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

Snook, Lieutenant Colonel Mike

ISBN 10: 1853676594 / ISBN 13: 9781853676598

Published by Greenhill / MBI, London / St. Paul, Mn., 2006

About this Item

Illus. , several in color, maps, jacket now in a clear protector; 302 pages.

Seller Inventory # 38035

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Like Wolves on the Fold: The Defence of Rorke's Drift
• Publisher: Greenhill / MBI, London / St. Paul, Mn.
• Publication Date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1853676594
• ISBN 13: 9781853676598
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: First Edition.
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • BRITISH SMALL WARS

About this title

Synopsis

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.

About the Author

Mike Snook is a serving British Army Officer with a particular interest in the Anglo Zulu Wars. This, his second book, is the sequel to his critically acclaimed How Can Man Die Better: The Secrets of Isandlwana Revealed. He lives in Brecon, UK.