For you where is ...

Hi All

For you where is the Most Leading Authority on the Zulu War?


Cheers


PTR

Ian Knight! And always will be!!

And M. Jackson and Julian Whybra ?

Pascal I would vote for you anyday:shock:

You are in agreement with me ? ...

What is happening is that when I got on our forum, I only read books of IK and Ian Castle ...

Well when I read the masterpiece of Mr. Jackson and all the little wonders of Julian, on the advice of members of this forum, it was a shock to me!

Mr Jackson in one book on Isandhlwana is really the Master for Isandhlwana! No?

When that Julian wrote, nothing to do with what others write, it is his style, this, because he never discusses the war in general, but a particular topic with unheard of precision, which it makes it so good ...

The secret to quality, I think is of writing only a book on a single event , no ?... And that goes for all the history books ...

Could not agree more. David Jacksons writing is clinical, precise and without emotion. Who was that American detective that said: "The facts mam just the facts." ? that sums up Jackson to a T.

Cheers

Its good we have a personal opinions.

Mister-ious springbok9 you could not agree more with me.And what are you agree with me? Jackson to a T. What this mean?

Pascal
I agree on the merits of David Jackson. Therefore I agree with your opinion.
The phrase Jackson to a T means it fits Jackson perfectly, sorry its English slang.

Too bad it is not written other books on other battles of this war !

Pascal
Julian knows him on a personal level, would be really interesting to get him to do a piece on David. I think, open to correction, that he devoted his time to isandlwana in order to get as accurate a picture as possible. All without emotion or personal comment. And that the beauty of Hill of the Sphinx, he doesnt pass comment just records history. Possibly thats why it has never been challenged to any great degree. Unlike say Morris who tried to wright the Magnum Oppus. Came close but history has taken a mighty swipe at him. Maybe the same will happen with ZUlu Rising? Who knows what the future/past holds.

Cheers

I know this, Julian serves me of intermediary with Mr Jackson

I have to agree with springy about David Jackson, Hill of the Sphinx is a brilliant book. I do have a number of books on the AZW written by various authors including Ian Knight, John Laband, David Rattray, Lock and Quantrill, Droogleever, and various others. I have also got research work by Julian and Kris Wheatly, which are all very well researched. I find that reading the better reaserched modern work explains things a lot better than the older work that was either not researched properly or 'borrowed' from other people. Some of the older work is taken from the opinions of others and copied as fact, which modern day researchers have proved to be false. So with this in mind, I would rather put my trust in the more modern work than some of the old, often repeated, ill researched stuff from various other authors.

There is no doubt we are fortunate to have so many capable writers and researchers in our field of interest and, as acknowledged above and elsewhere, there are many good works on the events of 22 January 1879 at both iSandlwana and Rorke's Drift. One can debate which is the 'definitive' work on these events, 'Zulu Rising' or any other; as Springbok9 has said previously, you pays your money and makes your choice. However, I do think we need to be careful here for I would respectfully suggest that a work, or works, solely on the events of 22 January 1879 does not make the author, irrespective of who he or she is, a 'leading authority' on the 'Zulu War' per se (i.e. the question posed on this thread).

There is a man who have I had both the privilege and pleasure to witness, first hand and on several occasions now, 'at work' in KwaZulu-Natal. For many, many, years, probably more than he cares to remember nowadays, he has travelled the length and breadth of the Zulu heartlands, researching the battlefields and Zulu history and culture. In addition to lectures on the fields of iSandlwana and at Rorke's Drift, I have seen this man talk with authority and astounding knowledge at Gingindlovu, Nyezane, Ulundi, Ntombe, Hlobane, Khambula, Prince Imperial etc etc. As an aside, I have also seen him wax equally lyrically at the Ncome, EmaKhosini, Ondini, KwaDukuza, Bhambatha's Rock and the Mome Gorge. I could go on but, suffice to say, this man knows his stuff - and then some!

This man has also written and edited a host of journals and books on the AZW, covering all of its aspects and not just those of the  'big two'; iSandlwana and Rorke's Drift. He has also narrated and advised on TV documentaries on the subject. Moreover, he is a thoroughly nice man and certainly too humble in character to push his name forward as the World's leading authority on the Zulu War, and I am not going to embarrass him by doing so on his behalf here. But what I would say is that the man certainly has an impressive CV for the job description. That man is Ian Knight.

Yes Martin and springy agrees with me !

Yes Umbiki Ian Knigh is a giant and he is very nice man, I am in contact with him for decades, but I prefer the kind of work Mr Jackson and Julian

Umbiki
Nice to see you posting again.
I cant quibble with what you say about Ian, he really is a first class act and a hell of a nice guy to boot. Your probably right in saying that his overall knowledge of the various batttles is probably unsurpassed.

