OT: ZULU

[Mike Scholl]

ORIGINAL: Roger Neilson

ORIGINAL: Tom Hunter

There is a movie called Zulu Dawn about the battle of Rourke's Drift which is the British defeat that occurred a day or two before the battle depicted in the movie Zulu.

It is not as good a film as Zulu, but they had a lot of extras and the battle scenes are impressive. You can watch Zulu Dawn and then Zulu and get a good feel for the first two fights of the campaign.

That's not Rorke's Drift, but Isandlwhana where Chelmsford's column was attacked by the Zulus and they didn't have the ammo unpacked in time!

Roger

Isandlawana occured in the morning, Rourke's Drift in the Afternoon and the following night. And Isandlawana was Chelmsford's base camp..., he and the main column were several miles farther into Zululand when it was over-run.

My favorite lines from the movie were Lt Chard observing that, "if it was a miracle, it was a Henri-Martini point four five calibre miracle." and the Colour Sgt replying, "And a bayonet..., with some guts behind it!"

[netjam99]

GMF keeps hinting that a fuller account of Rourkes Drift is forth coming along with Sir Harrys exploits in the US Civil War and Mexican Revolution

I sure hope he does the Civil War deal. I am going on memory but judging by his service record of being an officer in both the Union and Confederate Armys that book would be a great one. Always good to see another Flashman fan out there!!!

Hmmm....think I might have to drive the kids crazy this afternoon and throw Zulu on the old DVD player this afternoon!

[Terminus]

I'm pretty sure the rifle was called a Martini-Henry, not a Henry-Martini...

[Tankerace]

The Martini-Henry Mark II to be prescise. Manufactured from 1877-1881.

[Mike Scholl]

ORIGINAL: Tankerace

The Martini-Henry Mark II to be prescise. Manufactured from 1877-1881.

I stand correctted. Thanks for the input, gentlemen.

[Tankerace]

You know, you can actually find number of those rifles for sale for relatively cheap. Ammo might be a hassle though, but as a collector piece.

[Monkey]

Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead, was my great great great uncle on my mothers side of the family. thanks to my brothers tireless family tree digging.

Apparently he was a rather quiet reserved man, in fact he didn't even write a report of the battle, either official or personal, later he became very deaf, and finally died of typhoid at Allahabad India on 9th Feb 1891, he was only 49.

Tankerace, .45 ammo is what you need, it is available, I fired a Martini Henry when I lived in New Zealand and really enjoyed it, its a heavy though very accurate rifle to shoot, I was able to kill watermelons at 200yds without any trouble [:)]

[Oldsweat]

I've often wondered if Michael Caine modeled his performance on officers he knew when he was in the army (he's a Korean War combat veteran).

The Martini is indeed great fun to shoot, although I had to have the brass custom made for mine (strangely the 7-11 doesn't stock .455 x .577), nice smooth action.

[Terminus]

ORIGINAL: Oldsweat

The Martini is indeed great fun to shoot, although I had to have the brass custom made for mine (strangely the 7-11 doesn't stock .455 x .577), nice smooth action.

That IS strange![:D]

[Oldsweat]

Truly, some corporate decisions on purchasing are simply unfathomable.

[Terminus]

Especially for a place like 7-11, whose adds claim that they "have everything, except a closing time". Untruth in advertising, what is the world coming to...?

[goodwoodrw]

Yes a great movie, the Australian Army often use to show it on their junior NCO courses. Leadership training I think in the seventiesand early eighties.

[Raverdave]

Yeah I well remember watch it as a cadet. i found a copy on slae for $10 the other day and grabbed it !

[niceguy2005]

With all respect to Monkey and his family tree (seriously, I mean no disrespect), with a name like Gonville Bromhead, Mokey's great, great, great uncle probably learned to fight at a very young age.

I always liked his character in the movie. He came across as reserved and sensible (great Brittish qualities). He also seemed a fairly peaceful man. One of the more real "lines" I heard in the movie was "How many actions have I fought? Do you think I could stand this butcher's yard more than once?"

ORIGINAL: Monkey

Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead, was my great great great uncle on my mothers side of the family. thanks to my brothers tireless family tree digging.

Apparently he was a rather quiet reserved man, in fact he didn't even write a report of the battle, either official or personal, later he became very deaf, and finally died of typhoid at Allahabad India on 9th Feb 1891, he was only 49.

Tankerace, .45 ammo is what you need, it is available, I fired a Martini Henry when I lived in New Zealand and really enjoyed it, its a heavy though very accurate rifle to shoot, I was able to kill watermelons at 200yds without any trouble [:)]

[cassius44]

Since we are OT on war movies in South Africa - let me put in a plug for Breaker Morant. This is an incredible film - subject is the real life trial of the Australian officers who "disappeared" some missionaries giving intel to the Boers in the Great Anglo- Boer War. Some battle scenes, but more important the fascinating background and take on morals in a warzone - could even be considered relevant to Iraq.

Few seem to have heard of it, but very much recommend. As well as great closing music: "Soldier of the Queen".

Cheers!

[rtrapasso]

This is an incredible film - subject is the real life trial of the Australian officers who "disappeared" some missionaries giving intel to the Boers in the Great Anglo- Boer War.

I agree. Remembering "Rule 303" always brings chills.

[Monkey]

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005

With all respect to Monkey and his family tree (seriously, I mean no disrespect), with a name like Gonville Bromhead, Mokey's great, great, great uncle probably learned to fight at a very young age.

I always liked his character in the movie. He came across as reserved and sensible (great Brittish qualities). He also seemed a fairly peaceful man. One of the more real "lines" I heard in the movie was "How many actions have I fought? Do you think I could stand this butcher's yard more than once?"

ORIGINAL: Monkey

Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead, was my great great great uncle on my mothers side of the family. thanks to my brothers tireless family tree digging.

Apparently he was a rather quiet reserved man, in fact he didn't even write a report of the battle, either official or personal, later he became very deaf, and finally died of typhoid at Allahabad India on 9th Feb 1891, he was only 49.

Tankerace, .45 ammo is what you need, it is available, I fired a Martini Henry when I lived in New Zealand and really enjoyed it, its a heavy though very accurate rifle to shoot, I was able to kill watermelons at 200yds without any trouble [:)]

I would think that you are quite right niceguy, its not one of the best names you could have been given [:)] I think the family back then went for odd firstnames though, there's a Becher a Benson and an Everard ! in the family tree as well, with monickers like those, they had to be tough, I guess its a victorian version of Johnny Cash's a boy named sue [:)]

[tabpub]

I would think that you are quite right niceguy, its not one of the best names you could have been given I think the family back then went for odd firstnames though, there's a Becher a Benson and an Everard ! in the family tree as well, with monickers like those, they had to be tough, I guess its a victorian version of Johnny Cash's a boy named sue

Sounds like they were honoring a lineage, Norman, perhaps if I am not mistaken.

[Monkey]

Well Tabpub, I wish I knew, but there's not many who can trace a lineage that far back!!. I do know about Becher though, he had Irish ancestry from my mother's side of the family and they intermarried with the Hungerfords, they were all from Clonakilty, Co Cork as far as I know