Dynamite at iSandlwana

Subject: Dynamite at iSandlwana Fri Nov 22, 2019 7:02 am

Interesting, looking for some old documents and coming across a statement I havent read in years. Alfred Boast reporting on the ground conditions he encountered when burying the dead said that he only used 'half a dozen charges of dynamite' in constructing the graves. Should answer some of the questions as to why the 24th didnt dig trenches.

Subject: Re: Dynamite at iSandlwana Fri Nov 22, 2019 7:42 am

Hi Frank,

Its depends on 'only'......eg "I thought I would have to use loads of dynamite but only used half a dozen" or "I was told it would be a doddle...oh yeah...I ONLY had to use half a dozen charges"

ta

Sime

Subject: Re: Dynamite at iSandlwana Fri Nov 22, 2019 9:39 am

Hi Simon
I believe the context was that he was issue with more but didnt require to use it. Its just something ive overlooked in the past, having to blast out for graves.

Subject: Re: Dynamite at iSandlwana Sat Nov 23, 2019 9:13 am

Thinking about it - I'm not sure 'trenches' would have helped......- maybe it would have helped Boast in his job later..... Wink

Sangers maybe (It seems like there was loads of rocks lying around) but even that is unlikely, to have helped much unless the sangers where very big......

If you think about it - the British didn't even think that a laager was needed because of the wagons going back to RD (and the Zulus were not near)- and it need not have been a massive 'Ulundi' or 'Khambula' style (I believe that Khambula was 'entrenched') laager but a handful of wagons to provide strong points or rallying points.

When we talk about laagers we automatically think of the difficulty of moving and interlocking all those wagons + protecting the beasties but to my 'unmiltary' mind smaller defensive points would have been just as effective.

Cheers

Sime