Cheers

That's fine - and to be clear, I have the utmost and genuine respect for all AZW authors. But my point is, do not confuse leading authorities on the Zulu War - as a whole - with those who focus more specifically on the events of 22 January 1879 at iSandlwana and Rorke's Drift.

Thanks Springbok9 - don't get the chance very often, these days. My above post crossed with yours but was aimed at Pascal by the way!

Regards

U

To each his own! I prefer a book about a single event!

Never mind ...

To each his own!

springbok9 wrote:

Pascal
Julian knows him on a personal level, would be really interesting to get him to do a piece on David. I think, open to correction, that he devoted his time to isandlwana in order to get as accurate a picture as possible. All without emotion or personal comment. And that the beauty of Hill of the Sphinx, he doesnt pass comment just records history. Possibly thats why it has never been challenged to any great degree. Unlike say Morris who tried to wright the Magnum Oppus. Came close but history has taken a mighty swipe at him. Maybe the same will happen with ZUlu Rising? Who knows what the future/past holds.
Cheers

Really, well we never knew that. :p;:

Really? Could have sworn I had mentioned it before.

Perhaps your a parrot!!

What is the troubleshooting,

CTSG
Yes I heard that you liked a CockorTwo.?

Absolutely outrageous :p;: :p;: :p;:

Walking  the line but very funny !   .
90th

Yeah bit close to the bone. Sorry CTSG.

???What is a CockorTwo.

Hi Springy .
Good luck with your explanation .  
90th.

Pascal you can ask some bloody awkward questions at times........................ France is about to play the All Blacks in NZ, go watch.

Cheers:Salute:

Hi Springy .
How about it's a cross between a parrot and a galah ! Hhahhahahahahaha.
90th.

Thanks 90th.
Did you see the result of the SA v Windies last night? Wow

No Springy I havent seen the result .
90th

springby

I do not see how my questions are annoying or bloody!

Sport, it does not look at, this practice!

Marsupial

What is a galah? A marsupial ? The only species of  bipede marsupial of England or  South Africa or a south african bird ?

90th/CTSG
You do it Im laughing to much.

Cheers

Hi Rascal .
A galah is an Australian native bird as is the cockatoo ! . Time to watch the Rugby Rascal ! .
90th.

90th
Game was drawn on the DL method because of rain so SA go through on run rate. Windies had it made but lost a wicket on the last ball.

Cheers
( and Im not explaing that to our Breton buddie either)

springboky It is good for health !

Marsupial

Sport, it does not look at, this practice!This is good for your health ... What is a cockatoo,?

Rascal.

A Cockatoo is a type of parrot, a parrot is a bird, a bird flies in the sky, the sky is the blue thing above, but if you live in England it's the cloudy thing above where all the rain comes from :p;:


springy.

I was glad the saffers won, at the time the Windies were ahead on D/L, and all that big headed oaf Pollard had to do was either let it go by, block it, or play it for one run, but what does he do, tries to clobber it for a six and gets caught with a magnificent catch by Dale Steyn. So with him getting out it made the scores on a par, but the saffers had a better run rate and got through, serves the swollen headed big mouthed sod Pollard right, I can't stand the oaf.

Martin, what you're educated, at least you know things!

Chelmsfordthescapegoat you also what you're educated, at least you know things!

EVEN IK BELIEVES THAT MR DAVID JACKSON IS THE BEST HISTORIAN ON THE ZULU WAR .

Hi All,
Following a number of questions from members on Fort Pine I  share the following;
Located approx 12km SE of Dundee.  To travel there take the R33  south from  Dundee then head for Shopridge farm on the D357.
Laband and Thompson had this to say about it's beginnings, quote;
...initially called the Dundee laager, was intended as a post for the NMP . When the Buffalo Border Guard made it their headquarters it was  named after former Lieut Gen of Natal , Sir Benjamin Pine.
It's construction in 1879 took 9 months , although the interior sections had not been fully completed when the war broke out. Settlers then began to come in and after Isandlwana the fort was entirely filled with their wagons and tents.
There were insufficient men amongst the occupants to man the walls and the local Field Cornet had difficulty in ever finding enough men for the duties. So, on 7th February 1879 the BBG and Newcastle Mounted Rifles were sent to do garrison duties there. They remained there until July of that year, though, by May most of the settlers had vacated it.
The layout of this fort was that of an open square (some 60m x 40m)  with loopholed walls fourteen feet high and the walls were made of natural stone. Post the war there were further structural changes .  These comprised accomodation on the east wall and stables on the west wall. There was an internal water well near the  N entrance. Since that time many of the loopholes have been filled in and covered over.

regards,

barry

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