History of South Africa podcast · Desmond Latham
Episode 261 - Zulu War: Ntombe River Massacre & Prince Hamu’s Defection
February 8, 2026·21 min
As heard by us
A dismissed gunshot and a quiet Zulu advance show how fast a British camp could fall.
Episode 261 tracks the Zulu War through the Tombi River massacre and Prince Hamu's defection, showing how pressure turns small judgments into disaster. At the British camp, slope, wet weather and mist narrow what the sentries can see, while Moriarty dismisses a shot at 3:30 a.m.
Why you'd press play
You want the Zulu War at the moment a dismissed 3:30 a.m. gunshot gives way to disaster at the Tombi River camp.
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