Download or read book Zulu War VCs written by James W. Bancroft and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2018-04-30 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Anglo-Zulu War lasted only six months in 1879, but in that relatively short time twenty-three men were awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry under most trying and dangerous circumstances. Zulu warriors gave no mercy and expected none in return, yet half of the awards were given to men who went back into the midst of fierce fighting to rescue stranded comrades, well-aware that they risked suffering a particularly brutal death.Two men received posthumous awards for their efforts to save the Queens color of their regiment after the disastrous engagement against overwhelming numbers of warriors at Isandlwana, and perhaps the most famous of all awards of the Victoria Cross were the eleven gained for the immortal defence of Rorkes Drift, the battle brought back to the public consciousness by the motion picture _Zulu!_The conflict has never left the publics imagination, and continues to stir hot debate among military historians and enthusiasts.With information compiled over four decades by James W. Bancroft, a well-known and respected historian and author of several publications on the subject, this book brings together more information about the men than has ever before been collected together in one publication.
Download or read book Victoria Crosses of the Zulu and Boer Wars written by Kevin Brazier and published by Pen and Sword Military. This book was released on 2022-04-06 with total page 396 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This complete chronological record of the Victoria Crosses awarded to British and Commonwealth soldiers during the Anglo-Zulu and Boer wars is an essential work of reference for everyone with a special interest in these major conflicts in southern Africa fought at the height of the British empire. The British army was severely tested in its battles against the Zulu kingdom and the Boer states, and the 107 Victoria Crosses that were awarded testify to the intensity of the fighting and the bravery and self-sacrifice of the soldiers concerned. The book celebrates their extraordinary exploits in action at famous locations like Isandlwana, Rorke’s Drift, Ladysmith, Colenso and Mafeking where, under fire, they had to draw on exceptional reserves of courage. Each entry gives the name and rank of the VC holder and the date and location of the action in which the VC was earned. The episodes themselves are described, in vivid detail. Information is also provided on the subsequent career of the VC recipients, the location of their medals and their place of burial.
Download or read book Crossing the Buffalo written by Adrian Greaves and published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson. This book was released on 2012-06-28 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A new and complete history of Zululand, and its destruction at the hands of the British in 1879. This book is not only a complete history of the Zulus but also an account of the way the British won absolute rule in South Africa. In the early decades of the nineteenth century, Shaka Zulu established a nation in south-east Africa which was to become the most politically sophisticated and militarily powerful black nation in the entire area. Although the Zulus never had any quarrel with their British neighbours, the rulers of the Cape Colony could not conceive of them as anything but a threat. In 1879, under dubious pretences, the British finally crossed the Buffalo River, and embarked on a bloody war that was to rock the very foundations of the British Empire. The story is studded with tales of incredible heroism, drama and atrocity on both sides: the Battle of Isandlwana, where the Zulus inflicted on the British the worst defeat a modern army has ever suffered at the hands of men without guns; Rorke's Drift, where a handful of British troops beat off thousands of Zulu warriors and won a record 11 VCs; and Ulundi, where the Zulus were finally crushed in a battle that was to herald some of the most shameful episodes in British Colonial history. Comprehensive, vast in scope, and filled with original and up-to-date research, this is a book that is set to replace all standard works on the subject.
Download or read book A Handful of Heroes Rorke s Drift written by Katie Stossel and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2015-06-30 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A compelling account of the courageous standoff between 150 British troops and more than 3,000 Zulu warriors during the Anglo-Zulu War. Thanks to newly discovered letters and documents, A Handful of Heroes, Rorke’s Drift updates the history of the Defense of Rorke’s Drift, which will forever be one of the most celebrated British feats of arms. Remarkably after such prolonged historical scrutiny, the author’s research proves that there is yet more to discover about this famous incident of the Zulu War in 1879, and her superbly researched book reveals a number of myths that have distorted what happened during the gallant defense of the small Mission Station. This fascinating and highly readable account goes on to examine in detail the famous Chard Report, which has long been relied on by historians and authors. Doubts emerge as to its accuracy, and evidence is provided which suggests the report’s author was coerced by a senior officer in order to protect the latter’s reputation. Likewise the letters of August Hammar, a young Swedish visitor to the Mission, put Reverend Otto Witt’s false account into perspective. These and other revelations make A Handful of Heroes, Rorke’s Drift a fresh and important addition to the bibliography of this legendary Zulu War engagement. “Though the book reviewed here should not be your first dip into the history of the Zulu War, it is an essential one. It provides readers with a wider understanding of the events and their aftermath . . . The author does the job here with style and grace.” —War History Online
Download or read book Who s Who in the Zulu War 1879 The British written by Adrian Greaves and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2007-03-28 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 has a character that inspires and fascinates readers and increasing numbers of visitors to South Africa. The two volume biographical dictionary of the participants is a unique venture and this second volume reveals much about the formidable Zulu nation which so nearly humbled the mighty British Empire which had provoked the conflict.Thanks to the deep knowledge and research abilities of the two authors this fascinating book provides detail on both the leaders of the Zulu armies, which totaled some 40,000 warriors. We learn of the terrible price paid by this proud nation not just from the defeat by the British but in the civil war of 1883 brought about as a result of the internal tensions unleashed by the Zulu War.The role of the Colonials, be they British settlers, Boer or non-Zulu Africans is also examined through highly informative entries on the main personalities.
