A Zulu War fantasy

The February 2018 issue of the South African magazine, Man-Magnum, includes an article entitled 'Isandlwana: Fact and Fantasy' by Gregor Woods. In view of another damaging fantasy about this battle that became news again with the current anniversary and re-enactment of the battle, it seems appropriate to bring the fantasy exposed by Woods to a wider audience. A Colonial soldier who escaped from the battle, Captain C Nourse of the Natal Native Contingent, presented to a young admirer the revolver he used during the battle to perform several historically important and heroic deeds, together with a detailed account of these deeds. The young admirer subsequently published a photograph of the revolver and accompanying story in an earlier version of Man-Magnum, possibly compounding Nourse's falsehoods with his own additions.

All that can be conclusively proved about Nourse's involvement was its beginning at the very start of the battle, and its end with his arrival at Helpmekaar. Since the men of the NNC company commanded by Nourse took to their heels very early in the battle, it can safely be concluded that they were led from the field by Nourse himself. Everything else in his account involved other men, whose actions were authenticated and widely publicised after the war. Even the Webley revolver that Nourse claimed to have used often and with remarkable accuracy during the battle turned out to be a model that first appeared in 1880.

According to Woods, the very obvious moral of the story is not to embellish or romanticize anything that appears 'in print', because it will be exposed as false. Another fantacist who is currently very active in the Kingdom of the Zulus should take heed.

Brett

Hi Brett
Hope you're well Mate , Capt Cracroft Nourse 1/ NNC was with Russell and the Rocket battery at Isandlwana , It was Nourse's Co which provided the escort to Russell's Rocket Battery , from what I've read over the years ,  I've never noticed any embellishment on his own behalf , maybe he jazzed up the story for the admirer never realising it'd go to print ? . I think Nourse left a couple of accounts , one not long after Isandlwana , and another on the 50 th Anniversary ? .
Cheers Brett
90th .

It is possible that the 'jazzing up' was done by the author of the article.
Regards
Brett

Brett , I'd say that's more than likely what's happened .
Cheers 90th