rorkesdriftvc.com :: View topic

Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 7:38 am

Can't wait to read Ian's new book - also about Dalton's experiences! Smile

Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 1:13 pm

Bill;

Thanks for posting Mr. Knight's email to you. To tell you the truth I wish he could be a "regular" contributor here to this great site. But, of course, I figure he's either deep in the stacks or out walking through the Natal valleys doing his research. Looking forward to his new work as well..

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 7:19 am

Haydn - apologies for the gap, I've just picked up this thread.
My intention was to state, albeit sloppily, that Ian Knight IS a research historian, and an exceedingly good one at that.
I quite agree that the popular histories make for a good read but without the properly-researched ones, there is no way of knowing whether the popular ones are at best being liberal with the truth or at worst just making things up.
Ian is one of those few writers who can, because of his reputation in the field, get away with writing sound popular history.

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 10:21 am

Julian

Thank you the clarification. Appreciate it.

H

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 1:26 pm

My association with Ian goes back a long way. I wouldn't dream of speaking about him or his works in a pejorative manner but I do see how the posting could be read either way - sorry to have misled you.

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 5:35 pm

Julian

'Tis fine - please, no apologies necessary.

H

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 7:29 am

Changing the debate a little -- I have just seen that Ian's website www.kwazulu.co.uk is up and running --- much improved, full of info.

Robert

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 12:09 pm

Robert

Yes, on the face of it it does look like a site with potential, but if you look at the detail, well .....

eg. Look at the Isandlwana tab and this is what you get:

"Battle Of Isandlwana was the first chief encounter that took place on 22nd January in 1879 in the Anglo-Zulu war. As several British citizens were killed by the Zulus, Lord Chelmsford of British forces demanded punishment of the accused.
The refusal of this plea by the Zulu force led to the massive war at Isandlwana Hill. The battle was fought with great vigour ".

What can I say ? !!!!

Ian Knight had let his old site domain name slip. It looks as if someone else has taken on the name and has resurrected it. Ian has no link with this "new" site. He has said he is working on getting a new site on line, but it will have a different web name.

Bill

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 4:19 pm

Bill,

Thanks for putting me in the picture -- I did think it was a little haphazard knowing how meticulous Ian is !

Robert

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 9:13 pm

Well, it's awful, isn't it? It doesn't look as if English is the first language of the compiler, and would appear to be the work of a schoolchild, presumably in South Africa (altho' the contact details don't reveal this). The sub-title on each page doesn't consistently - or even very often - reflect the contents of the text, most of which is simply garbled nonsense and repetitive in its inaccuracies, historical and otherwise. Material for a school pupil's project, perhaps?

If Ian has lost control of this domain name, at least his own name is not included or reflected anywhere in its name or address.

Peter

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 11:21 pm

This surely cannot be a site with which Ian Knight is connected. It is full of arrant nonsense and the headings for each page are largely unrelated to the page content. It mentions the Anglo-War Historical Society several times but I'm sure that Adrian Graves would have nothing to do with this either. A couple of quotes:

Zulus are not professional soldiers, but they were well equipped and trained by Shaka in the Anglo-Zulu War ... Many Zulu warriors used bull horns in the Anglo-Zulu War.

The most famous war of the British history named the Anglo-Zulu War was fought from 1879 to 1882.

What more can I say?

KIS

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 4:05 am

It's informative to Google "kwazulu.co.uk" to learn a bit more details of the website.

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 6:08 am

You might be interested in this email I received two days ago. It is not clear which website is being referred to:

It has come to our attention that your web site is demeaning to the Welsh who have read it. We are therefore in talks about stealing your idea's and content to make a new Drift web site. The regiment is a Welsh regiment and so the battle honours belong to the regiment,,,,,,we look forward to your comments on the new site!
Torquil Enterprises

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 7:19 am

He's obviously a tw*t! I don't know why you all spend time responding.

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 4:33 pm

You know I went to the site myself and just scratched my head. Thx for setting me on the straight and narrow...t