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Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2006 12:48 am

Sorry to dredge up this old discussion but I just came across another book on this subject which makes a valid point.

The book is Rorke's Drift by Michael Glover.

In it he states that the original perimeter was established with the force of the NNC in mind, Chard thinking that he needed the space in order to give as many men, both regular and colonial, space to have the opportunity to fire at the enemy without getting in another shooters way. (Comes down to real estate management as discussed in Mike Snooks book on Isandlwana - having enough space for the force under your command.) However when the NNC debunked, he realised he had too much space and needed to contract the perimeter, hence the biscuit box wall. His intentions seem to have been to evacuate the sick to the storehouse behind the wall once it had been contructed but he ran out of time when the Zulu launched their attack and after that it was full on.

Dawn

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2006 6:00 am

Of course if Col. Glyn's suggestion that RD be fortified had been allowed then Lt. Chard would have had plenty of time to move the wounded to the storehouse!

MAB

Posted: Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:28 pm

Would have, could have, should have....if he'd done the same at Isandlwana, well, we'd all be debating something completely different. Wink

Dawn