Rorke's Drift (CASSELL MILITARY PAPERBACKS)

Greaves, Adrian

ISBN 10: 0304366412 / ISBN 13: 9780304366415

Published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2022

Fast Free Shipping â Good condition. It may show normal signs of use, such as light writing, highlighting, or library markings, but all pages are intact and the book is fully readable. A solid, complete copy that's ready to enjoy. Seller Inventory # GWV.0304366412.G

Synopsis:

The story of the bravest battle ever fought.

On 22nd January 1879 a force of 20,000 Zulus overwhelmed and destroyed the British invading force at Isandlwana, killing and ritually disemboweling over 1200 troops. That afternoon, the same Zulu force turned their attention on a small outpost at Rorke's Drift.

The battle that ensued, one of the British Army's great epics, has since entered into legend. Throughout the night 85 men held off six full-scale Zulu attacks at the cost of only 27 casualties, forcing the Zulu army to withdraw. Eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded for bravery shown on that night, the largest number for any one engagement in history.

But as Adrian Greaves's new research shows there are several things about the myth of Rorke's Drift that don't add up. While it was the scene of undoubted bravery, it was also the scene of some astonishing cases of cowardice, and there is increasing evidence to suggest that the legend of Rorke's Drift was created to divert attention from the appalling British mistakes which caused the earlier defeat at Isandlwana.

About the Author: Dr Adrian Greaves is the founder of the Anglo-Zulu War Historical Society and the author of numerous books on the period and South African wars.

Bibliographic Details

Title: Rorke's Drift (CASSELL MILITARY PAPERBACKS)
Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Publication Date: 2022
Binding: Soft cover
Condition: good