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Date	Original Topic
27th October 2002	Lieutenant Edgar Anstey By paul tocher Lt E Anstey made it to the Manzimnyama River with some of his men, if he could have got across would he have made it to saftey ? and what stopped him from crossing ?
Date	Replies
27th October 2002	John Young Paul, It is more a stream than a river, the mere crossing of the Manzimyama would not deter anyone too much from chasing them down. It is merely guess-work, on behalf of certain folk, that puts Edgar Anstey there, in Mackinnon & Shadbolt it states - 'No accurate record of his death exists, but it is believed that he fell towards the latter end of the engagement, in the last desperate rally made by the three companies of his battalion to the east of the camp.' John Young, Chairman, Anglo-Zulu War Research Society.
28th October 2002	Martin Everett Dear Paul, I visited the spot where Lt Anstey's body was found only 4 weeks ago - said to be the final stand of the 24th. I can only conclude that the soldiers who reached that point on what is now known as the fugitives' trial had undertaken one of the most difficult of military manoeuvres - a withdrawal in contact with the enemy. They were overwhelmed by superior numbers of Zulus, throughly exhausted, had limited or no ammunition and were probably reduced to hand to hand fighting. The opportunity to escape to safety was all but nil. Even those fugitives who made it to the Buffalo River were still being attacked by Zulus. Perhaps, if someone survived who witnessed 'the last stand of the 24th' then Lt Anstey might have been recommended for a VC. All ifs and buts and could have beens.
30th October 2002	paul tocher Thank you John and Martin very such for your help