what was Durnford supposed to do when he arrived at the camp?

Guest

Hi all

what was Durnford supposed to do when he arrived at the camp ?

Cheers

Pascal

Posts : 2308 Join date : 2010-07-02 Age : 45

Pascal if you don't know by now!! You never will.

Guest

Well, although there are so many versions, a cat do not find her small, I challenge that even on this forum, many members are not in agreement with each other ...

Pascal MAHE wrote:: Hi all

what was Durnford supposed to do when he arrived at the camp ?

Cheers

Pascal

He was expecting to find fresh orders. There were none.

Pascal.

Tasker is correct, he would have expected to find fresh orders or instructions at the camp if there was any change to the orders of the 19th, which said that he was to support Chelmsford in the attack on the zulus (the Matyanas). But because Chelmsford had left no fresh orders or instructions for him at the camp, he would have been expected to continue on his way to support Chelmsford in the attack on the zulus, which he had already been ordered to do.

Guest

Ok, but why is not he left earlier the camp with all his troops?

It took only 2 NNH troops, the rocket battery and an infantry company of the NNC ...

After having read the reports of Pulleine , on the presence of the Zulu (detected from 7.30 am) he would have to leave the camp to find LC with all the troops of his column No. 2 ,not
only 2 NNH troops, the rocket battery and an infantry company of the NNC ...

And Pulleine he was to join LC also, why he did not go with Durnford?

When Pulleine had to leave Isandhlwana after the orders of LC?

Cheers

Pascal

He took the men he arrived with. He wanted a few Compaines of the 24th but that didn't happen for whatever reason.

The reason he left is being debated on another thread.

Pulliene received the message to pack up camp a bit to late...

The reports of Zulu sighting were coming in before 07:30.

Guest

Yes, there was a bad timeming in the orders of LC ...

Yes!! But he wasn't to know that!!!

Guest

It is a cry Sad

Guys, consider this: WOULD Chelmsford really have wanted Durnford to take control of the camp??

Imagine how today's text books would read:

Lt Col Pulleine, an infantry trained officer of the 24th Foot, was organising the camp's defences using his half dozen or so companies of the 24th Foot, plus several other companies of infantry and mounted men.
Up rode Colonel Durnford, a colonial engineer officer, with no formal infantry training. The small engagements he has been involved with up to this date have not been too successful. After all, he is an engineer, not a man of war.
He outranks the infantry Colonel, Pulleine of the 24th and takes charge of HIS companies, and the rest of the camp defence force.
An ill-judged piece of one upmanship. Why on earth did this colonial engineer believe that the officers and men of the 24th would take kindly to his usurping their own colonel and muscling in on their party with his column of mounted colonials?
In the hours that follow, the camp is taken by the Zulus and over 1500 men are massacred.
Whose fault was it that the camp fell???

Guest

Durnford was not ordered to supervise Pulleine by LC, but he nevertheless made by sending reconnaissance ups and companies of the 1/24 th foot in front of the Zulu without these gentlemen of the infantry does interposed :lol:

» What would of happened to Durnford if his stand had managed to hold out till help arrived?
» Was Durnford responsible for sending troops out the camp?
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