Like Wolves on the Fold: The Defence of Rorke's Drift

Book Description

Wednesday 22 January 1879 was one of the most dramatic days in the annals of military history. In the morning, a modern British army was swept aside by the onset of a seemingly unstoppable Zulu host at Isandlwana. Nearby, at a remote border outpost on the Buffalo River, a single company of the 24th Regiment and a few dozen recuperating hospital patients were passing another hot, monotonous day. News of the disaster across the river came like a bolt from the blue. Retreat was not an option. It seemed certain that the Rorke's Drift detachment would share the terrible fate of their comrades. Following on from How Can Man Die Better, Colonel Snook brings the insights of a military professional to bear in this strikingly original account. It is an extraordinary tale a victory largely achieved by the sheer bloody-mindedness in adversity of the British infantryman, fighting at the remarkable odds of over thirty to one. The heroics of all eleven VC winners are recounted in detail, and we are offered new insights into how the Zulu attack unfolded and how 150 men achieved their improbable victory. The author describes the remainder of the war, from the recovery of the lost Queen's Colour of the 24th to the climactic charge of the 17th Lancers at Ulundi. We return to Isandlwana to consider culpability, and learn of the often tragic fates of many of the war's participants. Like Wolves is a remarkable work, and the author's unbridled respect for the fighting qualities of British soldier and his abiding affection for the Zulu people shines through.

Customer Reviews:

A great book on a great tale ..........2007-10-15

I can't really say more than what has already been said. The book is just a wonderful text to read through. It's easy to read, and the author is great with giving details and weaving them into the story without losing the reader attention. Very much recommended.

You Mean They Didn't Really Sing 'Men of Harlech'?.......2007-08-08

Rorke's Drift was a heroically fought but pointless battle in a savagely waged but peripheral war, the ill-conceived invasion in 1879 of Zululand by a small British Army under Lord Chelmsford, known to history as the Anglo-Zulu War. Snook, a serving officer in the modern regiment descended from the 1st / 24th regiment that defended Rorke's Drift, provides an exhaustive and detailed monograph on the battle.

Though as a general reader I would not know if Snook made factual or interpretive errors, his study seems impressively and meticulously researched and he writes well, sometimes stirringly. Indeed, the middle third of the book, which tells the almost incredible story of how a group of 139+ British soldiers, a quarter of them sick, successfully fought off repeated attacks by approximately 3,000 - 4,500 Zulus, makes for compelling and absorbing reading. Although writing exclusively from the British viewpoint (there are no Zulu written sources, after all), he tells a little about the Zulu command structure and commanders and shows admiration for the fighting qualities of Zulu warriors. I also liked that he decries war rather than glorifies it: ultimately, this tribute to the bravery of the heroes of Rorke's Drift concludes by making the timely point that their story 'epitomise[s] the folly of waging war except as a genuine measure of last resort.' I agree.

The book has lovely color plates, and good maps of the Rorke's Drift mission itself. One other great feature of the book is its extensive appendices, which include rosters of the soldiers who fought at Rorke's Drift and some firsthand accounts, as well as Chard's report to Queen Victoria, and an analysis of the battlefield. Good stuff for the research historian.

The main reason I even knew anything, prior to reading this book, about Rorke's Drift was Stanley Baker's great 1964 movie about it, which of course contains numerous instances of artistic license (e.g., sadly there was no inspiring rendition of 'Men of Harlech,' no 'saluting of fellow braves,' etc.); indeed I was surprised to learn that the movie gets a few things quite wrong (Harry Hook was not a dissolute malingerer, but a clean-living teetotaler, for instance). In contrast to the film which depicts mass charges of Zulu impis wielding assegais and cowhide shields, Snook shows that many of the Zulus had muskets, though they didn't know how to sight them well, and jumped from cover to cover. In addition, the movie shows the British soldiers often using mass volleys of rifle fire, which Snook argues was ahistorical.

Why not 5 stars? I found it a little irritating that, despite the subtitle, much of the book focuses on the Battle of Isandlwana, the disaster that took place earlier on Jan.22 of which Rorke's Drift was the aftermath. Snook even devotes much of his post-mortem discussion to allocating blame for the Isandlwana debacle.

