The Rorke's Drift VC Discussion Forum
(View Discussion Rules)

** IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO ALL USERS **

PLEASE NOTE: This forum is now inactive and is provided for reference purposes only. The live forum is available at www.rorkesdriftvc.com/forum

(Back To Topic List)

Date	Original Topic
12th March 2004	Looking for information on battle/skirmish By Justin Young While looking in one of my books there is reference to a battle or skirmish which I can find no reference to anywhere. The action in question is that of Gobatse Heights in late1878 and the Diamond Fields Horse at least seem to have suffered pretty badly with at least 17 KIA. Does anyone have any details of this action, or know where I might find some - no matter how basic. Thanks Justin
Date	Replies
13th March 2004	John Young Justin, Basic is as best as I can do you. On page 231 of Volume 2 of Moodie's 'The History of Battles & Adventures of The British, the Boers & the Zulus, ...' states: 'On the 16th of October, Colonel Warren says that he removed his forces to Gobatsie, and having, with great trouble, dragged a field piece on top of a high range, some 1,000 feet in height, engaged the rebels on the 14th. He puts down the enemy killed at thirty-six - having captured twenty-one wagons and about 600 head of cattle, besides a number of male and female prisoners. He says the enemy seemed very much puzzled and disheartened by finding the Colonial forces in the midst of their strongholds, and so made less pertinacious fighting, firing and flying at the same time. They had expected the Colonel to approach from the West and had fortified extensively accordingly. But the colonial forces attacked from the East, otherwise their loss would have been heavy.' Sorry best I can do, obviously Charles Warren, R.E., left a report of some sort of the action. John Y.
13th March 2004	Justin Young Hi John Thanks for the info, its much more than I've been able to find. Thats a good point about Warren, hopefully this might prove a good avenue of research to go down Regards Justin
15th March 2004	Mike McCabe Try the website of the South African Miltary History Society. Many of their published articles have now been captured electronically, and you might be lucky. MC McC
17th March 2004	Justin Young Hi Mike Thanks for your suggestion- this was actally my first thought but there was nothing online, although maybe there has been something in one of the journals. I did find a small amount of info in 'The Road to Isandhlwana' by Philip Gon Cheers Justin