Expanding past our continental borders, this ebay purchase originated from diggers in South Africa. MEARS Auctions purchased over 80+ casings and bullets. These .577/450 Martini Henry shells were used by the British Military during both the Boer and Zulu Wars campaign.
Boer Wars (1879-1902)
These are wars of many names. For the British they were the Boer Wars, for the Boers, the Wars of Independence. Many Afrikaaners today refer to them as the Anglo-Boer Wars to denote the official warring parties.
The first Boer War of 1880-1881 has also been named the Transvaal Rebellion, as the Boers of the Transvaal revolted against the British annexation of 1877. Most scholars prefer to call the war of 1899-1902 the South African War, thereby acknowledging that all South Africans, white and black, were affected by the war and that many were participants.
Zulu Wars (1879)
The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom. Following Lord Carnarvon’s successful introduction of federation in Canada, it was thought that similar political effort, coupled with military campaigns, might succeed with the African kingdoms, tribal areas and Boer republics in South Africa. In 1874, Sir Henry Bartle Frere was sent to South Africa as High Commissioner for the British Empire to bring such plans into being. Among the obstacles were the presence of the independent states of the South African Republic and the Kingdom of Zululand and its army. Frere, on his own initiative, without the approval of the British government and with the intent of instigating a war with the Zulu, had presented an ultimatum on 11 December 1878, to the Zulu king Cetshwayo with which the Zulu king could not comply. Cetshwayo did not comply and Bartle Frere sent Lord Chelmsford to invade Zululand. The war is notable for several particularly bloody battles, including a stunning opening victory by the Zulu at Isandlwana, as well as for being a landmark in the timeline of imperialism in the region. The war eventually resulted in a British victory and the end of the Zulu nation’s independence.
Description: Martini-Henry Bullets & Casings. Boer / Zulu wars period. Original items.
Date: August 6th, 2014
Seller I.D.: vakulenko_69
Ebay Description: You are bidding on collection of original items of Boer Wars era. Bullets and casings. Mainly Martini-Henry.
Nice grouping of Martini Henry casing and bullets. Questions may be directed to Troy R. Kinunen, troy@mearsonline.com .