This is the third part of my “Heroes of Rorke’s Drift” series…and today we are learning all about the man who many consider to have been the unsung hero and the brains behind the successful British defence of Rorke’s Drift.
The heroes of Rorke’s Drift: Gonville Bromhead VC
Rorke’s Drift – one of the most famous battles ever fought by the British army. Today we meet Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead (pronounced Brumhead) – The man played by Michael Cain in the film Zulu. But who was Bromhead? What had he done in his career before the battle and what happened to him afterwards?
The VC Heroes of Rorke’s Drift, Part 1: John Chard
Who were the 11 men who won the Victoria Cross during the epic battle for Rorke's Drift? What was their background and what happened to them after the battle? This is the first in a series of films where I will be answering those questions. Today we talk about the man who commanded the defence … Continue reading The VC Heroes of Rorke’s Drift, Part 1: John Chard
The Basotho Gun War – video
In the latest Five-minute Friday video (OK OK I know it's not five minutes!) I examine the Basotho Gun War of 1880-1881. It is a conflict almost forgotten by history but it is an incredibly important war as it is the reason that the small Kingdom of Lesotho is not part of South Africa. Watch … Continue reading The Basotho Gun War – video
In the footsteps of the Jameson Raid of 1895/96
In the latest Redcoat History Battlefield tour video, we walk in the footsteps of Leander Starr Jameson and his troops as they try and enter Johannesburg and overthrow the Afrikaner government. It's a fascinating tale - with a number of interesting and hard to find sites that are well worth a visit.
Visiting Rorke’s Drift and Isandlwana: New battlefield videos
If you are truly a military history geek like myself then you can never watch too many films about the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. I was lucky enough to revisit the area around Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift at the end of 2019 and make three more videos that I think you will find interesting. In … Continue reading Visiting Rorke’s Drift and Isandlwana: New battlefield videos
A new Redcoat History ebook and you can download it for free
The Martini-Henry Rifle was the weapon carried by most of the British soldiers during the Anglo-Zulu war of 1879. It's a legendary weapon and I was keen to learn more about it. Therefore, I invited the incredibly knowledgeable and interesting Rob from the Britishmuzzleloaders YouTube channel to join me on the podcast a little while … Continue reading A new Redcoat History ebook and you can download it for free
Podcast: Brutal Valour – an interview with author James Mace
Today for the Redcoat History Podcast I interview American fiction author James Mace about his incredible series on the Anglo-Zulu war. We talk about everything AZW including the legacy of Anthony Durnford, the myths of Rorke's Drift and whether Lord Chelmsford deserves to be treated harshly by most students of the war. This is the … Continue reading Podcast: Brutal Valour – an interview with author James Mace
Everything you ever wanted to know about the Martini-Henry rifle: An interview with Britishmuzzleloaders
When you think of the Anglo-Zulu war the weapon that comes to mind is the Martini-Henry rifle. It is the weapon carried by the British infantryman throughout the war and it did valuable service - it's large-caliber bullets causing immense casualties against the Zulu Impis. Well, in Episode 7 of the RedcoatHistory Podcast I was … Continue reading Everything you ever wanted to know about the Martini-Henry rifle: An interview with Britishmuzzleloaders
Zulu Endgame: The battle of Ulundi
The battle of Ulundi fought on the 4th of July 1879 marked the bloody, brutal climax to the Anglo-Zulu war. After so many initial setbacks including the massacres at Isandlwana and Ntombe Drift Lord Chelmsford and the British forces could now breathe a sigh of relief - the Zulu impis were broken and their King, … Continue reading Zulu Endgame: The battle of Ulundi