I also found the discussion of blame somewhat beside the point: Chelmsford was not even at Isandlwana, and the subsequent imperial government inquiry that fixed blame on him obviously needed a scapegoat for the disaster. Ultimately, Chelmsford's error was to have a mindset -- underestimating the Zulus' fighting abilities -- that was probably shared by much of the British leadership. Moreover, Chelmsford was the victor at the battle (Ulundi) that ended the war, and neither his peers nor Snook give him much credit for this achievement. Steeped as he is in the ethos of the British military establishment, Snook agrees with the verdict of the government inquiry. I think there is some room at least for disagreement.

I made the mistake of tackling this book without reading Snook's earlier volume on Isandlwana, How Can Men Die Better, and consequently found the substantial portion of this book that treats Isandlwana and its aftermath difficult to follow. I believe I would have enjoyed and understood more if I had read that volume first, so I would recommend doing that before reading this book if you are not already knowledgeable about the Battle of Isandlwana.

Overall, though, there is no denying that Snook has written an essential book for anyone who wants to understand this sanguinary episode in the history of British arms. Snook's study is probably destined to be a definitive treatment of Rorke's Drift.

a nice follow-up...........2007-07-04

This book proves to be a nice follow-up to Snook's previous effort, How Can Man Die Better which covers the Battle of Isandlwana. This book covers the Defense of Rorke's Defense where a single company of the 24th Regiment held off the Zulu forces many times their strength.

Rorke's Drift is one of these battles of which many books have already been written about and this one proves to be quite readable, very well researched and in a typical style of the author, you feel at times that you are in there with the troops. It doesn't say anything truly new here but it does add fresh perception to the battle and the author enjoyed on few occasions to compared the real account with the film account, Zulu, starring Stanley Baker and Michael Caine. The book also gives a great insight into the soldiers who fought with such desperation. The narrative was often "hero oriented" in telling. Zulu side was also present but limited in form. The heart and soul of this book lies in the retelling of the Rorke's Drift from the Anglo-centric point of view. Although the account of the battle proves to be bit on the short side, it was clearly written and easy to follow. Unlike one of the previous reviewers, I thought the author's prose was quite good and passage flows very nicely.

The book come well illustrated with diagrams of Rorke's Drift that reflects very nicely on the battle. There are quite a few photographs and color paintings that also proves to be quite good.

But in all honesty, if I had to choose one book on Rorke's Drift, it probably won't be this one. I would choose Adrian Greaves' Rorke's Drift book which is far more detailed, superior in-depth book on the subject. Snook's book is good and worthy of the four stars but it been done before. I think one of the main weaknesses of the book lies with the fact that Snook didn't spend that much on battle itself. There are considerable amount of material in the book that dealt with Isandlwana, rest of the Zulu Wars and so forth. Personally, I would prefer a book about Rorke's Drift to be about Rorke's Drift.

In conclusion, I would recommended this book to any reader interested in the early stages of the Zulu War even if it may not be the best book on the subject.

Excellent book...highly recommended.......2007-05-16

This book should be required reading for anyone interested in the Anglo-Zulu War. Not only does Lt. Col. Snook explain in great detail the events of the defense of Rorke's Drift in great detail but he also brings to life the men who were involved in this climactic battle. This is a ground breaking book which sheds light on a little known yet amazing occurence in military history. Unlike the other historians who have written on this battle Lt. Col. Snook has researched The Battle of Rorke's Drift in depth and his work over the years shows itself on every page. 'Like Wolves on the Fold' builds upon Snook's other book 'How Can Man Die Better' and both when read one after the other form an excellent and essential history on the AZW. As a military historian I highly recommend them both.

Not for the general reader.......2007-02-17

LWotF is an almost minute-by-minute account of the battle of Rorke's Drift. While militarily insignificant, the story of this small battle was much popularized by the 1964 movie "Zulu" (which is still pretty good, even in light of the special effects of today's big-battle productions).

The extent of the research is impressive but the book is a dry read. I suppose one can only do so much with so narrow a topic. I believe the author is the official historian of the particular British regiment involved, so he has a pretty targeted audience. Personally, I would have prefered a more complete discussion, placing the battle in its wider historical context.

If you're looking to understand the Zulu Wars or British colonial history in Africa, look elsewhere. If, for some reason, you have a particularized interest in this specific historical footnote of an event (or if you're interested in knowing how accurate the movie was), then this is the book for you.

