Hi Chard1879.
I dont think we know for sure how long the firing lines stayed in place , but as they were a 1,000 yds or so , possibly more from the camp
Ammunition would no doubt be sent forward , and was , as it's mentioned in any of the books on Isandlwana by those who survived.
So , Obviously there was a need to send it out there in the first place . I think you are missing the point also , I'm not saying they had NO AMMO during the withdrawl , clearly they did have enough to effect the withdrawl to a certain extent . If you read my earlier post there is a differance between NO AMMO and 30 or 40 Rounds on your person . What I'm trying to say is that after the initial contact , when its been established that the troops carried on them 70 Rounds , they no doubt had much fewer during the withdrawl . Also I mentioned the Ammo Laden Mules were seen bolting off in all directions , not toward the firing line , Essex
I think is one who states this .
Also the ammunition would take many minutes to reach the firing line and be distributed , it's not as if they lined up and were given rounds like in a parade ground or something similar , there was mass confusion by everyone and everything involved that day . Therefore many rounds were no doubt sent before the withdraw was even commenced . Hope this makes it a little clearer .
cheers 90th.

Hi all

Not take rocket science to understand that the 24 th was not without cartridges, it is the turn of events that simply disrupted the distribution...

In addition, 24 th companies normally must have had a point of folds, the ammunition distribution points, whose locations were known...

There were how many ? A er unit ? Ok, and they were where ? This is what had to be of interest to officers of companies that were falling ...

And it's not a lack of cartridges that forces the 24 th in folds, but a deployment well too broad, and the retirement decision was made too late, perhaps the massacre ...

In any case the infantrymen of the 24 th could have at maximun than 70 cartridges and a minimun of 40 ,on them +30 per man in the reserve + the reserve of 30 rounds per man of the units with LC.

By cons before panic sets in, the quarter master's ammunition do those of their units ,that also disrupted the distribution...


also those of the 2nd Battalion of the 24 th in the battle would have a huge reserve with the reserve of their friends with LC ... Ditto for the colonial ...

In my humble opinion since the rates of fire in combat, including Issandhlwana were much slower in theory, no one ran out of ammunition, but there must have been a problem of distribution ...

If the battle had been prepared as the battles that followed, the 24 th may have survived ...

J'en suis sûr !

Cheers

Pascal

The pioneers have tools, there place during the Battle is with the Quater-Master, the 1/24th had 10 poineers under Corpral Richardson.

In 2001 an dig was done on the firing line, they found lots of diffrent peices of ammuntion boxes, copper bandings screws with the head bent.


The only unit that ran short could be the NNC and the NNH


Cheers

Good evening

But it was not for pioneers to open the boxes of cartridges!

Cheers

Pascal

Why ?

There place of duty is with the Quater-Master, right down to today.

They would have had tools, they could eaily open the boxes, plus the bandsmenand Smith-Dorrien and Captain Essex.



Cheers

Hello All

It is certain that each combat company commander knew exactly where the reserves of ammunition from their units, is the least thing, and they finally they are necessarily folded matter of logic ...

Cheers

Päscal

Hi DB14

I guarantee you that if thousands of Zulu advancing on you, you open any type of cartridge cases at the speed of light ...

Cheers

Pascal

Without tools and with the teeth if you must !

A Rifle but, Tent peg, Axe, Rock could all be used to open ammo boxes.

You raised it and you shattered on the ground, then when your box is empty, you can knock down Zulu with the box ...

The words in the unquoted quotation which opens this topic are not Trooper Shannon or Trooper Doig's words. They are Holt's.