Anglo Zulu War Battlefields: Rorke's Drift Isandlwana

AZW segment inelegantly cropped from our home video. Still some good pics of Rorke's Drift, Fugitives' Drift and Isandlwana (previously "Isandhlwana"). Quick flashes of Rob Gerrard and the late David Rattray and interesting shots of the infamous cave and the "true" Zulu monument (the little fenced thorn bush at the end)where the "souls" of the Zulu dead are are believed to be caught and saved from wandering about the battlefield aimlessly for eternity. The dramatic bronze leopard on the shields is the Zulu monument honoring the warriors who attacked Rorke's Drift.
That's Fugitives' Drift at the end and the grave site of Melvill and Coghill, the posthumous Victoria Cross winners who died trying to "save the colours" and were buried where they fell, high on the ridge overlooking the drift (as loosely depicted in ZULU DAWN).
The music is "Men of Harlech", a tune associated with Rorkes Drift thanks to the movie "ZULU" with Stanley Baker and Michael Caine. Fans of "ZULU" might check out my video offering of Royal Natal National Park, where it was filmed.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• kwazulu
• natal
• Isandlwana
• Rorke's
• Drift
• Anglo
• Zulu
• War
• Rattray
• fugitives
• drift

[viper3944]

name of song please

[ngiyaxolisa]

@viper3944 "Men of Harlech", but for the best version of it, but IMHO the best version of it is on the RDVC site in the "multimedia section". Very moving

[ngiyaxolisa]

@Wolfen443 I believe that it was poor command on the part of Chelmsford, Pulliene, and Durnford all based on overconfidence, insufficient scouting AND sheer bad luck. I also believe the Zulu might have overrun RD if they hadn't committed their vastly superior numbers in a piecemeal fashion--arrogance on their part. Just my opinions though. Monday morning quarterbacking LOL

[Wolfen443]

@ngiyaxolisa, so the main reason remains still poor camanding decisions, then?. I guess that the Boers and British garrison at Rorke's Drift hadf the advantage of well defebded positions too.

[ngiyaxolisa]

@Wolfen443 At Blood River (Ncome) over 40 years earlier, 470 MUSKET armed Boers (plus 200 "servants" and 2 tiny cannon) IN LAAGER defeated 10,000 to 20,000 Zulu inflicting some 3000 Zulu casualties at a cost of only 3 Boers wounded. 800+ soldiers pack 70 rounds each=some 60,000 at Isandlwana + regimental reserve. More than enough to do the job.

[Wolfen443]

@ngiyaxolisa, so 50 rounds at hand and 20 extra if available make it 12,000 rounds give or take. The Zulus haqd such a massive numbers adb=vantage that even a fully supplied British force was bound to be force to retreat or face destruction. Adeded to to limited supplies, the forces were divided and the command either incompetent or not the best for the occasion. Zulus win either way with high losses anyhow even in the best scenario for the British. .

[junkybabes]

@ngiyaxolisa fair enough

[curlyjim2550]

@ngiyaxolisa Haha.I'm no ringer my friend. I only know what I've read and what I've seen on the matter. I've been interested in military history since my early teens but this war has totally captivated me more than any other for some reason. I agree with your comments about Chelmsford and Glynn and as regards Pulleine, he wasn't an experienced field officer, his was more of an administerial role up until then. Still, many battles have been won in hindsight, but I still blame the senior command.

[ngiyaxolisa]

@ngiyaxolisa Comments seem to show up bass ackwards here, with responses posted in reverse. My second comment is obviously before my first ????. Hey, drop in anytime at rorkesdriftvc and tell them "Sawubona" sent you. That is if you're not already there under a different user name.

[ngiyaxolisa]

@ngiyaxolisa I'm not suggesting Glyn was at fault since his command of the central column had already been usurped by Chelmsford,, only that Chelmsford and Glyn shouldn't have gone together and left Pulliene, although not a combat officer not inexperienced, in charge of "the camp". Durnford should have known better, but the focus wasn't on Isandlwana any longer. It was at Mageni. The war had already moved across the plain or so the British thought to their embarrassment.