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Date	Original Topic
7th April 2004	Bogus Claims . By Graham Mason As is well known a number of men have claimed to have survived Isandlwana and fought at rorkes Drift on Jan 22 1879 . Pte HUDD is alleged to have survived Isandlwana and Pte 1901 George Comberton to have been at Rorkes Drift on Jan 22 1879 which of course he was not . My query is this , do we know if there were claiments who fought in other Anglo Zulu War battles such as Ulundi etc ? and were these men ever punished whilst in service for these false claims ? , thank you , Graham .
Date	Replies
7th April 2004	John Young Graham, In the next 'Journal of the Anglo-Zulu War Research Society', we are reproducing a lengthy article published 1893 by a Dr. Fred W. D'Evelyn. Dr. D'Evelyn claims he served with Wood's column during the campaign. His tales of battle include Hlobane, Khambula & Ulundi. As well these he states he was involved the search for the body of the Prince Imperial. He also wrote of how he interviewed Mehlokazulu kaSihayo whilst in custody. But these all appear to be wild claims, inspired by a vivid imagination and information culled from the pages of 'The Illustrated London News' of 1879, which also proves to be the inspiration for many of his illustrations. I have examined all possible avenues as to D'Evelyn, including variations on the surname, and each time I have drawn a blank. There is even a site on Bah�'� history which clearly states D'Evelyn was a veteran of the Anglo-Zulu War, but despite this claim I can find no evidence to substaniate it. The only possible answer I have, if his tale is actually true, is that he did not serve under his own name. The forum is rife with relatives who ask whether their forebears indeed fought at such and such an action, because of the tales that have been spun them. I've had to disillusion two people this week alone. As to punishment; to live a lie, must be punishment enough for some, especially when confronted by the truth. John Y. Ps it is still RORKE'S DRIFT!