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OT but interesting reading
Posted: 19 Jun 2008, 23:47
by Seaking
Was just reading this, I have seen the movie Zulu many times, hope you find this of some interest.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7461992.stm
Re: OT but interesting reading
Posted: 20 Jun 2008, 10:46
by petermcleland
Thanks for the pointer...I have spent some time at both Rourkes Drift and Ishandlwana 100 years after the 1879 battles. I found both places fascinating and well cared for. The soldiers and zulus remains are covered with piles of rocks and they are regularly painted white (for this reason, they could not use the real Ishanlwana hill for the film "Zulu Dawn" but had to find another of similar profile). There are hundreds of these cairns and one can walk along the cairn dotted path followed by the fugitives fleeing from Ishandlwana towards Rourkes Drift all the way to the river where Melville and Coghill were killed defending the 1st/24th regimental colour. A year or so later the regulations for the Award of the Victoria Cross were changed to allow it to be awarded posthumously (this was not permitted at the time of the battles). So then Melville and Coghill were awarded the VC, bringing the total for these two battles from 11 to 13.
Re: OT but interesting reading
Posted: 20 Jun 2008, 11:21
by Paul K
Very interesting indeed. Beyond the two films 'Zulu' and 'Zulu Dawn' I don't know a great deal about the two battles, but that expression 'the empire's longest day' certainly resonates. Must have been quite an experience visiting the area, Peter; I never knew the soldiers were still buried there.
Re: OT but interesting reading
Posted: 20 Jun 2008, 12:08
by DaveB
Indeedie
A friend of mine made the 'trip of a lifetime' some years ago with his wife and visited Rourkes Drift plus the other notable places of historic interest. Unfortunately.. what he DIDN'T realise was that he'd not locked the film release on his Olympus OM10 (a nasty little switch on the front of the case) so the only shots he has are the handful taken by his wife on one of those disposable 35mm jobbies
Needless to say.. he was NOT very happy :brick: Worse.. she still ribs him about it to this day!
ATB
DaveB :tab:
Re: OT but interesting reading
Posted: 20 Jun 2008, 13:32
by speedbird591
And no mention of 'Zulu' would be complete without a nod to Sunny, the African Grey parrot (mascot of HMS Lancaster) who famously stole Michael Caine's catchphrase from the movie and made it her own!
"Zulus! Thousands of 'em!"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/4021933.stm
Ian
