Chairman, Brian Idoine, welcomed 49 members and 68 visitors to the meeting.

Booking forms for the Christmas meal were available, to be returned with money at the November meeting, Centre Bazaar is on November 28. Brian thanked those who had donated bottles etc and emphasised the importance of supporting this event, bearing in mind the costs the Centre now has to meet. 200 Club, subs (£11 per year) were due. Mary Skidmore had full details for anyone wishing to join. Copies of Stan Hill’s book, Wordsley Past and Present – were available at £10 per copy. All proceeds to Mary Stevens Hospice.

Brian then introduced Max Keen whose talk was on the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. He explained that his passion for the subject had been aroused by the 1964 film ‘Zulu’, which he had seen many times and which had fuelled his researches, his travel to the battlefields and his presentation ever since.

By the late 1870s the Zulu Kingdom ruled by Cetshwayo covered some 11,500 square miles. It had been built up from small beginnings by conquest of other tribes. Its formidable army was central to its culture, highly disciplined and tactically skilled. The kingdom shared a border with Natal, part of the British Empire, in the south. There were border incidents here, but nothing that need have involved a war; indeed both sides were anxious to avoid that possibility. In the background, though, was a British plan to create a confederation of states (similar to that of Canada) in South Africa, and so avoid inter-state tensions and hostility.

Sir Bartle Frere, High Commissioner charged with bringing this scheme to reality, got little response from Chaka. He therefore issued an ultimatum, containing clauses obviously unacceptable to the Zulu king (eg that he disband his army and expunge militarism from the culture.) Again getting no response, he sent an invading force across the Buffalo River into Zululand. It was commanded by Lord Chelmsford, in whom military incompetence and total underestimation of the enemy combined to produce the disaster at Isandlwana, redeemed only slightly by the heroic defenders of Rorke’s Drift. A withdrawal was followed by a second invasion, far better resourced and organised, though again under Chelmsford anxious to achieve victories before his successor might arrive. It was successful. Chaka was captured and imprisoned, his dynasty deposed and his kingdom annexed and divided among eleven different chiefs. Max told the story of this extraordinary episode with excellent illustrations and his usual infectious panache.

There was no doubt the audience had thoroughly enjoyed Max’s presentation, and Brian thanked him on behalf of the captivated audience.

He also thanked the ladies who had provided refreshments and reminded everyone that on November 12, John Pittwood would be visiting the Society, his illustrated talk being entitled ‘The Real Hello, Hello’. The talk will take place at 7.30pm in the Community Centre, Wordsley Green.

New members always welcome, and visitors at a cost of £2 including refreshments.