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Battle Drift (DriftX)
Todd Strasser
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1416905820

Book Description

Set 'em up. Blow 'em off.

And shut 'em down.

Kennin's gaining popularity with the gearheads, and the word on the street is all about his sweet driving skills. Everyone wants a piece of him, but to go legit, he's got to give up the illegal tsuisos...and the major cash involved with them.

But when his sister's creep boyfriend starts trouble, Kennin realizes that he's got to do what's right for his family -- even though it won't be easy. Kennin's ride may be amping, but his decisions may ultimately spell disaster.

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The Zulu War: Rorke's Drift to Ulundi
Michael Barthorp
Manufacturer: Cassell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0304362700

Book Description

The British invasion of Zululand was planned as a quick knockout blow. Rifles and artillery would make short work of the Zulus ('they only have spears, you know') and then it would home to London for tea and medals. In an atmosphere of breezy arrogance, three columns of British soldiers marched into Zulu territory. Then, as anyone who has seen the famous film ZULU knows, the Zulus caught one column by surprise and wiped it out. British honour was restored by the epic resistance of a single company of the 24th Foot at Rorke's Drift and the award of eleven VCs for one action. It is a remarkable tale, vividly recounted by an acknowledged expert on the colonial wars of the Victorian era and illustrated with period photographs.

Rorke's Drift (Cassell Military Paperbacks)

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reads a lot like a high school report
Massive information on Rorke's Drift
Interesting Account

Rorke's Drift (Cassell Military Paperbacks)
Adrian Greaves
Manufacturer: Cassell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0304366412

Book Description

The battle has become legendary: 85 British soldiers, in a small outpost, holding off six full-scale Zulu attacks with only 27 casualties. But a brand new look at this infamous clash reveals that several things about the myth just don’t add up. While there was certainly incredible courage, there was also some astonishing cowardice, and increasing evidence reveals that the legend of Rorke’s Drift was created to divert attention from earlier mistakes that led to the slaughter at Islandlwana.

Customer Reviews:

reads a lot like a high school report.......2007-10-09

Perhaps the most important thing that I earned from this book was that much of the detail in the 1964 movie 'Zulu' was fictional.

On the other hand, I personally found the book quite disappointing in its portrayal of the Battle of Rorke's Drift.

Key to my disappointment was the fact that the story actual siege comprised but two or three chapters. The rest of the book - easily half to two thirds - was made up information to be sure but that was of varying importance to the matter at hand. While I have no issue with a book providing background to the topic, Mr. Greaves seems to have either imported data from other sources or not stopped to plan out what he was attempting to say. The result is a somewhat muddy narrative of the people and incidents leading to the battle where names and sparse information are thrown about like water splashed on a wall.

Greaves also seems to have written this section without a very thorough editing process. For example, Lord Chelmsford is referred to by his peerage title and his actual name in a more-or-less sproadic manner through successive chapters and within each chapter.

Additionally, the text is somewhat dense and hard to follow when describing the movements and often has seeming non-sequitors thrown in relating to the actions of specific individuals. Finally, there is - in my opinion, someone who knew nothing about these events or the decades long series of clashes refered to in a casual manner as the Border War - a shockingly superficial description of the Battle of Isandlwana, which set the battle for the events at Rorke's Drift.

As mentioned, the actual description of the battle is breezed through. Admittedly, the battle took less than 18 hours, but I came away feeling that the author either could not find much information on the battle itself or simply wanted to get on to the second part of the book which is a virtual laundry list of incidental information. Here we are treated to a listing of awards given; copies of the reports of several of the notable leaders; a biography of key participants and, finally, a report on archeological work done at the site.

Most of this simply simply presented on the page with little or no attempt to analyze the information or relate it to other pieces of information.

All in all, it was very much like a report I did in high school on the first Arab Israeli war where I included the text of the Israeli declaration of independence to make the report thicker.

Massive information on Rorke's Drift.......2006-07-05

I would have to echoed the previous reviewer on this book. I really appreicate the amount of research presented in this book. Greaves wrote a virtual complete companion book on this battle. The entire scrope of the battle is presented here. The first 98 pages consisting of background information to the Zulu War, which also includes information on the Zulus themselves. There is only 30 odd pages relating to the battle and 70 more on the aftermath of the battle. Rest of the 425 some odd pages are devoted to historical tidbits, trival and little known facts that proves to be both informative and educational. The author put in many biographical sketches of the men involves at Rorke's Drift, citations of the Victoria Cross winners and copies of reports written by Chard and Bromhead (as well as others).

