What if Chelmsford had not split his force?

What if Lord Chelmsford had not split his force at Isandlwana, and had successfully defended the camp against the Zulu; and then gone on to defeat the Zulu according to his original plan?

There would have been no attack on Rorke’s Drift.

There would not have been 11 Victoria Crosses handed out to the Rorke’s Drift defenders.

We would never have heard of Chelmsford, Glyn, Pulliene, Durnford, Coghill, Melville, Chard, Bromhead, Dalton, Bourne, Hook, Hitch, Carey, etc., etc.

There would not have been the need for reinforcements to be sent out from England.

Prince Louis Napoleon would not have been killed.

There would have been little interest in the war by the public back in England.

There probably would have been no medal issued for the war.

There would have been few K.C.B., C.B., C.M.G, or other honors awarded.

Donald Morris would not have written “The Washing of the Spears.”

No other books on the Zulu War by Ian Knight, Adrian Greaves, John Young, Julian Whybra, Ron Lock, Peter Quantrill, Kris Wheatley, and a score of others would have been written.

There would be no movie, “Zulu.”

There would be no movie, “Zulu Dawn.”

There would be no forums dedicated to the Zulu War.

There would be no one to blame.

I would not have just written this.

All of our lives would be dull.


Petty Officer Tom

:lol:
Well done Tom!

There would still have been a campaign medal as there was for all successful Victorian campaigns, but it would be slightly less sought after by collectors today!

You could also say, what if Durnford, had fell of his horse on his way to Isandlwana. And ended up with a broken leg and confined to RD hospital.

All of our lives Would be dull ?

Not my life, there is not the history of the Zulu war, which is interesting

Good one POT , I'd no doubt be on the Little Big Horn Forum , I think that's it's name , I havent seen the Forum for so long
and havent been a member of the Little Big Horn Assoc for 5 or so years .
Cheers 90th.

Gary

The Little Big Horn and Isandhlwana is the same kind of drama, but outside the south africa, what is the greatest defeat in British colonial wars ?

One against the Afghans in 1845 ?

No person is interested ?

The there was only one survivor ...

Cheers

Pascal