CORPS OF ROYAL ENGINEERS
Brevet Colonel Antony William Durnford
1880 (23 Jan.) copy of a letter to the Editor of "The Times" from his brother, Lieutenant Colonel Edward Congreve Langley Durnford, defending his late brother, Brevet Colonel Antony William Durnford who had been killed at Isandhlwana, against allegations that the camp had not been properly defended by him.
细节
1880 (23 Jan.) copy of a letter to the Editor of "The Times" from his brother, Lieutenant Colonel Edward Congreve Langley Durnford, defending his late brother, Brevet Colonel Antony William Durnford who had been killed at Isandhlwana, against allegations that the camp had not been properly defended by him.
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Extract:
The causes of disaster were plainly the fatal situations selected for the camp, enclosed as it was on three sides by hills; the absence of all defensive precautions; the absence of proper scouting, whereby 20,000 Zulus were enabled to approach on the 21st (their mounted scouts being actually seen on the Inqutu hills by the General and staff on that day when it was intended on the next to make a reconnaissance in that direction); the absence of proper communications with the camp; neglect of warnings and finally the recall of a force actually on the march to the relief of the attacked camp.
Over these causes of disaster the Officers who fell at Isandhlwana had no control, nor can it with any justice be said that they were tempted by "contempt for a native African soldiery to throw away any advantages they held".
They fought under circumstances almost without parallel - did their duty and knew how to die like British soldiers.
Note:
The Durnfords were the sons of General Edward William Durnford, Royal Engineers.
The Lieutenant Colonel had seen action against the forts of Bomarsund in 1854, in the Baltic expedition in 1855 and was in command of a Mortar in the flotilla during the bombardment of Sweaborg. By 1879 he had retired from the Royal Marine Artillery.
The Brevet Colonel had had a distinguished career in Ceylon, Malta and Gibraltar before going to Southern Africa in 1871. He was present at King Cetshwayo's coronation in 1873, took part in the expedition against Langalibalele and, in 1877 was one of the commissioners on the disputed Zulu boundary. In 1879, he received the command of No. 2 Column with headquarters at Fort Buckingham. In the middle of January he moved up to Rorke's Drift and on 22nd January he was ordered to move up to Isandhlwana.
The causes of disaster were plainly the fatal situations selected for the camp, enclosed as it was on three sides by hills; the absence of all defensive precautions; the absence of proper scouting, whereby 20,000 Zulus were enabled to approach on the 21st (their mounted scouts being actually seen on the Inqutu hills by the General and staff on that day when it was intended on the next to make a reconnaissance in that direction); the absence of proper communications with the camp; neglect of warnings and finally the recall of a force actually on the march to the relief of the attacked camp.
Over these causes of disaster the Officers who fell at Isandhlwana had no control, nor can it with any justice be said that they were tempted by "contempt for a native African soldiery to throw away any advantages they held".
They fought under circumstances almost without parallel - did their duty and knew how to die like British soldiers.
Note:
The Durnfords were the sons of General Edward William Durnford, Royal Engineers.
The Lieutenant Colonel had seen action against the forts of Bomarsund in 1854, in the Baltic expedition in 1855 and was in command of a Mortar in the flotilla during the bombardment of Sweaborg. By 1879 he had retired from the Royal Marine Artillery.
The Brevet Colonel had had a distinguished career in Ceylon, Malta and Gibraltar before going to Southern Africa in 1871. He was present at King Cetshwayo's coronation in 1873, took part in the expedition against Langalibalele and, in 1877 was one of the commissioners on the disputed Zulu boundary. In 1879, he received the command of No. 2 Column with headquarters at Fort Buckingham. In the middle of January he moved up to Rorke's Drift and on 22nd January he was ordered to move up to Isandhlwana.