Download or read book Evelyn Wood V C written by Evelyn Wood and published by Leonaur Limited. This book was released on 2018-10-10 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The African campaigns of a notable Victorian soldier There can be few students of the British Empire of the 19th century who are unfamiliar with the career of Evelyn Wood. In a time of outstanding military men, Wood was a national celebrity, for he fought with distinction in a number of conflicts in the Victorian Age from the Crimean War to the Indian Mutiny--where he won his Victoria Cross--and the Boer War and war in the Sudan at the turn of the century. Nevertheless, Wood arguably achieved his greatest fame during the 1870s when the British Army was engaged in sub-Saharan Africa in the wars against the Ashanti, Gaika (Kaffir) and Zulu tribal peoples. The Anglo-Zulu War is particularly fascinating to many aficionados of the history of the British Army and Evelyn Wood's actions on Hlobane Mountain and at the battle at Kambula are covered in detail in this book. The action at Kambula is particularly noteworthy, in contrast to the debacle at Isandlwana, as a demonstration of the successful defence of a fortified British camp, in the face of overwhelming Zulu numerical superiority, when that action was commanded by a talented and determined officer. Wood wrote a substantial autobiography (his first-hand accounts of these engagements are essential) and was also the subject of a contemporary biography which, of course, covered his entire life including later periods when his career became administrative. This special Leonaur edition, concentrating on Evelyn Wood's western and southern African campaigns has drawn its content from both these sources and is designed to present an entirely focused view of the man in active service command, at the height of his powers, in a single volume. The text is enhanced by illustrations, photographs and maps which did not accompany the original published material. Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.
Download or read book Forgotten Battles of the Zulu War written by Adrian Greaves and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2012-02-29 with total page 159 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Adrian Greaves uses his exceptional knowledge of the Anglo-Zulu War to look beyond the two best known battles of Isandlwana and the iconic action at Rorkes Drift to other fiercely fought battles.He covers little recorded engagements and battles such as Nyezane which was fought on the same day as the slaughter of Imperial troops at Isandlwana but has been eclipsed by it. Like the battles at Hlobane and Gingindhlovu.The death of the Prince Imperial, which caused shock waves round Europe and had huge repercussions for those involved, is examined in detail. The defeat of the Zulu Army at Ulundi was the culmination of the war and the author reveals new and shocking details about this battle.There is a hint of ominous events to come in the slaughter of Colonel Austruthers Redcoat column by Boers as they marched from Ulundi to Pretoria. This was the opening salvo of the First Boer War.This hugely informative book will fascinate fans of this period of our Imperial history.
Download or read book Rorke s Drift written by James W. Bancroft and published by Spellmount, Limited Publishers. This book was released on 1991 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This text is a graphic acount of gallant British soldiers struggling for survival and brave Zulu natives fighting to overpower them in the defence of the storehouse and field hospital at Rorke's Drift, Natal, at the beginning of the Zulu War.
Download or read book Zulu The Battle for Rorke s Drift written by Edmund Yorke and published by The History Press. This book was released on 2005-07-01 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fought on the night of 22/23 January 1879 and immortalised in the film epic Zulu, Rorke's Drift represented one of the most glorious, if subsequently controversial episodes in British military history. For twelve desperate hours, outnumbered by over 25-1, barely 140 British soldiers, based at the remote mission station of Rorke's Drift, South Africa, were locked in a ferocious life or death struggle with over 4000 seasoned warriors of the hitherto victorious Zulu Army - the most powerful indigenous African army. Only hours earlier, in the shadow of the ominous Sphinx-like Isandlwana Crag, other elements of this same Zulu force had virtually annihilated a 1700-strong British colonial force - one of the greatest defeats of Queen Victoria's reign. In the wake of this massacre, the survival of the British Empire in South Africa rested with the tiny garrison of Rorke's Drift.
Download or read book Zulu Rising written by Ian Knight and published by Pan. This book was released on 2011 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The battle of iSandlwana was the single most destructive incident in the 150-year history of the British colonization of South Africa. This title shows that the brutality of the battle was the result of an inevitable clash between two aggressive warrior traditions.
