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Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 8:13 pm

Hi,

Just out of interest what is the consensus of the numbers of antagonists (on both sides) at Rorke�s Drift?

Obviously the Zulu one can be at best �a best guess� but the figure of 4000 was/is always bandied around. Did all the Zulus who marched on Rorke�s Drift get there or did a number wander off to destroy kraals etc around the area?

On the British side � 139 is the general number quoted but I have read that is could be into the 150�s.

Cheers

Simon

Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 6:27 pm

Simon,

I think you'll find 139 was proved to be incorrect several years ago. Despite that the same old number still appears in more recent publications.

John Y.

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:12 pm

In case Julian Whybra is not able to respond, his excellent England's Sons, my copy of which may be out of date, shows the defenders as 154, with a further two possibles from B Company, the 2/24th.

KIS

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 7:32 pm

Cheers Keith,

I'll look out for Sons of England.

Simon

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 5:24 pm

Actually I'm now up to 155 present plus a possible 3 more. England's Sons is available from Martin at the Museum.

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 3:14 pm

Let's say someone was doing a presentation on the defence of Rorke's Drift what would be a definite number of defenders to state?

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 3:39 pm

a.j.

155-158! England's Sons supersedes all previous calculations - from whichever source. The 139 figure, still mentioned here and there as JY points out, has long been out of date. The 155 can all be named - and quite a few others have been eliminated.

I was still thinking 152-154, but that's because my edition of ES (always a work in progress) is not the latest. Time for me to update, I suppose! So the answer (today) is 155 with absolute certainty, with possibly up to three more - and it is not impossible that even that may change, but not below 155.

Peter