Natal Rebellion Medal

 

The Bambatha Rebellion In Natal 1906.

 

Further relevant historical context can be found at the foot of this entry.

 

 

The Natal Native Rebellion Medal was a South African campaign medal presented for service during the Bambatha (Zulu) Rebellion. The medal was instituted in May 1907 and was awarded to soldiers or policemen who had served in the field for at least twenty days between 11 February 1906 and 3 August 1906.

 

Those who served for fifty days or longer qualified for a clasp with the medal.

 

A total of 9,622 medals was awarded. Most of the recipients were members of the Natal colonial military and police forces, but 546 were issued to volunteers from the Transvaal and 70 to troops from the Cape Colony.

 

 

The medal is circular, 36mm in diameter and was struck in silver. The obverse of this medal bears the head of King Edward VII and the inscription; 'EDWARDVS VII REX IMPERATOR'.

 

The reverse depicts a standing female figure representing Natal holding the sword of justice in her right hand and a palm branch in her left with the inscription; 'NATAL' below.

 

The ribbon suspender is of the plain, straight and swivelling style riveted to the medal.

 

The recipient's details can be found on the medal's rim impressed in capital letters.

 

 

 

The ribbon is 32mm wide and is crimson in colour with a narrow black stripe along either edge.

 

 

This medal was issued with the following clasps:-

 

 

Further relevant historical context can be found at the foot of this entry.

 

 

 

* It should be noted that the values quoted above reflect the average price that a medal dealer may expect to sell this medal for - please see the ‘things you should know’ web page for more details about valuing medals.

 

 

This section contains information on:-

 

- The Bambatha Uprising.

 

The Bambatha Uprising - The Bambatha Uprising was a Zulu revolt against British rule and taxation in Natal, South Africa, in 1906. The revolt was led by Bambatha kaMancinza (c. 1860–1906?), leader of the amaZondi clan of the Zulu people, who lived in the Mpanza Valley, a district near Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal.

 

In the years following the Anglo-Boer War white employers in Natal had difficulty recruiting black farm workers because of increased competition from the gold mines of the Witwatersrand. The colonial authorities introduced a £1 poll tax in addition to the existing hut tax to encourage black men to enter the labour market. Bambatha, who ruled about 5,500 people living in about 1,100 households, was one of the chiefs who resisted the introduction and collection of the new tax.

 

The government of Natal sent police officers to collect the tax from recalcitrant districts, and in February 1906 two white officers were killed near Richmond, KwaZulu-Natal. In the resulting introduction of martial law, Bambatha fled north to consult King Dinizulu, who gave tacit support to Bambatha and invited him and his family to stay at the royal homestead.

 

Bambatha returned to the Mpanza Valley to discover that the Natal government had deposed him as chief. He gathered together a small force of supporters and began launching a series of guerrilla attacks, using the Nkandla forest as a base. Following a series of initial successes, colonial troops under the command of Colonel Duncan McKenzie set out on an expedition in late April 1906.

 

Once they succeeded in getting face to face with and surrounding the rebels at Mome Gorge, the British victory in the unequal battle was inevitable, given the vast disparity of forces. As the sun rose, colonial soldiers opened fire with machine guns and cannon, on rebels mostly armed only with traditional assegais (spears), knobkerries (fighting sticks) and cowhide shields.

 

Bambatha was killed and beheaded during the battle; however, many of his supporters believed that he was still alive, and his wife refused to go into mourning. Bambatha's main ally, the 95-year-old Zulu aristocrat Inkosi Sigananda Shezi of the amaCube clan (cousin and near-contemporary of the Zulu king Shaka) was captured by the colonial troops and died a few days later.

 

Between 3,000 and 4,000 Zulus were killed during the revolt (some of whom died fighting on the side of the Natal government). More than 7,000 were imprisoned, and 4,000 flogged. King Dinizulu was arrested and sentenced to four years imprisonment for treason.

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.