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Date	Original Topic
5th December 2002	Lord Chelmsford By PETER HARMAN Was Lord Chelmsford full of remorse over the great loss at ISANDHLWANA. or was he just worried about his reputation with the public back in England. Do you think what he saw on the battlefield at ISANDHLWANA stayed with him for the rest of his life.
Date	Replies
5th December 2002	John Young Peter, There is no doubt that Isandlwana haunted Lord Chelmsford for the rest of his life. I discussed the matter with the late Jan Thesiger, 3rd Viscount Chelmsford, some years ago. Despite his Royal patronage, the 2nd Baron, was never allowed another field command. This despite the fact that the British & Colonial troops who invaded KwaZulu, were perhaps the best informed troops upto that point to go into action in the "small wars". He had both his supporters and his detractors. Indeed the A.-Z.W.R.S. are about to re-publish one of the most scathing attacks made on him, that by the reporter Archibald Forbes. Numbered amongst his supporters is a name that lives on in the U.K. to this very day - the original W.H. Smith, M.P. John Young, A.-Z.W.R.S.
6th December 2002	Andy Lee John Do you think any newspaper reporters views are ever worth the paper they are printed on including those of Mr Forbes. Andy
6th December 2002	John Young Andy, If you read Forbes' & Melton Prior's accounts of their visit to Isandlwana on 21st May, 1879, which appeared in 'The Illustrated London News'. Then I would say some are worthy. Take for example Sir William Howard Russell in the Crimea, the man we have to thank for his "...a thin red streak tipped with steel" - which was transformed in the Thin Red Line. Forbes, an ex-ranker, made his very public attack on Chelmsford, and one of the things that coloured his opinion was the fact he did not receive a campaign medal. Despite his "Ride of Death" - which was just his way of being the first to report the victory at Ulundi - in which Chelmsford had entrusted him with the official report of the battle. We will counter his attack with Arthur Harness giving his military response to the reporter's article in our next issue. I also hope to build on W.H. Smith's opinions as well. John Young A.-Z.W.R.S.