Sergeant Anthony Booth 80th Regiment

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Sergeant Anthony Booth 80th Regiment

AFTER the appalling disaster of Isandlwana seven weeks previously, it was inconceivable that any body of our men should have formed a laager at any place in Zululand without adequate precaution against surprise. Yet such actually happened on March 11 and 12, 1879, when about twenty wagons, carrying provisions for the garrison at Luneberg, were laagered up on the Intombi River, only a solitary sentry being placed on watch during the night, and in spite of the fact that Urnbelini, a notoriously evil-disposed Zulu chief, was close at hand in his kraal. Besides the convoy-guard, there was only a company of the Both Regiment under Captain David B. Moriarty, as a protection, this officer having taken the handful of men out of Luneberg to meet the wagons a day or so earlier. In the middle of the night the sentry was set upon, but contrived to fire a shot and warn the camp. Four thousand Zulus were, however, upon them, and a general massacre ensued. A few survivors on the opposite bank of the Intombi River opened fire, but 200 of the enemy got across. The lieutenant in command of this small party of survivors rode off to Luneberg for assistance, leaving them without any commanding officer, but Booth rallied his men, ten only in number, and showed so bold a front, that, though the enemy followed for three miles, he was able to bring his little party back to Luneberg and even secure the safety of a few more who escaped from the slaughter on the left bank. His resolute valour was the means of saving the lives of any who eventually reached Luneberg, for had he not acted with such presence of mind and conspicuous courage in the face of terrible odds, not one man would have lived to tell the tale.

See: Pictorial catalogue of AZW graves

HI sas1.
A bit more on NTOMBE and Anthony Booth VC.
A snippet from THE ZULU WAR THEN AND NOW by I. KNIGHT

Total losses 61 soldiers 18 civilians drivers killed. About 30 zulu bodies were found and, though they might well have carried
more away, their losses were undoudtedly light in proportion to their victory .LT HARWARD, who as the only man on the south
bank with a horse, had ridden to luneburg to raise the alarm, was court-martialled for having deserted his men, he was found not
guilty, but comments censuring his conduct were read out to every british regt in the army. Now a bit more on BOOTH, he was
promoted to CLR SGT after this action , he died of Rheumatic fever and Jaundice at his home in Brierley hill, near Dudley in
the West Midlands Dec 8th 1899 at the age of 53, his 4 sons also followed him into the army. His medals are in the SOUTH
STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT MUSEUM at Lichfield
cheers 90th.

A great story of courage indeed & well worth the couple of hours it took to recolour/detail his photo ...

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That is a good job. Do you have specialist’s software?

It's an old programme that came with my pc ' Microsoft Digital Image Suite 2006 ' .. Very easy to use though not made anymore.
It can still be picked up on ebay now & then.

Most photo editing progammes would do this. The trick is to cut out each part you want to colour.
The detail is from other pictures I found on google.

hi sirDCC.
Well done , thanks for sharing the image.
cheers 90th.

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Source: Black country Bugle.

t https://youtu.be/lePIasH7uB8

  Bit of a mixed match. Not my cup of tea.

Hi Les .
Very interesting find , good stuff .
Cheers 90th

Hiya Gary, thank you that's kind of you to say!
cheers mate xhosa