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Date	Original Topic
23rd February 2001	Adendorff, where are you? By Frank Muscal Roll call list Lt. Adendorff as well as Chard's report on the battle. Another source has Adendorff 'decamping' (with Chard not noticing) and was later arrested in Pietermaritzburg. There was something strange about his escape from Isandlwana as well. Any comments?
Date	Replies
23rd February 2001	Jim McCoin I've only read four books on the subject,all four written after the movie .Here is another search ,how many books have ben written ? all the authors claim Adendorf was in Helpmaker at the time of the battle. A couple of interesting things I remember, its ben over ten years since I read the books,after the war when Zulu troops were interviewed they said the average British soldier with his rifle and bayonet were more than a match for the average Zulu with his shield and assegai . Another interesting point the average Zulu soldier could not fit into a British soldiers tunic.
23rd February 2001	Frank Muscal Ian Knight, in 'Nothing Remains But to Fight' believes that Adendorff can claim credit for being the only man to fight at both Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift. (pg. 52 -1993 Ed.)
23rd February 2001	Lee Stevenson Captain WH Stafford, NNC who escaped from Isandhlwana, spoke to his friend "Lt. Odendorff" about Rorke's Drift in 1883. "Lt Odenorff and another man escaped from Isandhlwana. As both could not swim, they hugged the bank of the river up to the punt and were ferried across the river." Odenorff then went on describe various aspects of the defence which certainly would appear to suggest that he had witnessed in them in person -(source Journal of the South Wales Borderers c.1939.) 'T' Adendorf is listed as a Lt. with 2nd Regt. Royal Swazi Levy in late November 1878.
24th February 2001	John Young Adendorff. Back in 1991 at the Local history Museum, Durban, I found an almanac belonging Lt. Henry Charles Harford, 99th Foot, attached as a special service officer to the Natal Native Contingent. This little booklet appears to have been used due to the lack of paper following the events at Isandlwana & Rorke�s Drift. On one page there is a comment, �Names of Off & Men who were at the defence of Rk Dt� and as plain as day in pencil is written the name of �Lt. Adendorff�. Other entries have the word �bolted� next to them, notably �Stevenson�, yet no such word appears alongside the name of Adendorff. The booklet also contains details of Adendorff�s next of kin and the area where they lived, �Graff Reinett�. It also indicates that Adendorff had two horses killed at Isandlwana, and he was seeking compensation. The information contained in this booklet was compiled at Rorke�s Drift, there is even an update that Schiess had been moved to Helpmekaar. This little booklet I feel is the key to the fact that Adendorff fought at Rorke�s Drift. Back in 1999 on a visit to Rorke�s Drift, imagine my surprise when chatting to the local police captain, I looked at his name badge, Adendorff, there is still a thread almost to this day.
24th February 2001	Alan Critchley According to all of the rolls I have seen, only one which doesn't in clude Adendorff, that compiled from the Pay Records by Major F.Bourne (which suggests some time later). His Roll of Honour doesn't include Adendorff. Nor does it include many more since his total is only 112. Perhaps Adendorff was on another payroll? In Chard's official letter, written one year after the event, at the request of Queen Victoria, Adendorff is mentioned twice. "- Lieutenant Adendorff... remained to assist in the defence, and from a loophole in the store building, flanking the wall and hospital, his rifle did good service." "...the attempts of the enemy to fire the roof...(one man was shot, I believe by Lt. Adendorff...)" If this is not to be believed, how much more of Chard's report is questionable?
24th February 2001	John Young Alan, Sadly you�re only looking a Bourne�s roll without the corrections. Frank Bourne amended his roll and in his own handwriting inserted a number of names. Included in that amendment is the name, �Lieut. Adendorf�(sic). I did see an original of this roll about seven years ago, and it includes a number of additions. Don�t forget Frank Bourne was primarily concerned with his own men, �B� Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment that accounts for him missing out names of men from the following Companies of the 2nd/24th � �A�; �D�; �E�; �F� �G� & �H� on his original 1910 roll. Even with the amendments others are still absent such as Trooper H. Lugg, Natal Mounted Police. John Chard's report of 25/1/1879 has Adendorff remaining also. John
24th February 2001	Alan Critchley That's that then! Alan
22nd March 2001	Alan Critchley On the other hand, Michael Glover in his book "Rorke's Drift", on page 89/90 states that 'While Chard was making his arrangements, Adendorff slipped quietly away.' 'Chard did not notice Adendorff's defection...' '... the evidence is overwhelming that he decamped. He was later arrested (although he doesn't say what for)in Pietermaritzburg.' He goes on... 'There is also a strong suggestion that he left Isandhlwana earlier than was necessary as he rode by a route which the Zulus cut quite early in the day. He met Sergeant Vane only on the bank of the Buffalo.' The thot plickens. Alan
9th April 2001	Rob Glennen "Adendorff" was arrested at Pietermaritzburg together with Lieutenant Vane for desertion in the face of the enemy .The trial never took place as Bromhead was able to identify them as the men who came by Rorke's drift to warn the garrison. No other defender at the Drift mentions him nor did Chard ,in a lengthy account that touched in detail on the actions of all the other officers present
12th April 2001	John Young Alan & Rob, Having read this recent reply, I dipped in Michael Glover's "Rorke's Drift, A Victorian Epic" again. To say it is not without error would be an understatement. Simple facts are incorrect, for example Photograph 11 is captioned "...the survivors photographed on 22 January, 1879." How is that possible? James Reynolds is referred to as "Surgeon-Major" throughout the text, a rank he did not attain until 23rd January, 1879. Hitch is attributed with the shout, "Black as hell and thick as grass." Richard Vause is commanding the Natal Native Horse! "...the stolid, relable Welshmen of the Twenty-Fourth." Need I go on is this a source we can rely on? There is a contemporary record of "the arrest" in John Maxwell's "Reminiscences of the Zulu War", pub. University of Cape Town Libraries, in 1979, according to which three officers were arrested; Higginson, Vane(sic) and Adendorff. However, if we believe the "evidence" presented there, from a non-eyewitness, does it not throw in to doubt the assumption that Adendorff's travelling companion was in fact Lieutenant T. Vaines? John Chard's account submitted to Queen Victoria the other rider is described as "...a Carabinier,..." I queried this fact with Mark Coghlan of the Natal Carbineers, who was adamant in his reply that it was Vaines. Yet in the Maxwell booklet, Adendorff "...managed to get along the road to Rorke's Drift..." and "...Vane(sic) came out by Refugees' Drift..." As to John Chard, his January 1880 account mentions Adendorff, four times, and his 25th January, 1879 report mentions him once. Frank Bourne's amended roll bears his name. As stated above Henry Charles Harford has him present at the Defence of Rorke's Drift. I would be grateful if Rob could impart the source of the Bromhead identification, and as to where and when it took place. John
17th May 2001	Rob Glennen John, The account is mentioned on page 396 of Donald R Morris , The Washing of the Spears . Rob.