Just about every bit of information you wanted to find on the battle lies within its covers. It even got a modern visitor guide and archaeological discoveries made at the Drift. Like the previous reviewer though, I was bit surprised at the shortness of the account of the battle. That ironically remains the weak point of this book. Maybe a bit more insightful analytical description might have been in order.

The author also take pains to seperate the actual battle from the well received movie that came out in 1964. That movie, ZULU created certain myths and iconic perceptions that the author did his best to dispelled.

But overall, if there is one book to get on the battle at Rorke's Drift, this is the one to buy. This book got everything you want to know about the battle and a wee bit more. Its well written, easy to read and superbly researched. One of the best books of this subject published so far.

Interesting Account.......2002-10-24

Adrian Greaves new account of the legendary battle at Rorke's Drift between a few thousand brave Zulu warriors and a small force of equally brave British soldiers is bound to be the definitive book on the subject for some time to come. Over 450 pages in length with a number of black and white photographs and 10 maps the author presents the full picture of this epic stand and places it in the context of the British campaign into Zulu Land.

The book is set in two parts, the first half (202 pages) offers the reader a narrative of the events leading up to the British invasion, the battle at Isandlwana, the final battle at Rorke's Drift, and then the events leading to the end of the campaign. The second half of the book (over 240 pages) is taken up with numerous chapters and appendices dealing with a host of material in relation to the people involved and the battle itself.

Subjects covered include the medical treatment of the wounded, personalities involved, an examination of the Roll of Rorke's Drift, medal citations, history of the 24th Regiment, archaeological investigations at the battlefield, and a visitor's guide to Rorke's Drift. Seven appendices that provide a host of other information follow these chapters. This part of the book is a researchers gold mine and offers the amateur historian a wealth of information on the battle.

Overall it's a very interesting book to read and very well presented. The narrative was easy to follow and I enjoyed the accounts of the fighting at Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift. However, although I was amazed at the amount of information offered and I appreciate the research that has gone into this book, I wanted more of the narrative to be concentrated on the actual battle at Rorke's Drift. In all only about 30 pages is dedicated to the actual fighting at Rorke's Rift with another 30 pages covering the aftermath of the battle.

Book Description

This is a graphic account of gallant British soldiers struggling for survival and brave Zulu natives fighting to overpower them - drawn from eye-witness accounts and letters, official reports and contemporary journals and newspapers - and written in a way that allows the reader to share the uncertainty and horror of the epic defence of the storehouse and field hospital at Rorke's Drift, Natal, at the beginning of the Zulu War.

A Methodology for Design of Passive Isolation for Ship/Barge Connection

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A Methodology for Design of Passive Isolation for Ship/Barge Connection

Manufacturer: Storming Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound
ASIN: 142354157X

Product Description

This is a NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA report procured by the Pentagon and made available for public release. It has been reproduced in the best form available to the Pentagon. It is not spiral-bound, but rather assembled with Velobinding in a soft, white linen cover. The Storming Media report number is A709073. The abstract provided by the Pentagon follows: Current ramp designs used in RORO operations have been determined to be structurally inadequate in Sea-State 3. The main reason for this is that when the ramp is loaded with two vehicles, the relative motions between the ship and the discharge facility induce stresses above yield. The objective of this thesis is to formulate the problem and present results that will enable the design of proper isolators. The problem is formulated in terms of the hydrodynamic interaction between adjacent bodies along with structural coupling. The applicability and limitations of strip theory approaches are established through comparisons with three dimensional hydrodynamic analysis data. An analytic model of the ship-ramp-barge system is developed and tested. The results indicate the validity of the approach and establish a procedure that may be utilized for the design of passively controlled isolators.

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Padre George Smith of Rorke's Drift
William Murrell Lummis
Manufacturer: Wensum Books (Norwich) Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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Famous Story Expertly Told

Rorke's Drift (Wordsworth Collection)
Michael Glover
Manufacturer: Wordsworth Editions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1853266736

Customer Reviews:

Famous Story Expertly Told.......2000-01-20

As anyone who has ever read of Rorke's Drift or seen The Great Movie, the events of January 1879 in Natal bear regular retelling, and for the purists no detail is without significance. This short summary of Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift is expertly handled and contains some details of the battles and their brave participants which are to be treasured.

