 |
 | Can anyone help me find this book? |  |
| Ntombe Drift D.V.D | |
 |
| | |
|
| | |
|
John Young
| Joined: 30 Aug 2005 |
| Posts: 1020 |
| Location: Lower Sheering, Essex |
|
|
 Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 6:05 pm |
|
 |
 |
|
|
Robert,
It isn't on dvd, I've got a vhs version of it, it was made for schoolchildren. I can get in touch with the director Terry Langman, but I fear he doesn't hold the copyright for the material.
Kenty,
Here's two survivors' statements from Ntombe, the first from the only surviving officer, the second a voice from the ranks.
Intombi Drift
An Account by Lt. H.H. Harward
'The following is a report made by Lieutenant Harward of the 80th Regiment, who was encamped with 35 men, on the Luneberg side of the river: - "Being awake during the night, I heard a shot fired in the distance. I got up and ordered the sentry to rouse the detachment on the side of the Intombi Drift nearest Luneberg, and apprise Captain Moriarty of the fact and ask for his orders. These were that the escort should remain under arms. I afterwards found that this shot was fired at 4a.m. I returned to my tent close by, where I waited, dressed, and about an hour afterwards I heard, "GUARD, TURN OUT!" I instantly turned out, and saw, as the fog lifted, a dense mass of Zulus about 200 yards from the waggon laager, extending all across the valley, with a front of two or three miles. I immediately put my men under cover of a waggon near our tents, and directed their fire on the flanks of the enemy, who were endeavouring to surround our waggon laager on the other side of the river, I next observed that the enemy had gained full possession of the camp and were driving off the cattle. Our men were retiring on the river, which was full of human beings. On seeing this, I directed my fire entirely with a view to cover the retreat of our men. This fire was well sustained, and enabled many to get over the river alive. The enemy were now assegaiing our men in the water and also ascending the banks of the river close to us. For fear, therefore, of my men being stabbed under the waggon and to enable them to retire before their ammunition was exhausted, I ordered them to retire steadily, and only just in time to avoid a rush of Zulus on our late position. The Zulus came on in dense masses and fell upon our men, who, being, already broken, gave way, and a hand-to-hand fight ensued. I endeavoured to rally my men, but they were too much scattered; and finding re-formation impossible, I mounted my horse and galloped into Luneberg at utmost speed and reported all that had occurred."
LT. H.H. HARWARD.
[The next comment was added to Harward's first statement.]
"I estimate the strength of the enemy at not less than 4,000 men. I beg to draw attention to the good service rendered by Sergeant A. Booth and the men of the party on the Luneberg side of the river, whose steady fire was instrumental in saving many lives."
The Times 21st & 25th April, 1879 |
The Disaster at Intombi,
A Narrative by Private H. Jones
At daybreak on the morning of the 5th of March, 79 men of A Company, 13 of E, 8 of C, and 12 of F, together with three mounted orderlies (Fisher, Tucker, and myself), 115 men in all, left camp at Luneberg to proceed to the Intombi river, under the command of Captain Moriarty and Lieutenant Harward, accompanied by Dr. Cobin, to escort in 21 waggons loaded with provisions and ammunition. The river is about 10� miles from here, at the other end of a very dangerous pass, named Kalipta Pass. When we arrived at the river we found it swollen very much from the recent heavy rains, so that no waggons could cross it, it being about 11 feet deep in the centre, and over 100 yards wide, with a current running at least 5� miles an hour. The whole of the waggons were on the other side awaiting us, and we set to and made a rough kind of raft to take us over. This took us till dark on the evening of the 5th. On the morning of the 6th Captain Moriarty ordered the A Company and the 13 men of the E company, with three mounted orderlies (Fisher, Tucker, and myself) to cross the river and camp. There we waited day after day for the river to fall, until the morning of the 12th - a morning never to be forgotten by any of those who escaped back to Luneberg.
