wargames and walking: Zululand tour Day 6 Intombe Drift

Saturday 23 March 2019

Zululand tour Day 6 Intombe Drift

Today we visited the site of the battle of Intombe Driftanother disaster for the British but producing another hero , Sergeant Booth who won the VC for sfter being deserted by thier officer led the men of the 80th in a fighting withdrawal saving around 30-40 men .The British Force had been split and occupied both sides of the drift when the zulus attacked through a heavy mist ,the officer in charge ,captain Moriarty was one of the first to die after shooting 3 zulus he was assagied in the back and shouted "I am done boys ,fire away " but the zulu slaughter was swift and the second in command Lieutenant Harwood jumped on a horse and informed the men he was fetching help and promptly disappeared .Booths fighting retreat was the only highlight for the British a force of not many more than 500 zulus had defeated a forcee of 100 British Regulars . We then visited the memorial to a
German called Fitter of the Schernbruckers horse and a Daneish translator called Larson who died in the fighting in the area during 1879 and then we went to the cemetery at Luneberg where a number of British graves including Moriartys from Intombe and some other later AZW actions in the caves in the area in september 1879 .We returned to Ithala to spot some wild life before supper .