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24th Regiment Survivors of Isandlwana?
Space_Aristocrat


Joined: 31 Aug 2015
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Hi all,

I am new to this forum. Smile I have a huge interest in the Anglo Zulu War, and find it hard to get any information about it at all online. I watched the movie "Zulu Dawn" about the Battle of Isandlwana, and the film makes it seem as if all the 24th Regiment of Foot Infantry (the Redcoats) are all slaughtered. I mean, there had to have been at least some infantry survivors, right?

All I have read about is how only the men on horseback retreated, and the last of the 24th Regiment retreated to the nearby hillside, and were "hunted down" one by one. I also heard that the so called "last" soldier from the 24th made a last stand in a cave far from the battlesite, which he held off until he ran out of ammo and was killed. That's all I know. There has got to be more information on how the entire camps infantry just vanished.

If anybody has any information on this subject, that would be great!
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Alan
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Joined: 30 Aug 2005
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Ayden, this may help. Copied from The Noble 24th. by Norman Holme.
Statements of six 24th. survivors are on page 192.



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Thanks
Space_Aristocrat


Joined: 31 Aug 2015
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Thanks, Alan. Very helpful resource!

So, according to the book, it seems that the only survivors of the 24th at Isandlwana was from the No 3 column, which was Privates Bickley and Wilson, who were bandsmen?
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Alan
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Grant, Johnson and Trainer were No.2 column, with the rocket battery under Captain Russell RA.

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Martin Everett


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Don't forget 25B/139 Williams 1/24th who was Colonel Glyn's groom.

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Martin Everett
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Alan
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Martin,
Correct. Williams 139 is in Holme's list of six 24th. survivors, with this statement on p.194 and was No.3 column.

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Space_Aristocrat


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So were any of these 24th survivors redcoat infantry?
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Alan
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I don't know the answer to that. All of 24th. men should have been redcoats
but I thought that no redcoats were survivors.

Anybody?

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John Young


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Alan,

What colour uniform do you think the members of 1st Squadron, Mounted Infantry were wearing?

I think you may have confused it with the fact that the five Imperial officers who survived were wearing blue patrol jackets.

John Y.
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Alan
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John,
Well it's only added to my confusion. The three 24th. attached to the Rocket Battery who survived.
Were they uniformed differently?

The three 24th. attached to No.1 Sqdn Mounted Infantry? I was hoping an expert like yourself
would clarify.

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John Young


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Alan,

The infantrymen of the Rocket Battery and those in the Mounted Infantry squadron were dressed in the uniform of their parent units.

The only variation might have been that those in the Mounted Infantry may have worn riding breeches as opposed to trousers. There is some contemporary evidence to suggest that some men in the 2nd Squadron, Mounted Infantry, retained their infantry pattern trousers and gaiters.

I take it that has added to your confusion?

John Y.
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Alan
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Yep.

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Space_Aristocrat


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John, I think I understand. So just to clarify, there was some 24th infantrymen survivors attached to the Rocket Battery who were redcoats, along with the mounted infantry, who's uniforms may have been a tad different?
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Alan
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Go on John,
were all the 24th. attached to those two units, red?

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John Young


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Alan.

Naturally, as they were still infantrymen of the 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment.

The 88th and 80th had infantrymen who were given some basic artillery training, they still wore the scarlet/red tunics or frocks. W. W. Lloyd illustrated that fact in his book On Active Service.

John Y.
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24th Regiment Survivors of Isandlwana?
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