Martini 577-.450 Lovers, see ZULU!

Sly Old Fox

Sly Old Fox

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For those of you have never seen this rifle in action and can access Rogers cable, tonight, Tues. April 29th, starting at 10.15 pm EDT, they are showing ZULU, which should be the defence of Rourke's Drift by Welsh Infantry, holding off for two days the entire Zulu nation. In this engagement, I believe that more VCs were handled out on a per capita basis than any other UK action before or since. After the Zula failed to take the station, they gave the defenders a salute as brave men, then left.

After this film, they are showing what happended at Isandlawana before the above action. In it, the stupidity of the QM Sgt. in not opening the ammo boxes in time so that the Red line ran out of ammo and were overwhelmend, only a few escaping the massacre and taking shelter at Rourke's Drift.

All of this is from memory, I think that it was 1879, but it is all factual and shows the Martinis well handled.

A short while ago, a thread on opening a case of milsurp ammo was shown and at that time, I commented on Isandlawana.

See it if you can. If not, get copies of the two films, Zulu and Zulu Dawn and enjoy.:popCorn::cheers:
 
they did an archeological special on Isandlawana, they came to the conclusion that the red line was too spread out, which even with the speed of the average soldier reloading couldn't stem the zulu tide.

Cheers
 
A lot of artist's license taken with the facts, but still an enjoyable movie ... :)

At Rorke's Drift, eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded. Seven to the 2nd Battalion, 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot, one to the Army Medical Department, one to the Royal Engineers, one to the Commissariat and Transport Department and one to the Natal Native Contingent.

This action was from Wednesday 22- Thursday 23 January, 1879, when some 150 soldiers defended a supply station against some 4000 Zulus, aided by the Martini-Henry rifle 'with some guts behind it'.
Click to expand...

Regards,
Badger
 
Got the movie and been to both Isandlawana and Rourkes Drift...
The roads are not much improved since the battle was fought.
Over 50k (one way) of very rough, very dusty track and no tourists visiting at all.
 
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For the real deal go to: www.rorkesdriftvc.com

Images from the site

Rorke's Drift, as it looks today, with the hospital in the top left
and the church (was storehouse) on the right.

rorkesdrift_distance2.jpg


Looking up towards the hospital building, with some of the original ledge still visible.
rorkesdrift.jpg
 
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Sly Old Fox said:
For those of you have never seen this rifle in action and can access Rogers cable, tonight, Tues. April 29th, starting at 10.15 pm EDT, they are showing ZULU, which should be the defence of Rourke's Drift by Welsh Infantry, holding off for two days the entire Zulu nation. In this engagement, I believe that more VCs were handled out on a per capita basis than any other UK action before or since. After the Zula failed to take the station, they gave the defenders a salute as brave men, then left.

After this film, they are showing what happended at Isandlawana before the above action. In it, the stupidity of the QM Sgt. in not opening the ammo boxes in time so that the Red line ran out of ammo and were overwhelmend, only a few escaping the massacre and taking shelter at Rourke's Drift.

All of this is from memory, I think that it was 1879, but it is all factual and shows the Martinis well handled.

A short while ago, a thread on opening a case of milsurp ammo was shown and at that time, I commented on Isandlawana.

See it if you can. If not, get copies of the two films, Zulu and Zulu Dawn and enjoy.:popCorn::cheers:
Click to expand...

1. IT was NOT a welsh regiment, and there were only 9 Welshmen at rourkes drift, and they would not be singing "Men of Harlech" in english in any case.
2. archeological evedence showed there was NO difficulty in opening the ammo boxes. One blow with the buttstock sheared the screws , opening the boxes and the screws were found on the firing line.
3, those escaping from Isandlwana did NOT take shelter at the drift, They simply told what happened and then kept on going.
4. giving the defenders a salute only happened in the movie
5. given what happened at Isandlwana, I suspect those VC's were handed out to make up for the previous defeat.
6. If the British had laagered the wagons at Isandlwana as the boers tried to get them to do, It might have had a different outcome. However Chelmsford wanted an early start.
7. Research showed the firing line was MUCH further from the wagons than originaly thought, spreading the troops out so much that the Zulu's simply ran between them and attacked from the rear.
8 the defenders at Rorke's drift had a lucky break as the impi that attacked did so as they arrived on the scene instead of waiting until they all got there
9. The ZULU's DID NOT have martinis as that impi had NOT taken part at Isandlwana.
10. Chard and Bromhead were using revolvers that did not come out until 1915
Pte Hook was a teetotlar and known as a good soldier, NOT a malingerer.

I could go on, but what's the use. It was STILL a cracking good film and much better than Zulu Dawn which came later.
 
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