Astonishing drawings capturing bloody aftermath of Rorke’s Drift

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Astonishing drawings capturing bloody aftermath of Rorke’s Drift

June 30th, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

Soldier William Whitelock Lloyd sketched in ‘astonishing detail’ the campaign to subdue African kingdom in 1879
Drawings show troop movements and studies of the British soldiers and the Zulu warriors they were fighting
Archive of around 100 watercolours and ink drawings is being sold at auction by its private owner and is expected to fetch £60,000
More than 1,700 British soldier and 6,000 Zulus were killed in six months of fighting
Micheal Caine played one of the joint commanders who had to repel a massive enemy onslaught of isolated British outpost in 1964 classic film Zulu

By
Tom Gardner

PUBLISHED:

13:16 EST, 29 June 2012

|

UPDATED:

13:20 EST, 29 June 2012

It has gone down in British military history as one of the most astonishing triumphs – achieved against almost impossible odds.

The heroic defence of the isolated British outpost of Rorke’s Drift fewer than 150 colonial soldiers against the onslaught of up to 4,000 Zulu warriors resulted in 11 Victoria Crosses awarded for only a few hours of fierce fighting.

And now, more than 130 years after the crucial battle, which was immortalised in the Michael Caine film Zulu, a new eyewitness account of the battle’s bloody aftermath has emerged.
The famous defence of Rorke's Drift house, pictured shortly after the heroic battle to defend the British outpost from the onslaught of upto 6,000 Zulus, resulted in 11 Victoria Crosses being awarded for valour

The famous defence of Rorke’s Drift house, pictured shortly after the heroic battle to defend the British outpost from the onslaught of upto 6,000 Zulus, resulted in 11 Victoria Crosses being awarded for valour

Michael Caine as Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead in the 1964 film Zulu depicting the heroic defence of Rorke's Drift

The heroic defence of Rorke’s Drift was immortalised in the 1964 film Zulu staring Michael Caine as Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead – who was in joint command of the British outpost when it was almost overrun by upto 6,000 Zulu warriors on 23 January 1879 and one of the 11 soldiers to receive a Victoria Cross for gallantry as a result

An astonishing collection of drawings created by a soldier fighting in the Anglo-Zulu war – part of a series of military campaigns aimed at subduing a number of African Kingdoms and bringing them under the control of the British Empire – are about to go up for auction.

Among the extraordinary sketches is one of Rorke’s Drift house, the venue for the famous pitched battle in a war by native Zulus to which turned the Anglo-Zulu war in the British Empire’s favour.

William Whitelock Lloyd went to war in South Africa in 1879 with a sketchbook and watercolours stashed in his kit bag.

The
accuracy of his paintings is remarkable and he recorded the entire
conflict from his perspective with the 1st Battalion, 24th Regiment of
Foot.

The sketches show troop movements and studies of the British soldiers and the Zulu warriors they were fighting.

William Whitelock Lloyd captured this image of fortified British troops keep watch as the sun goes down during the Anglo-Zulu war

pictured Lloyd's also captured intimate painting of a Zulu woman

William Whitelock Lloyd pictured Lloyd's gripping image of a charging Zulu warrior

William Whitelock Lloyd not only caught the bloody aftermath of battle but also recorded an intimate painting of a Zulu woman, left, and a gripping image of a charging Zulu warrior, right

Lloyd's beautiful image of resting British troops, was one of many pictured from the Anglo-Zulu war sketched with astonishing accuracy

Lloyd’s beautiful image of resting British troops, was one of many pictured from the Anglo-Zulu war sketched with astonishing accuracy

His
battalion was part of the second invasion of Zululand in May 1879,
travelling with Lord Chelmsford into the heart of Zulu territory.

Second
Lieutenant Lloyd sketched their progress, from the temporary cavalry
camp in Dundee (Natal) and the troops crossing the Blood River into
Zululand.

He depicted the troops advancing to Ulundi – Zulu King Cetshwayo’s capital – and the battle there where 1,500 tribesmen were killed.

He
recorded the early skirmishes of the battle, the Zulus’ advance, the
burning of Ulundi, the retreat of the Zulus and some of the prisoners
after battle.

He also drew paintings showing the British defeat at Isandlwana where almost 1,300 British soldiers were
killed by a Zulu force of 20,000 determined to expel the invaders from
their homeland on January 22, 1879.

A group of British soldiers are pictured on reconnaissance duties in Zulu territory, in this picture which forms part of an amazing collection of drawings by William Whitelock Lloyd chronicling the Anglo-Zulu war

On the same day in history, British forces also pulled off a rearguard stunning victory at the battle of Rorke’s Drift, where 110 men defended a hospital post against 3,000-4,000 Zulus.

The clash took place near
a drift, or ford, on the Buffalo River, which at the time formed the
border between the British colony of Natal and the Zulu kingdom, in
modern-day South Africa.

He arrived shortly after the battle, which was made famous in
the film ‘Zulu’ starring Michael Caine who played Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead – who was in joint command of the British outpost.

With
the Zulus posing a threat to the stability of the region and standing
in the way of a confederation of the various colonies, war was
deemed necessary by the British Government.

Between January and July the British won victory and ended the life of an independent Zulu nation.

The British had 1,727 soldiers killed while the Zulus lost upwards of 6,000.

The archive is being sold at auction by its private owner and is expected to fetch £60,000.

Gabriel
Heaton from Sotheby’s, which is selling the collection in London, said:
‘There are 100 watercolour paintings and some done in pen and ink.

‘One
gets the impression that Lloyd was far more interested in art than in
war and as far as we know he was not an official artist and just took
his paints with him.

‘He had gone to Oxford with Oscar Wilde but failed his exams and joined the army and went to South Africa.

‘He was at Rorke’s Drift shortly after the defence and recorded what he saw in the immediate aftermath.

‘The
astonishing thing is how accurate his paintings were. The historian
David Rattray studied the locations and confirmed their accuracy.

Mr Heaton added: ‘He was a farmer who lives on the site of the battle and was murdered at his home in KwaZulu-Natal.

‘They are good quality watercolours and some show how he had gone off to get good views of the troops and their movements.

‘Whether he had permission or just went off we’re not sure, but watercolour is a good medium for doing things quickly.

‘As well as the views of the battlefields and topography and lines of troops, there are others of the soldiers.

‘One shows daybreak at Helpmekaar where the battalion stayed and you can see the men and the mealy bags they used for defence.’The ones of Rorke’s Drift house were done shortly afterwards and they show men sitting around outside.

The defence of the British outpost of Rorke's Drift, in modern day South Africa, proved a turning point in the Anglo-Zulu war

The defence of the British outpost of Rorke’s Drift, in modern day South Africa, proved a turning point in the Anglo-Zulu war

‘The archive will be of interest to collectors as well as institutions.’

The historian David Rattray wrote of the paintings after he discovered them in 2000: ‘From the moment I laid eyes on the copies of Lloyd’s paintings, I realised that his artwork was accurate to an extraordinary degree.

‘The more famous landmarks were, of course, instantly recognisable, but I was fairly confident that we would find the locations of all his paintings.’

He identified all the locations and photographed them and later published his results in a book.

He was murdered by intruders in front of his wife at his house in his world-famous tourist lodge at Fugitives’ Drift.

The sale is on July 10.