History of South Africa podcast · Desmond Latham
Episode 265 – John Dunn’s MI5 Connection, Gingindlovu, and the Relief of Eshowe
March 8, 2026·18 min·1 clip
John Dunn lay on his back, firing between his legs in a surreal sniper duel with Zulu chief Dabulumanzi on a grassy hill.
As heard by us
A grounded battlefield account of intelligence, difficult terrain, and imperial confidence at Gingindlovu.
The episode tracks the British campaign in Zululand as patriotic confidence gives way to unease. Pearson's column has been shut up for nearly two months, Chelmsford's judgment is under pressure, and the march toward Gingindlovu is shaped by ground that resists easy reading: long…
Why you'd press play
You can follow an overconfident invasion toward a slight knoll, difficult ground, and John Dunn's dusk crossing.
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