Julian whybra
|
I must just say that it is most definitely worth getting hold of as a reference work.
|
||||||||||||
|
Alan
Site Admin
|
I hadn't heard that about the cave. Are there two? The one I killed myself
getting up to was via Younghusband's company memorial stone. |
||||||||||||
|
Sawubona
|
I've got to dig out my copy of Awful Row for details, Alan, but I recall that in that book Ian Knight locates the cave well to North (at the other end of Isandlwana). I think it was David Rattray who pointed out to me the well worn path up to a cave (or maybe it was Rob Gerrard?). But apparently Ian doesn't (or didn't at the time of writing) think that the one to which I climbed (and perhaps you as well) was the correct cave at all.
|
||||||||||||
|
Alan
Site Admin
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Mel
|
In his article in "Awful Row", Ian describes how a warrior from the uVe regiment states that the soldier was the sole survivor who struggled to the cave after fresh companies of the right horn were ordered up to finish off Younghusbands company "after they had retired slowly, and always fighting, up the slopes of Isandlwana.
The cave could not be the one at the northern end of Isandlwana. |
||||||||||||
_________________ Mel |
Alan
Site Admin
|
You say it could not be the one on the northern end. Is there a cave there?
|
||||||||||||
|
Mel
|
Alan
Ian includes a photo of the northern end of Isandlwana in his article. This shows a cave he suggests could be the one used by the soldier. |
||||||||||||
_________________ Mel |
Alan
Site Admin
|
Sorry but I have to confess to not having seen Ian's piece. Are you able to say what makes him say that?
|
||||||||||||
|
Mel
|
Ian says that the cave has been the traditionally held place due to it being the only one large enough to shelter a man standing upright. He states that against this must be set the fact that it is located away from where the main stands on the shoulder were. However, as the incident took place late in the day, when both British and Zulu forces were intermingled, this does not rule it out.
The reason I said it could not be the cave in question is that it is, indeed, a long way from the main stand on the shoulder. Whilst there are several cairns along the slope, the main fight took place on the shoulder itself. Although the two sides would have been intermingled at some stage of the fight on the shoulder, I can't see how a soldier could have worked his way back down the slope to the northern side without being seen and killed. It seems, to me, that the cave just above the shoulder is the most obvious location. Like Saw, I've crawled inside to the back of the cave and (whilst you could not stand upright) you could certainly pot any Zulu who tried to get a look inside. (Until your ammo ran out or the cave was rushed, of course.) Poignant thought. If that was the cave then the soldier may well have seen Chelmsford in the distance, returning from the Mangeni. (I think this has been discussed in prev threads?) |
||||||||||||
_________________ Mel |
AMB
|
All,
I note that copies of Knight's publication can be had from �28. It the internet not a wonderful thing?! AMB |
||||||||||||
|
Alan
Site Admin
|
Ouch.
|
||||||||||||
|
AMB
|
Alan,
I said FROM �28! Some dealers are even more enthusiastic in their pricing! AMB |
||||||||||||
|
Alan
Site Admin
|
I've tried the internet and couldn't find one.
|
||||||||||||
|
AMB
|
Alan,
Wow. At the start of the week there were several copies on the 'Net. Now I can locate none. Have people been watching our discussion?! AMB |
||||||||||||
|
Knight's "THERE'LL BE AN AWFUL ROW ABOUT THIS AT HOME&q |
|
||
Powered by phpBB © 2001-2004 phpBB Group
phpBB Style created by phpBBStyles.com and distributed by Styles Database.
phpBB Style created by phpBBStyles.com and distributed by Styles Database.