Russell served in Southern Africa in action against the Pedi King Sekhukhune and through his connections received a post with the British forces for the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879, with the local rank of lieutenant-colonel.

Russell commanded the mounted contingent in the Action at Sihayo's Kraal and, on the day of the defeat at the Battle of Isandlwana was away with Chelmsford on a reconnaissance party.

In the following day's Battle of Kambula Russell had to be rescued by his sub-ordinate Lieutenant Edward Browne, who won the Victoria Cross.

When Edward acceded to the throne in 1901 Russell became an Extra Equerry to the king and was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 1902.

[1][2] His family coat of arms was a fountain proper (blue and white wavy bands) and the motto was agitatione purgatur (Latin: "it is purified by motion").

[5] Russell enlisted in the Oxford University Rifle Volunteer Corps and reached the rank of colour-serjeant before being commissioned as an ensign on 1 March 1860.

[18] He resigned the post on 5 July 1878 to seek active service but was retained by Edward in the honorary role of Extra Equerry.

[1] Through his royal connections and his friendship with Lieutenant-General Frederic Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford, Russell gained a place with the British forces for the 1879 Anglo-Zulu War.

This force had been led for some time by Lieutenant Edward Browne of the 24th Regiment of Foot who was well-liked and his sub-ordination to Russell caused resentment among the men of the unit.

[20] Chelmsford's solution was to declare that Dartnell was invaluable to him as a personal advisor and to appoint him to a position on his staff, while Russell retained command of the units in the field.

[5][22] Three days later, while engineers improved the road to ease the progress of the column inland Russell commanded a scouting part seeking the next camp site.

[23] He reported back that the plain at Isandlwana provided good sources of water and firewood and Chelmsford determined upon it as his next camp site.

He withdrew without engaging around noon and received word from Commandant George Hamilton-Browne of the Natal Native Contingent that he could see the camp was under attack.

[30] After spending an uneasy night on the battlefield Chelmsford's force moved back into Natal to the British supply post at Rorke's Drift.

[32] He was stationed at Helpmekaar with responsibility for co-ordinating mounted patrols of the frontier but lost interest in the work, his confidence and that of other officers apparently shaken by the disaster at Isandlwana.

During the pause in operations Russell was sent, in command of the squadron of Imperial Mounted Infantry, in March 1879 to the Left Column under Evelyn Wood at Kambula.

[1][34][1] On 14 March Wood sent his sub-ordinate, Redvers Buller, commanding a force of irregular horse, 50 miles (80 km) into Zululand to rescue around 1,000 dependents of a Zulu chief, uHamu, who had defected to the British.

[35] Although all three men were considered members of the Wolseley Ring and had served on the Ashanti campaign, Wood was wary of Russell whose cautious approach to operations contrasted with that of Buller.

[37][40] Without support Buller's men were harried closely through Devil's Pass, suffering heavy casualties before reaching Russell's force and retreating to Kambula.

[43] After the Battle of Kambula Browne handed a letter to Wood denouncing Russell for cowardice at Hlobane and stating that he and his men would never serve under him again.

[44] Wood wrote to Chelmsford recommending that Russell be removed from operations and assigned to the remount depot in the rear at Pietermaritzburg, this was approved.

[55] Russell's fourth daughter, Hester Frances, married Hugh Burdett Money-Coutts, the banker and future baron Latymer, on 11 June 1900.

[56] After his period commanding the Canterbury depot he lived for a while on the Isle of Mull, Scotland, and at Bramford Hall, Suffolk, where he was visited by Arthur Conan-Doyle.