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Just dawned on me today was a very key point in history. The 140th anniversary of the Battle of Rorke's Drift. Basically the British Alamo. Where roughly 150 British and colonial soldiers held off for two days against roughly 4000 very pissed off Zulu warriors who just 2 days prior wiped out over 1400 British soldiers at the Battle of Isandlwana.
The Zulu's attacked in waves against the British defenders repeatedly and the defenders fought back bravely. After repeated attacks the Zulu's finally called it quits and left. Losing anywhere from 350-550 killed and hundreds more wounded. The Brits lost 17 killed and 15 wounded. They started the battle with 20,000 rounds of ammunition, and less than 800 rounds when it was done.
11 Victoria Crosses were awarded to the defenders of Rorke's Drift.
Just wanted to commemorate that day, on January 22/23 1879.
By the way, if you want to see one of the most historically accurate war films made. See the movie Zulu (Michael Caine's first movie!). Little Movie trivia here, 2 of the old Zulu war generals seen on top of the hill, were at the actual Battle of Rorke's Drift (Movie was made in 1963).
And since I badly need the money, the original is for sale too.
The Zulu's attacked in waves against the British defenders repeatedly and the defenders fought back bravely. After repeated attacks the Zulu's finally called it quits and left. Losing anywhere from 350-550 killed and hundreds more wounded. The Brits lost 17 killed and 15 wounded. They started the battle with 20,000 rounds of ammunition, and less than 800 rounds when it was done.
11 Victoria Crosses were awarded to the defenders of Rorke's Drift.
Just wanted to commemorate that day, on January 22/23 1879.
By the way, if you want to see one of the most historically accurate war films made. See the movie Zulu (Michael Caine's first movie!). Little Movie trivia here, 2 of the old Zulu war generals seen on top of the hill, were at the actual Battle of Rorke's Drift (Movie was made in 1963).
And since I badly need the money, the original is for sale too.
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Yepp, this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emKPydpF7Aw
"...Welshmen will not Yield!" umm nice rendition, but boots are wrong, they wore laced boots not jackboots. for corellation Private Hook is relacing his boots prior to his corporal screaming in through his malaria, "Independant! Fire at Will!!!" when Miss Whitt attempted to convince them to not fight the Zulu parishiners of her father.
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Even though I pretty much memorized the movie the beauty of watching it from the cimatography standpoint as well as the acion scenes, though not historically accurate, I still like watching the movie. Was that Color Seargeant Borne the same Nigiel Greene who played opposite Basil Rathborn in the Sherlock holmes movies?
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Even though I pretty much memorized the movie the beauty of watching it from the cimatography standpoint as well as the acion scenes, though not historically accurate, I still like watching the movie. Was that Color Seargeant Borne the same Nigiel Greene who played opposite Basil Rathborn in the Sherlock holmes movies?
Private Hook wasn't a lazy good-for-nothing by any means - he was actually a model soldier. It was Corporal Hitch who was the troublemaker, he'd lost his rank many times due to drunkenness and brawling. Colour Sergeant Bourne was actually only 24, while Bromhead and Chard were considered by many to be brave but otherwise rather average officers. The backbone of the defence was Commissary Dalton, who was technically the most experienced man present - yet he's barely mentioned in the film.
Lieutenant Adendorff certainly wasn't present either - he'd scarpered before the battle began, and Reverend Witte was certainly not the insane fanatic he's portrayed as. His wife and children were at Helpmekaar some miles away, and he rightly left to be with them before the battle started.
Zulu is a good war film, but it's very much a 1960s film, a heady mix of old war movie tropes and Imperial nostalgia. A far more accurate film is Zulu Dawn, which was ignored because, as a film about a military disaster, it did not pander to the usual heroic tropes that most people of the time were used to.
Lieutenant Adendorff certainly wasn't present either - he'd scarpered before the battle began, and Reverend Witte was certainly not the insane fanatic he's portrayed as. His wife and children were at Helpmekaar some miles away, and he rightly left to be with them before the battle started.
Zulu is a good war film, but it's very much a 1960s film, a heady mix of old war movie tropes and Imperial nostalgia. A far more accurate film is Zulu Dawn, which was ignored because, as a film about a military disaster, it did not pander to the usual heroic tropes that most people of the time were used to.
Yes, I agree, the entire battle was lost because of a headstrong few idiots in charge of ammunition, (mostly to blame) cavalry, alarm, (blundering over confidant scouts), the stupidity of setting up shot markers, and the idiots in command of the army! in the Burt Lancaster film.
I read the account of the real people involved. in Rorke's Drift. by the way Zulus still sing those songs in going into battle!
I read the account of the real people involved. in Rorke's Drift. by the way Zulus still sing those songs in going into battle!
Lieutenant Adendorff actually stayed, it was the trooper he had arrived with who had left to warn the garrison in Helpmekaar.
Hook was a model soldier, teetotaler and methodist preacher. And his daughters were so disgusted at his portrayal in the film, they walked out of the premiere.
Hitch was one of the two who, despite wounds, kept communications open in the hospital allowing patients to be evacuated, and after getting his wounds dressed, spent the night aiding the defence by dispensing ammunition to his comrades. He was also the lookout Bromhead had instructed to climb onto the church roof. And aided in the defence of an uncompleted barricade with 7 others including Dalton and Bromhead. And protected Bromhead from being killed. He was not a troublemaker.
Otto Witt left before the battle to be with his family at their farmhouse 19 miles away. He went with his servant and Lieutenant Purvis (one of the patients).
And the unit at the time of the battle was not known as the South Wales Borderers, they were called that 2 years later.
Hook was a model soldier, teetotaler and methodist preacher. And his daughters were so disgusted at his portrayal in the film, they walked out of the premiere.
Hitch was one of the two who, despite wounds, kept communications open in the hospital allowing patients to be evacuated, and after getting his wounds dressed, spent the night aiding the defence by dispensing ammunition to his comrades. He was also the lookout Bromhead had instructed to climb onto the church roof. And aided in the defence of an uncompleted barricade with 7 others including Dalton and Bromhead. And protected Bromhead from being killed. He was not a troublemaker.
Otto Witt left before the battle to be with his family at their farmhouse 19 miles away. He went with his servant and Lieutenant Purvis (one of the patients).
And the unit at the time of the battle was not known as the South Wales Borderers, they were called that 2 years later.
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