Rorke's Drift Revisited : A New Account of the Most Famous Battle of the Anglo-Zulu War

Offers a thoroughly revised account of the 1879 battle, challenging long-held myths with new research and evidence.Dr Adrian Greavesis widely acknowledged as a leading expert on the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 and his previous account of RorkeDrift has become a standard work on that battle. However, by his own admission, it is hopelessly out of date as are other existing accounts. RorkeDrift Revisited is not merely a revised edition of that earlier work but a completely new account with much new research that challenges many misconceptions and myths.Explaining how previous accounts have been distorted by false reporting, false memory syndrome, ignorance of the site and archaeological evidence, the author presents fascinating fresh evidence and analysis. Among the more sensational revelations is that Lieutenant John Chard did not write the famous Chard Report, which has been the main primary source for the battle. He also shows that neither Lieutenant Ardendorff nor the missionary Reverend Otto Witt was there. Nor

were the famous mealie-bag-and-biscuit-box barricades hastily erected, as per the film; they were carefully planned and built over several preceding days. Drawing on previously neglected eyewitness accounts as well as the latest archaeological evidence, there is a wealth of other new information and fresh perspectives. The shift in perceptions of the battle and its hold on the national psyche is also discussed. Uniquely, over a quarter of a century of physically revisiting RorkeDrift and associated sites as a tour leader allows him to give an accurate appraisal of the battlefield today. [Publisher's Text]