Just a quick hello to you all

Subject: Just a quick hello to you all Tue Feb 25, 2020 9:11 pm

Good evening all, just wanted to say hello and introduce my self as a new forum member, I have been interested in the Zulu war period since I was a young lad, I'm now. 59 and have taken early retirement from my job as a maintenance engineer with BMW, I will have many questions to ask but I hope not to bore you with them I have some books regarding the battles of islandlwana and rorkes drift when I have more time I will list what I have, and look for recommendations on what to buy next. I have never visited the battlefields but I'm hoping to plan a trip soon, I shall be seeking advice on here again relating to tours etc. Well enough from me for now I look forward to reading about the Zulu wars on here. My apologies if this introduction is in the wrong place but I didn't see an area for newbies to say 'Hello'
Danny1960

Subject: Just a quick Hello to you all . Wed Feb 26, 2020 2:54 am

Welcome Danny1960 , hopefully you enjoy your time here , there's a search box on the left hand side , everything that's been discussed is there at your fingertips .
90th. Salute

Subject: Re: Just a quick hello to you all Wed Feb 26, 2020 7:11 am

Greetings and welcome Danny.
Frank

Posts : 9 Join date : 2019-11-01 Location : South Africa

Welcome Danny,
I try to go to the Isandlwana and Rorkes Drift battlefields about twice a year. My interest started at age 9 [now 74!] when we lived in Dundee and spent numerous hours on the battlefields and found many relics over the years. My son is named Rorke for a reason!
My practical and academic knowledge of the KZN sites includes Blood River, Talana, Elandslaagte, Ladysmith, Colenso [x2!] and Spioenkop.
I have lived in Johannesburg for many decades and have a new passion for the Magaliesburg Boer War battlefields. Of interest : one of the few British survivors of Isandlwana is Smith-Dorrien who led an unsuccessful 1500 man British force from Krugersdorp in July 1900, against 150 Boers at the battle of Dwarsvlei, within 30 minutes from Randburg!
I am trying to set up a visit with a tour guide friend to introduce him to these iconic sites, but he's out of action right now due to a knee operation. He should be ready for a visit in about 3 months i.e. in winter, an ideal time for a visit.
I suggest you send me an email address so I can keep in touch with you and include you in a future visit!

Subject: Re: Just a quick hello to you all Wed Feb 26, 2020 10:40 am

Thank you all for your lovely replies, 90th I do use the search bar extensively to look for items I'm interested in, I really do get confused with islandlwana and its layout at the time of the battle, I wonder if their is a map with an overlay of where the Zulu attacks came from and the where the retreat of the soldiers went to so I'm trying to sort that out so it's clear in my mind. Beeza, you seem to have an interesting lifestyle being able to visit all these places, I'm certainly envious, I will send you my email regarding further tours.
Once again gentlemen many thanks for your replies

Subject: Just a quick Hello to you all . Wed Feb 26, 2020 10:59 am

Danny1960 as I'm a complete dinosaur when it comes to technology , I can tell you there are many publications which have maps on what you seek , just a quick plug .... any books by Ian Knight , John Laband , Keith Smith , F.W Jackson , Julian Whybra are the first publications you should look at . Feel free to send me a pm at any time , if I can help I'll endeavour to do so .
90th

Subject: Re: Just a quick hello to you all Wed Feb 26, 2020 11:38 am

Many thanks 90th...I will be researching islandlwana a lot more I will try to get a decent sized map something like an A3 sized one then I will piece together information from this site and put in place the Zulu attacks and the soldiers retreat and perhaps the 'last stands' of individual groups I want to get this right in my head so that when I visit I can understand more what I'm looking at

Subject: Re: Just a quick hello to you all Wed Feb 26, 2020 8:51 pm

Here is my reading list so far
The Zulu war by Michael barthorp
Rorkes drift diary by capt william penn symons
Rorkes drift by Adrian greaves
All the above are paperback

Like wolves on the fold the defence of rorkes drift by mike snook
Zulu rising by Ian knight
A British lion in Zulu land by William wright
Islandlwana by Ron lock
How can man die better by Ian knight
Brave men's blood by Ian knight
Zulu war journal by colonel Henry Harford
History of the Zulu war and it's origin by Francis Colenso
All the above are on kindle (easier to store and in many cases cheaper)
So what are the good and bad from that lot, and any further recommendations regarding what to read
Many thanks
Danny1960

Subject: Re: Just a quick hello to you all Fri Feb 28, 2020 7:53 am

Hill of the Sphinx, David jackson
Zulu Rising Ian Knight.
Select Documents Kieth Smith
The Red Book Lock and Quantrill
The Noble 24th Norman Holme
The Red Soldier Frank Emery
The Road to iSandlwana Phillip Gonn
Victorias Harvest John Young
The Last Zulu King CT Binns
Studies in the Zulu War vols 1 to 6 Julian Whybra

These will give you a very good insight if you can get hold of them, quite a few are rather rare.
Regards

Subject: Re: Just a quick hello to you all Fri Feb 28, 2020 8:01 am

Many thanks frank, I know that some of those are rare, I tried to buy 'hill of the sphinx' but no joy anywhere.

Subject: Re: Just a quick hello to you all Fri Feb 28, 2020 9:27 am

I do know that there is a copy of Hill of the Sphinx for sale, but at a price.

Subject: Re: Just a quick hello to you all Fri Feb 28, 2020 11:08 am

The prices are a bit extravagant from what I have seen, I really only have a budget of about £50 to be honest

Subject: Re: Just a quick hello to you all Fri Feb 28, 2020 11:57 am

Last one I saw was on the market for 200.

Subject: Re: Just a quick hello to you all Fri Feb 28, 2020 12:28 pm

Hell, that's a price for a book!! Might have to do some saving at that price

Subject: Re: Just a quick hello to you all Fri Feb 28, 2020 1:50 pm

Danny keep an eye on this auction site.
AntiquarianAuctions.com

Subject: Re: Just a quick hello to you all Fri Feb 28, 2020 2:01 pm

Will do frank, thanks for the advice and web site address

Subject: Re: Just a quick hello to you all Sun Mar 01, 2020 9:34 am

Hello Danny and welcome,
I'd be only too happy to oblige if you need help with finding information.

Subject: Re: Just a quick hello to you all Tue Mar 03, 2020 7:55 pm

Hello Julian, many thanks for your kind offer, I will no doubt be seeking pointers from you regarding information. At some stage I will be visiting islandlwana and RD, but I also want to go to hlobane etc, I just need to find a tour guide that knows their stuff and will tour hlobane etc and not just islandlwana and RD.

Subject: Re: Just a quick hello to you all Tue Mar 03, 2020 10:43 pm

Danny
The South Africans on the forum are much better equipped to recommend guides than I am. Enjoy your visits.

Subject: Re: Just a quick hello to you all Wed Mar 04, 2020 4:56 am

Danny
Gary has used a guide on occasions, hopefully he will pick up on the thread and advise you.
Frank

Subject: Just a quick hello to you all Fri Mar 06, 2020 11:43 am

Hi Frank
I sent you an email last night but it ' failed to send ' have sent another just now , hopefully you receive it .
90th Salute

Posts : 9 Join date : 2019-11-01 Location : South Africa

Hi Danny, I live in Jhburg and have just given a friends tour to Isandlwana and Rorkes Drift and other KZN battlefields! Please contact me to chat and to possibly involve you in my next visit [although a moot issue with the current virus lock down in SA!]
Beeza

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