The Road to Isandlwana

The Road to Isandlwana presents a detailed military history of the 1st Battalion 24th Regiment and its fate during the famous battle of 22 January 1879 in Zululand. Published in Johannesburg by A.D. Donker in 1979, the book runs to 288 pages and is structured as a first-hand style account of the battalion's journey from the Cape through Natal to its climactic encounter at Isandlwana.

The narrative covers the buildup to the conflict, the movements of troops, the logistics of colonial warfare, the terrain of Zululand, and the disastrous moment when the British force was overwhelmed by Zulu impis. Gon uses archival sources and regimental records to frame the event not only as a historic disaster but also as part of the wider imperial and colonial military system.

The Road to Isandlwana is valued by readers interested in Anglo-Zulu War studies, colonial military history and South African frontier warfare. Its clarity of structure, attention to detail and regional focus make it a solid addition to any specialised history collection.