No writer of fiction could evoke more drama, tragedy, heroism or humanity than that surrounding the fearless Zulu Impis and the 24th Regiment of Foot. Readers will find that Michael Glover has put it all in a nutshell.

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WRITTEN BY THE BEST!

Great Information in a small space

Excellent account of a hard fought battle

An excellent book to initiate anyone into the Anglo-Zulu War

Dispells some myths

Rorke's Drift 1879 (Trade Editions)
Ian Knight
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing
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Binding: Paperback

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Isandlwana 1879: The Great Zulu Victory (Campaign)

Zulu Dawn

The Washing of the Spears: A History of the Rise of the Zulu Nation Under Shaka and Its Fall in the Zulu War of 1879

The Zulu War (Men at Arms Series, 57)

Zulu War 1879: Twilight of a Warrior Nation (Campaign)

ASIN: 1855329514
Release Date: 1999-06-01

Book Description

Rorke's Drift sums up some of the best traditions of the British self-image: steadfastness against the odds, victory in adversity and the thin red line. The British stand deserves to go down in history as one of the most heroic actions of all time. The story of a mere 150 British and Imperial soldiers defending an isolated outpost against over 3,000 Zulu warriors summed up the experience of the colonial adventure for the Victorians and remains part of our heritage even today. Ian Knight recounts the course of this famous conflict in which no less than 11 Victoria crosses were won.

Customer Reviews:

WRITTEN BY THE BEST!.......2007-09-11

I wanted a concise history of Rorke's Drift, and this book more than fit the bill. Ian Knight is the undisputed expert on the Zulu War's, so that is a bonus, as are the wonderful illustrations and photographs that Osprey books are known for. You can't go wrong with this one. It is a wonderful, informative read.

Great Information in a small space.......2006-04-01

This was a wonderful read, informative, concise and clear. The explanations of the cause of the war, the cause of this battle, the tactics used, the actual ebb & flow of the combat and the aftermath are all very well presented. The illustrations and photographs add quite well to the written information. If your only information on this battle comes from the movie Zulu, you really should pick this up and read it to get the real story, which is even more fascinating than the movie makes it out to be.

Excellent account of a hard fought battle.......2000-10-20

Ian Knight did an excellent job in presenting the famous battle of Rorke's Drift which pitted 150 British and Imperial Soldiers against over 3000 battle trained and tested Zulu warriors. Knight describes the circumstances that led to the battle beginning with the British having posts far within Zulu territory (present day South Africa) and having failed peace treaties between the British Crown and Zulu Kings. These treaties between the British Empire and Zulu Nation began with the great King Shaka Zulu and newly crowned Queen Victoria, and as such previous times the British Empire wanted more land subjegated under their influence. Thus began the trouble. This book describes the background of this and also tells about the British loss at Isandlwana which is considered one of the worst defeats in British History. The battle at Rorke's Drift was fought due to one of the Zulu nobility wanting his warriors to fight and taste blood without realizing the tremendous loss of warriors would take place. The British and its Imperial Forces (Boers, and non Zulu tribesmen) did an outstanding job by defending the Rorke's Drift Outpost and thus gaining immortal glory. This is an outstanding book that is highly recommended to those who want to read about overcoming tremendous odds and bravery at all levels of both the British and Zulu Warriors.

An excellent book to initiate anyone into the Anglo-Zulu War.......1999-07-13

This book is highly recommended for anyone who wishes to acquaint themselves with battles of Isandlwana, and especially, Rorke's Drift. The author gives a brief history of the British presence in South Africa that led to the events of 22-23 January, 1879. Knight gives a detailed and accurate account of the battle at Rorke's Drift using battlefield drawings showing the movement of both troups, British and Zulu. The author also does a good job of disspelling many myths that have surrounded the battle for years. An added plus is the vast array of vintage photos of many of the key players in the Anglo-Zulu campaign. For anyone that wants to get a short(96 pages), concise, detailed history of Rorke's Drift, you will never need more than this book.

Dispells some myths.......1999-05-20

I enjoyed the book as it corrected some of the inconsistencies shown in the movie and fact from hollywood's license.

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