UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted August 13, 2011 (edited) I found this quite fascinating..as I am interested in this period (in two parts) Edited August 13, 2011 by UK_Widowmaker Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hector 0 Posted August 13, 2011 Excellent,thanks for sharing. Hector Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted August 13, 2011 The really interesting bit, was that all the British Casualties at Rorkes Drift were shot by the Zulu's. Not a single man was killed by a Zulu Spear! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BirdDogICT 3 Posted August 13, 2011 The really interesting bit, was that all the British Casualties at Rorkes Drift were shot by the Zulu's. Not a single man was killed by a Zulu Spear! Great stuff!. Two of my favorite movies are Zulu! and Zulu Dawn. Much more historicaly accurate than Flyboys or The Red Baron. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gaw 5 Posted August 13, 2011 UK....very cool.....thank you....good luck w/ the new gig. For an amusing perspective on the Empire's great moments you've GOT to read George MacDonald Fraser's FLASHMAN series.....all fantastic...including "Flashman and the Tiger"....a highly amusing take on the engagement @ Rorkes's Drift. Fraser's other books encompass the sepoy mutiny, the american indian wars, the charge of the light brigade, the white rahjah of borneo.....all magnificent. And best of all a stand alone novel of an American gunslinger trying to make a go of it in Victorian London called "Mr. American". They're all enduring favorites I've reread time without number....hope they'll serve you well on night watch. Cheers............ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BirdDogICT 3 Posted August 14, 2011 UK....very cool.....thank you....good luck w/ the new gig. For an amusing perspective on the Empire's great moments you've GOT to read George MacDonald Fraser's FLASHMAN series.....all fantastic...including "Flashman and the Tiger"....a highly amusing take on the engagement @ Rorkes's Drift. Fraser's other books encompass the sepoy mutiny, the american indian wars, the charge of the light brigade, the white rahjah of borneo.....all magnificent. And best of all a stand alone novel of an American gunslinger trying to make a go of it in Victorian London called "Mr. American". They're all enduring favorites I've reread time without number....hope they'll serve you well on night watch. Cheers............ Funny...I was thinking the same thing after I viewed the videos. I've read and re-read the Flashman series. they usually inspire me to read the real history that they are based on. I think the only Frasier book I couldn't get interested in was The Pyrates. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted August 14, 2011 UK....very cool.....thank you....good luck w/ the new gig. For an amusing perspective on the Empire's great moments you've GOT to read George MacDonald Fraser's FLASHMAN series.....all fantastic...including "Flashman and the Tiger"....a highly amusing take on the engagement @ Rorkes's Drift. Fraser's other books encompass the sepoy mutiny, the american indian wars, the charge of the light brigade, the white rahjah of borneo.....all magnificent. And best of all a stand alone novel of an American gunslinger trying to make a go of it in Victorian London called "Mr. American". They're all enduring favorites I've reread time without number....hope they'll serve you well on night watch. Cheers............ Thank you GAW...I'll keep a look out for those Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flyby PC 23 Posted August 14, 2011 (edited) Zulu is a cracking film, if more than a little unfair to Acting Commissar James Langley Dalton VC. He was promoted from the ranks, and came of of retirement to serve as Acting Commissar. He was far more responsible for organising the defence of Rorkes Drift than either Bromhead or Chard, neither of whom were well thought of as officers. There are some who believe that the VC's for Bromhead and Chard had more to with the British army saving face and retaining the confidence of the British public after losing the battle of Isandlwana early that morning. Dalton had to wait a year for his VC. The most stirring bit for me in the film is when the British for up in line, firing volley after volley to drive back the Zulus. I've seen similar drill in Sharpe and similar period films, but somehow its the Zulu film which really gets the blood thumping. The other thing I like about Zulu is the respect it has for the Zulu warriors, both their bravery and their culture. The soundtrack and chanting is awesome. Last thing to say is you can still buy the original BBC recording of Colour Sergeant Frank Bourne from the Royal Welsh Regiments online shop. The Youtube version is faithful to the text, and actually read by Bournes own grandson, in 2009. One other person who wasn't well represented was Pte Hooke VC. In the film he was the spiv type wideboy reluctant to fight. In truth Pte Hooke was a tee total professional soldier, and the film makers had to write a formal letter of apology to Hooke's family to stop them sueing the way he was portrayed in the film. Edit - That's also amazing about so few spear injuries. I'd never heard that before. I did hear the rifles did not come from the British massacre in the morning, but were mostly British Brown Bess muskets coming from various sources. Edited August 14, 2011 by Flyby PC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted August 14, 2011 mostly British Brown Bess muskets coming from various sources. Which possibly explains the lack of British Casualties (not to take any credit from the Brown Bess) an excellent weapon for it's time...but outclassed totally by the Martini Henry I suspect Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hector 0 Posted August 14, 2011 There are a few inaccuacies in the film to the actual battle but i imagine this was done for the sake of making the film much more entertaining,so to speak. I read quite some time ago that due to the Aparthied laws at the time,the Zulu extras were either badly paid or possibly not at all(cant remember it accurately now).This really bugged Stanley Baker and he got around this by giving the Zulus all the cattle that were used after the filming had ended. Slightly OT here..Apparently the Zulus do not name their children like we do in the Uk.Here we name or at least used to name the first born after the father or mother.They will give the child a name because they simply like the sound of it.I forget the Zulu for a particular child but it translated as "Miss overhead powercables",which i thought was quite funny Hector Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted August 14, 2011 (edited) Slightly OT here..Apparently the Zulus do not name their children like we do in the Uk.Here we name or at least used to name the first born after the father or mother.They will give the child a name because they simply like the sound of it.I forget the Zulu for a particular child but it translated as "Miss overhead powercables",which i thought was quite funny Hector Hahahahahaha Edited August 14, 2011 by UK_Widowmaker Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gaw 5 Posted August 16, 2011 Yeah BD.....don't know what happened w/ The Pyrates....totally awful....think it was a movie script whipped up for Geena Davis that he expanded to book form.....only dog of the whole series. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gordohk 1 Posted August 18, 2011 There are a couple of books by Mike Snook on Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana LIKE WOLVES ON THE FOLD: The Defence of Rorke's Drift HOW CAN MAN DIE BETTER: The Secrets of Isandlwana Revealed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