About two o'clock on the morning of the 12th it began to rain very hard, and continued until about four o'clock, when it ceased, and a very thick fog came down the hills on each side of us. About this time one of the sentries reported hearing a shot, but a long distance off, so we took very little notice of it. Most of us lay down again, thinking to get another hour's sleep, but we had not been down long when one of the most frightful yells that ever issued from human throats alarmed the whole camp. We instantly sprang up, seized the first rifle we could get, rushed to the waggons, and poured volley after volley into the approaching Kaffirs, who at this time were only about 30 yards distant, and numbering some thousands. They must have crept upon our sentries unawares, and murdered them before they could give the alarm. After firing several volleys, the Kaffirs broke cover and rushed upon the waggons. Then commenced one of the most terrible hand to hand fights that has been known for years. But fight how we might we could get no chance, as the enemy numbered at this time over 4,000, and there were hundreds of them rushing up from the rear to their assistance. Fisher, with several more, were fighting side by side. We tried several times to reach the horses, but all to no purpose. All at once I heard a cry of "We are surrounded!" I looked around and saw to my horror that the Kaffirs had closed around us, and cut us off from the river. Then the slaughter of our poor fellows commenced. I never thought I should live to write this, as death seemed to stare us in the face. How the few escaped that did is quite a miracle.
When we found that we were cut off from the river, we determined to cut our way through if possible, so we clubbed our rifles and dashed to the river. Fisher, Brownson, Dutton, Brown, Phipps, Day, Calligan, Sergeants Sansome, Johnson, and myself were together. Before we had gone far three of our number fell pierced through with assegais or spears. By the time that we reached the river, only four of us remained, Brownson, Fisher, Sergeant Sansome, and myself. As soon as we reached the river we threw in our rifles (the river ran so strong that we could take them with us). We then plunged in ourselves, followed by at least 200 Kaffirs. Brownson, after getting into the middle of the river, was caught by the Kaffirs and speared. As the spear passed through him, he exclaimed, "Oh, God, Harry, I'm done for already!" and then sank from our sight. Fisher, Sergeant Sansome, and myself still kept together until we were within 25 yards from the side, when I had to dive under the water to escape three Kaffirs who were close to me. When I rose to the surface I saw that Fisher had reached the bank; but just at that moment a Kaffir came beside me, grasped me by the throat with one hand, and uplifted the other to assegai me. I caught his wrist with one hand, and with the other I drew my sheath knife, and plunged it between his ribs up to the hilt.
I remember nothing more until I found myself clinging to the bank on the Luneberg side of the river. I scrambled up the bank, and there found Fisher and Sergeant Sansome kneeling down under cover, recovering their breath. I noticed several fellows at this time in front of me, making for Luneberg. On looking down the river bank I saw the Kaffirs scrambling up in hundreds. We jumped up and commenced to run towards Luneberg. Before we had gone twenty yards the Sergeant was shot through the back. As he fell he shouted "run for your lives, for the Kaffirs are trying to surround you again." He then gave a groan and expired. After running a few miles, we were compelled to stop and pull off our wet boots and trousers, as the Kaffirs were gaining on us. We then ran on until we came within two and a half miles of Luneberg, when we were again compelled to stop and tear off our shirts to bind up our bleeding feet; we then came on to Luneberg completely naked.
When we arrived here I found that we were the last two out of ten saved, I myself being the last man alive that crossed the river. Anyone who took to the river after me must have perished, as the river was swarming with Kaffirs.
When we arrived here three of our company volunteered to go out with others, numbering in all 276 men. When they got in sight of the river they saw the enemy swarming up the hills. When they reached the waggons a frightful sight met their view, as the enemy had disembowelled all our poor fellows, and mutilated them so that you could not recognise one from the others. Everything that was on the waggons was thrown off and destroyed. They buried sixteen of our poor fellows there, and on the way back they found eight more dead near the road. Besides bringing thirteen wounded Kaffirs with them, they counted 131 more dead by the river side. There must have been more than that killed, but I expect they were carried off when the Kaffirs left. The Kaffir prisoners say that 4,900 men were sent to attack us, and they left 300 on the hills to watch no troops left Luneberg while they attacked us.
PRIVATE H. Jones, A Company, 80th Regiment
Leicester MercuryMonday, 26th May, 1879 |
In both cases the original spelling & grammar have been retained.
Previously reproduced in The Journal of the Anglo-Zulu War Research Society Volume 2, Issue 1.
John Y.
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1
|
|
|
|
| |
