A mini-Isandlwana: Visiting the battlefield of Ntombe Drift (Intombe Drift)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2021
- This is the video of a recent talk I gave to tour guides in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa on the little-known Battle of Ntombe Drift, fought on the 12th of March 1879 during the Anglo-Zulu War. A battle I describe as a 'mini-Isandlwana'.
This is my first time giving a live, in-person talk on the Anglo-Zulu War and to say I was nervous is an understatement. I think it went well, but you can be the judge.
To find out more about the Anglo-Zulu and other aspects of British military history then please subscribe to my channel.
This channel is underrated
You got nothing to be intimidated about being a guide ! You got this ! No problem my friend
Great presentation & very detailed, I can remember visiting relatives as a Child in the UK & seeing the Zulu Shields & Spears on the wall above the mantlepiece & on the mantlepiece, old photo's of Family from the Boar war & portraits of relatives in their Red Coats from the Zulu wars. I think South Africa touched every British family one way or another.
I thought I had heard all about this before, but your details really brought home what a close run thing this was for the both the British and their auxiliaries as well as for the 800 or 1000 Zulu. Nearly went the other way. That rough little river must gain its bit of the final and successful outcome in the second laager. As the last officer, the decision by the captain to be the one to go for help is extremely problematic and could never look good even if the Zulu had declined to force close battle. Why they split their forces in to two laagers is also a decision deserving the severest review. "I didn't think they would attack at all" is the secret to the surprise attack, actually, and the defensive posture one takes must be based on that. Insufficient guards, improper laagering and more must have rocked the British military world. "How Not To Do It" earns it's own pages for study in the curriculum at Sandhurst, I would suspect.
I hope you realize how much you are appreciated with these amazing videos. I have been reading about the Zulu Wars for many years, and it's doubtful I will ever visit these historic sites; you bring us there and we are able to view them as if we were there as well. I've always had a fascination with the Ntombe Drift - to the point where I want to write a screenplay about it one day. This video is the most detailed account I've ever seen (I saw the other one you did as well) - to be able to view the actual location is brilliant. Thanks so much, Christian. You're a gem!
Thanks Jerry, I really appreciate that.
Excellent presentation. Very informative, done with confidence and enthusiasm. Well done mate.
Thanks a lot mate - was nervous as hell.
@@redcoathistory You done very well mate. Its not easy getting up and doing a presentation. I bought your Anglo Zulu War book off Amazon. Excellent read. 👍
Excellent talk, well-paced and very informative! Incidentally, have you ever visited the memorial to the 80th's Ntombe disaster at Lichfield Cathedral? It's quite an extensive one dedicated to the Zulu and Sekukhuni campaigns with carved wooden zulu shields placed across a iron gateway. Dedicated to the men "killed at Intombe River Drift". On each slat/strip of the shields are recorded the rank and name of one of the dead soldiers from the regiment.
I haven't visited it = but would love to one day. Thanks
Absolutely engrossing account of a battle that I knew nothing about. Fascinating and I was engaged till the end. Really amused too by the chap next to you and his occasional smiles to some of your interesting narration! Great job, sir!
Thanks, Johnny - that is great feedback and much appreciated.
Excellent presentation; very enjoyable. Thank you!
Great video! I'd love to do something like this but for the 1885 Northwest Rebellion here in Canada, no one really does anything like this for it.
Sounds like a gap in the market!
Very nicely presented.
Compliments from Swedish Army 1st Lt/ as well as history buff.
Fantastic - welcome to the channel!
@@redcoathistory
Thank you!
You have the most important qualification far any guide a real passion for your subject the rest will fall into place. l wish you all the best,
Thankyou, Christine.
Another fascinating post. The drone footage was very good too. Many thanks!
Lovely cheers for that.
Your presentation and enthusiasm is Sublime. Thank you for your efforts to share this incredible countries history.
Thanks, Paul.
Excellent as always. I have been there several times, your presentation brings it to life.
Cheers, Andy. It is a wonderful site to visit isn't it?
A thoroughly researched and extremely enjoyable presentation, thank you..
Thanks, Bernard that means a lot to hear.
Reading James Muse 4th book right now. It is on column in the north. Learned about James Muse from this channel.
Brilliant - James is awesome!
On top of getting to walk those beautiful lands as you talk. Getting to talk S. African history as a job has got to be fantastic! I’d love that job!
Great presentation on a under appreciated battle of the Zulu War. I believe Moriarty's false sense of security and his sloppy laager attempt was the weather which caused the river to be raging.
Awesome information. Your book describes this incident perfectly.
Thoroughly enjoyed that. Didn't know that about Ntombe.
Cheers, Paul.
Been waiting for this yesssss
Great , really enjoyed it 👍
Excellent, and easy to follow. And those Zulu names and other words seem to come quite easy to you. 10/10
You are superb at this mate. You are a natural. You have nothing to worry about. You tell these stories perfectly.
Thanks a lot - really appreciate the feedback.
A fantastic presentation and you come across as very engaging, articulate and extremely knowledgeable for which are all key in any presentation role. Also just to add you are very professional and I'd never know that your in training. Well done.
Thanks, Ricky. That is great feedback.
I love your videos, I lived in South Africa as a young child, and visited rorkes drift, it is allot different than in your stories, we also watched the Zulu atomba doing traditional dancing and stories were told of islandwana,.
Loving your work sir
Cheers, John.
Your presentation and storytelling is excellent very enjoyable and informative as a listener, many thanks.
Thanks for the feedback. Very much appreciated.
