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Film Zulu Dawn quote: “Excuse me, my Lord, there's something I must convey to you. I rode along the track down to Rorke's Drift. The sky above is red with fire. Your orders my Lord? Do we move to the drift?”
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Welcome to the forum. This looks like it could be an interesting topic.
Is there something specific that you are looking for?
I am not sure there are very many photographs available of ships returning from the war. The newspapers of the day used illustrations, and I don’t remember seeing one of ships returning. There are a couple though of ships departing with troops.
The Royal Navy used three of its Troopships to take reinforcements to South Africa. (a fourth was sent out , but returned a several weeks later without landing the men.) There were also 21 ships hired by the navy, from the merchant fleets, to take either supplies or reinforcements. Then there were other ships, which had regular routes to South Africa, on which the military sent other troops. Several of the latter were of the Donald Currie Castle Line.
Petty Officer Tom
90th
Posts : 10157 Join date : 2009-04-07 Age : 64 Location : Melbourne, Australia
Subject: Troops coming home ? , Southampton ? Thu Mar 14, 2013 5:32 am
Hi Simon1976 Welcome aboard , Petty Officer Tom is our Chief Naval man on the Forum , and believe me he'll be able to help you no worries at all. In this book and here is a link , it gives you a fold out sheet / paper of all the ships used in taking troops to Sth Africa , Departure Ports , Numbers of troops , wagons etc , dates and much information . I sent the link to you via the pm service , and believe me its a steal at that price . Cheers 90th.
tasker224
Posts : 2102 Join date : 2010-07-30 Age : 53 Location : North London
Thank you all, really appreciate your replies. Yes I noticed there isn't anything on google search for anglo-zulu war troopships, I've been searching for a week, wondering if they actually did come home!!! All I can find are photos of troops leaving for the Boer war.
I'm trying to write a story, which involves the return of a soldier to England from Africa, and he is being met by his wife at the docks. Needed some details on the ship and procedures for ships returning, the ceremony if any. You see it in films, being met by crowds waving flags and brass bands playing... not sure if its very realistic though.
Interesting Post. Could it have been the case, that most of the English thought the Zulu War was un-just. With that in mind is it possible their return was fairly low key!!!
littlehand
Posts : 7086 Join date : 2009-04-24 Age : 52 Location : Down South.
Simon, this with regards to Major John Chards return to England..
"On the morning of 2nd.October,l879,HMT ‘Egypt’ (a National Line passenger/cargo steamship of 4500 tons, built in 1871),berthed at Portsmouth. On board were Major Chard VC; Surgeon-Major J.H.Reynolds,MB; VC. (of Rorke's Drift fame),Lieutenant E.S.Browne,VC. (Hiobane on 28th.March, 1879) and l/24th.Regiment of Foot, under the command of Colonel W.R.Glyn,CB; together with other representative Corps.
Shortly after the 'Egypt' had berthed, the Commander-in Chief, H.R.H.The Duke of Cambridge, arrived with Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar. A telegram from H.M.Queen Victoria was delivered to Major Chard, welcoming him home and asking him to visit her at Balmoral. The 1/24th.Regiment of Foot were paraded on the quay, where they were inspected by the Duke of Cambridge. There was great interest shown at the display of the much faded and tattered Queen's Colours, for which Lieutenants T.I Melvill and N.J.A.Coghill lost their lives in attempting to save them ,after the defeat at Isandhlwana and for which they were both awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross in 1907. Following an address by the Duke of Cambridge, the 1/24th.Regiment of Foot returned aboard HMT. 'Egypt' for the midday meal and to prepare for disembarkation.
In the afternoon of 2nd.October,1879,the l/24th.Regiment of Foot were disembarked and marched to their barracks at Gosport, during which they were enthusiastically welcomed by large crowds lining the route".
Here's the link for the full story. http://www.weavo.co.uk/hatch/colchard.htm
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