Battle of Bembezi

1893 battle of the First Matabele War

Bembezi

Battle of Bembezi (Zimbabwe)

Date	1 November 1893
Location	Bembezi
Result	Company victory

Belligerents British South Africa Company Ndebele KingdomCommanders and leaders Patrick William Forbes LobengulaStrength 700
5 Maxim guns
3 other rapid-fire guns
2 cannons 10,000Casualties and losses Unknown 2,500 killed

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First Matabele War

• Shangani
• Bembezi
• Shangani Patrol

The Battle of Bembezi (1 November 1893) was an engagement of the First Matabele War, between the British South Africa Company and the Ndebele Kingdom.

Battle

The battle took place on 1 November 1893. This was the most decisive battle won by the British South Africa Company in the First Matabele War of 1893. The British South Africa Company went over to Ndebele positions and were almost ambushed, yet due to command issues they went another way with Ndebele spearman waiting for them. Though thoroughly outnumbered, (10,000 men to 700), the BSAC Maxim guns proved superior to Ndebele numbers. After sustaining heavy losses, the Ndebele began to retreat. Roughly 2,500 Ndebele were killed by the time the gunfire was over. After the stunning defeat, King Lobengula fled the battle; the end of the First Matabele War was near.

Memorial

A memorial was erected by the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe in 1961. The monument contains a plaque in both English and Ndebele reading:

BATTLE OF IMBEMBESI
On a hillock 300 yards south of this
pillar the Salisbury and Victoria
Columns (British South Africa Company’s
forces) formed laager about midday on
the First of November 1893.

During the halt they were heavily
attacked by a large force of Matabele
(iMbizo, iNgubo, iSiziba and iHlati regiments
with Amavene iQobo and iNsukamini
regiments in reserve).

The battle was hard and the Matabele
charged with the greatest courage
three times in the face of machine gun
fire but after suffering very many
casualties were compelled to
withdraw.

This was the decisive battle for
Rhodesia and the Columns marched on
to Bulawayo which they occupied on
the 4th November 1893.

Erected by the Historical Monuments Commission

Music

John Edmond wrote the song Battle of Bembezi in 1979 about the events of the battle.^{[1] [2]}

References

• "The decisive Battle of Bembesi (Bembasi) is fought in the First Matabele War (Ndebele), Zimbabwe | South African History Online". Sahistory.org.za. 31 October 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2017.

Sources

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