Thank you. Excellent.
Cheers, Ian.
I've read just about book on the Zulu War. Got dozens of them. You have done very well. Read a bit about the battle, or skirmish, seeing the battlefield you have bought it to life brilliantly
Really enjoyed the tour, you're a natural so don't worry about a thing !
Thanks, Chris - I really appreciate that.
Nice presentation 👍
Brilliant job!
Cheers, Brent!
Great story....thank you
Couldn’t fault that & it was good to be hearing the talk from the site of the battle.
Cheers, Chris.
Excellent talk Chris, very confident and you you keep it interesting, you can be my battlefield guide any day mate.
Thanks a lot. - appreciate the feedback.
Excellent! Kia Ora from Aotearoa/New Zealand :)
Thanks a lot.
Very well done sir.
Thanks, Andrew
Congratulations!
Time to do a few Anglo Boer war trips...especially the early battles..following the boers invasion route into Natal...the early battles leading up to the retreat to Ladysmith.
Well done!
Nice work
I enjoyed your characterization, "a slim, handsome man"!
Just watched this again.......thats how its done chap! ✌
Love the channel, can you do something on the crimean war
I'd love to one day!
Bloody superb! One of my favourite battles of the azw. Will you be doing Hlobane soon?
I will defintely do it - hopefully this year, if not then early next year.
Very well spoken 👍
Thanks for listening
Brilliant!......Ta!
Private Wassal VC who you mentioned at the end of your excellent presentation is interred at Barrow in Furness Cemetery. I have a picture of his headstone which I will gladly forward to you if you want.
Fantastic, thanks for letting me know. Is it in good condition?
@@redcoathistory It is in great condition! The headstone reads, "Private Samuel Wassall V.C. 1856-1927. H.M 80th Regiment Staffordshire Volunteers, now the South Staffordshire Regiment. He won the Victoria Cross at Isandhlwana, Zulu Land, on 22nd January 1879 for rescuing a drowning comrade under enemy fire".
@@petermcquade1003 That's great news, thanks Peter.
Ian knights good but I think you tell the story's better and keep people interested throughout great stuff
An amazing compliment - maybe one day I can be in his league, thanks Jackie.
Any chance you can shufty over to the Crimea chum?....Sevastopol etc.....fascinating stuff!
Happy to mate - if you could just send me about £5000 I'll be there in a flash! :-)
I'd meet ya there if I could.... Brilliant!
One of the reasons the British regimental system has been so successful and officers orders are followed in time of crisis is because the men KNOW their officers stand with them and don't desert them.. He should have sent someone else for help.
Well done Sir, great job! Are you anywhere near London? We could get a beer or two.
Thanks mate - I'm in Joburg, SA.
Hey after this could u try to talk about Napoleonic wars outside europe like the Invasion of Java in 1811?
Hopefully I will get to this at some point 👍🏻
Can you do a topic on the BATTLE OF ULUNDI !
I have - two! pls check my feed. Podcast episode 6 and also a walking tour of the battlefield
You spoke of rain..how would rain affect zulus? Or was wet wool of brits worse to wear vs near nothing:
Cheers John - to be fair I think the rain was probably equally as miserable for both sides, but as the aggressors I guess the bad weather and poor visibility gave the Zulu warriors a tactical advantage.
What happened to the Lance Corporal?
Didn't the British do another Rorkes drift before the end of the war
Not that I am aware of Ray. They defended the laagers at Kambula, Gingindlovu and Ulundi if that is what you mean, but that was on a very different scale.
Did Booth get a VC at Rorkes?
No mate, he won a VC here at Ntombe
@@redcoathistory brilliant stuff chap...keep lead in the pencil what!
@@brianford8493 Always plenty of lead in my pencil :-)
So, redcoats used to sleep completely naked???
Apparently some did.
Savagery is still savagery. Even when those that practice it, do so for a lack of understanding and knowledge.
i find you p[age so interesting, thank you
Cheers, Joe.
Did you know Shaka and Dingane's aunt Mkabayi was sent off to marry into the abeQulusi tribe?
Hi fanele - know I don't know the story about that. I will have to do more research. Thanks for the info.
Os vídeos vão para o mundo todo, poderiam ao menos ter legenda em espanhol, 2+ língua mais falada ..
I think you may be mis-interpreting the number of Zulu dead left behind.
It could be that there were so many casualties that they missed over 2 dozen with out realizing.
The Native Americans also would go to great lengths to recover casualties since it would deny the enemy knowledge of their numbers.
25:30 Or reason #4, disrespectful teenagers who haven't learned respect.
Those little bastards are universal..
28:00 The Officer should have sent back a runner. His job is to command the fighting, not play messenger.
Why do you call Ulundi " The Slaughter". It was as fair as Isandhlwana was.
Hi paul, simply because it was a slaughter. I am just reflecting the horrific casualties suffered by the Zulus. Warfare should never be "fair", so it's no criticism of those invovled - just a reflection that they never really had a chance. The British and Lord Chelmsford had finally learnt their lessons and now knew how to defeat the Zulu impi with very little loss to themselves. I've made a video at Ulundi if you are interested. Thanks.
come on man.....don''t be so politicaly bloddy corect.......disemboweling dead soldiers is a savage act, preformed by bloddy savages,..... english soldiers also try to take our land, about the same time frame...19/20 century........but there were no disembowelings.................by the way, love your chanel....God bless....greatings from Yugoslavia
You got nothing to be intimidated about being a guide ! You got this ! No problem my friend
Thanks, Shawn!