Download or read book Brave Men s Blood written by Ian Knight and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2005-11-30 with total page 473 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the most highly regarded books on the British campaign of the nineteenth-century Anglo-Zulu War fought in southern Africa. Robust and economically self-reliant, the Zulu Kingdom—created by Shaka kaSenzangakhona—was seen as a threat to British colonialism. In December 1878, the British High Commissioner in South Africa, Sir Henry Bartle Frere, picked a quarrel with the Zulu king, Cetshwayo kaMpande, in the belief that the Zulu army—armed primarily with shields and spears—would soon collapse in the face of British Imperial might. The war began in January 1879. Three columns of British troops under the command of Lt. Gen. Lord Chelmsford invaded Zululand. Almost immediately, the war went badly wrong for the British. On January 22, the Centre Column, under Lord Chelmsford’s personal command, was defeated at Isandlwana mountain. In one of the worst disasters of the colonial era, over 1,300 British troops and their African allies were killed. In the aftermath of Isandlwana, the Zulu reserves mounted a raid on the British border post at Rorke’s Drift, which was held by just 145 men. After ten hours of ferocious fighting, the Zulu were driven off. Eleven of the defenders of Rorke’s Drift were awarded the Victoria Cross. These are the best-known episodes of the war, and Rorke’s Drift went on to inspire the classic film Zulu, which established Michael Caine as a star. Drawing on new research performed since the centenary in 1979, the author delves deeply into the causes of the war, the conditions during it, and the aftermath.
Download or read book Rorke s Drift written by Ian Knight and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 1990-12-31 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The heroic defence of the mission station at Rorke's Drift became the epic action of the Anglo-Zulu War. A small garrison defended this valuable border-post for ten hours and in the process won the northern sector at Ntcombe Drift, Hlobane and Khambula. Essential reading for those who wish to learn the facts rather than the myths of this legendary stand.
Download or read book Rorke s Drift written by Adrian Greaves and published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson. This book was released on 2012-09-06 with total page 529 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The story of the bravest battle ever fought. On 22nd January 1879 a force of 20,000 Zulus overwhelmed and destroyed the British invading force at Isandlwana, killing and ritually disemboweling over 1200 troops. That afternoon, the same Zulu force turned their attention on a small outpost at Rorke's Drift. The battle that ensued, one of the British Army's great epics, has since entered into legend. Throughout the night 85 men held off six full-scale Zulu attacks at the cost of only 27 casualties, forcing the Zulu army to withdraw. Eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded for bravery shown on that night, the largest number for any one engagement in history. But as Adrian Greaves's new research shows there are several things about the myth of Rorke's Drift that don't add up. While it was the scene of undoubted bravery, it was also the scene of some astonishing cases of cowardice, and there is increasing evidence to suggest that the legend of Rorke's Drift was created to divert attention from the appalling British mistakes which caused the earlier defeat at Isandlwana.
Download or read book The Who s who of the Anglo Zulu War The British written by Ian Knight and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Anglo Zulu War continues to attract phenomenal interest. What was meant to be a quick punitive expedition led by Lord Chelmsford turned into a watershed for British Colonial power. The ignominious defeat at Iswandhlwana was a terrible blow to British military pride but the heroic stand at Rourke's Drift, while a minor event by comparison, allowed the powers-that-be to salvage some honor. This authoritative book covers all the main players, be they military, political or civilian, with concise yet readable individual entries. In addition to the military commanders on both sides, we have the VC winners, those at Rourke's Drift and survivors of the massacre. Individuals such as The Crown Prince Imperial whose actions made an impact all have entries.
Download or read book Like Wolves on the Fold written by Mike Snook and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 328 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A lieutenant colonel in the Royal Regiment of Wales, Snook offers a blow-by-blow account of the heroic defense of Rorkes Drift during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879, made famous by the 1964 British movie classic Zulu . Rorkes Drift was an isolated, lightly held, and completely unfortified garrison on the edge of Zululand and served as a depot for the advancing British army. On January 22, 1879--one of the most calamitous... and one of the most renowned days in the history of the British Empire--a British column was decimated by a Zulu army at the Battle of Isandlwana, the subject of Snooks earlier volume How Can Man Die Better . Late that afternoon, a force of some 4,500 Zulus who had missed the earlier action descended on the garrison at Rorkes Drift--finding it too tempting a target to resist. The 150 men at the garrison held their ground against wave after wave of frontal attacks--the fighting often hand-to-hand. The battle raged into the night before the Zulus finally withdrew. Seventeen defenders lost their lives, while 13 received the Victoria Cross, Britains highest honor for valor. The story of Rorkes Drift is well documenented, and Snook adds primarily a soldiers perspective, recreating the battle in scrupulous detail and high drama. The climax comes early, however, and much of the final third of the book--such as an extended analysis regarding responsibility for the disaster at Isandlwana--feels extraneous.
Download or read book Isandlwana written by Ian Knight and published by Leo Cooper Books. This book was released on 2000 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The authors' description of the events on the fateful day - 2 January 1879 - brings to life the shocking defeat of the British Army at the hands of the Zulus. The blunders and omissions that resulted in the loss of so many lives are exposed.
Download or read book Fight Us in the Open written by John Laband and published by . This book was released on 1985 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
