAY MEAL AT NDUMU,
NORTHERN ZULULAND, WHILE ON CENSUS DUTY
POLICE CAMP AT KNOXWOOD
THE OLD POLICE CAMP AT NDUMU
THE WATER POLICE
UNIFORM AND KIT OF THE NATAL MOUNTED POLICE IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES
OFFICERS OF THE NATAL POLICE

Major-General Sir J. G. Dartnell
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Langalibalele
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Isandhlwana Hill
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Rorke's Drift depot after the battle of 22nd January 1879
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The place where the Prince Imperial was killed, as it was just after his death
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The Rorke's Drift memorial
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Inspector Dimmick, adjutant of Natal Police
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Natal Police field force with maxim guns, in 1897
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Memorial at Pietermaritzburg to police and Natal Troops who fell in the Boer War of 1899-1902
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Trooper Police crossing the Tugela during the Rebellion of 1906
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Transport crossing the Tugela (1906 Rebellion)
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Natal Police at breakfast at Middle Drift, while in pursuit of Bambata (1906 Rebellion)
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Transport crossing the Tugela (1906 Rebellion)
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Man-handling wagons up Macala Hill, during the Rebellion of 1906
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A welcome drink at a drift on the Tugela (1906 Rebellion)
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A transport wagon overturned on bad roads during the rebellion of 1906
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Cakijani, the rebel
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Ndhlovu
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Colonel Clarke, Chief Commissioner of Natal Police
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Squad of recruits at drill
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Recruits at drill
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Police camp at Glen Rosa, Alexandra County
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Police camp at Gwaliweni, on the border of Swaziland
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Zulus paying dog tax to a trooper on patrol near Ingwavuma, Zululand
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Native carriers bearing kit used on census duty
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166 prisoners on trial for taking part in a faction fight
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Police camp at Loteni, near Basutoland border
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Police camp at Nqutu, Zululand
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A typical out-station group, at mahlabatini, with the native police and sporting dogs
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Natal police taking their midday meal at ndumu, northern zululand, while on census duty
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Police camp at knoxwood
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The old police camp at Ndumu
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The water police
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Uniform and kit of the natal mounted police in the early eighties
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Officers of the Natal Police (wearing 75 medals)
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