Edmund Yorke – författare

Kabul is a name that has had much resonance in current affairs over the last few years, however its place in military history can be charted much further back to the first British incursions into Afghanistan during the 19th century. The First Anglo-Afghan War saw British India attempting to obtain power over Central Asia by gaining control of Afghanistan. The British had little understanding or appreciation of the terrain or tribal warfare in Afghanistan and incurred heavy casualties, despite being far superior in training and weaponry than the Afghan warriors they faced. In 1841 the British, having held Kabul for several years in an attempt to stop the Afghans colluding with the Russians, relaxed their grip on the garrison, allowing the Afghans to rebel, leading to the slaughter of over 16,000 British and Indian troops and camp followers. The outrage from the disaster resounded throughout the British Empire and reinforcements were sent to Afghanistan in 1842 to quell the Afghan troops. However, a rash of uprisings broke out around Kabul, leading to the murder of Indian sepoys and the imprisonment of British officers. In retribution an army was sent to support the British retreat from Afghanistan, laying waste to the city of Kabul on their way.

On 22 January 1879 a 20,000-strong Zulu army decimated the British camp at Isandlwana. On the back of this victory 3,000–4,000 Zulu warriors swept towards the garrison of Rorke’s Drift, expecting to devastate the c.500-strong British and colonial force there. However, this small, but stalwart group of brave British soldiers withstood this overwhelming force over the next forty-eight hours and ultimately repelled them in a British victory that has been immortalised in books and film. Eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded for this extraordinary feat.To understand what happened and why – read Rorke's Drift 1879. Moving first-hand accounts reveal the brutal nature of the battle. Biographies of the commanders and soldiers involved explore the differing tactics and motivations of both sides. Paintings, illustrations and rare photographs place you at the centre of the action. Orders of battle detail the composition of the opposing forces’ armies. Packed with fact boxes, this short introduction is the perfect way to explore this legendary battle.

Fought on the night of 22/23 January 1879 and immortalised in the film epic Zulu, Rorke's Drift represented one of the most glorious, if subsequently controversial episodes in British military history.For twelve desperate hours, outnumbered by over 25-1, barely 140 British soldiers, based at the remote mission station of Rorke's Drift, South Africa, were locked in a ferocious life or death struggle with over 4000 seasoned warriors of the hitherto victorious Zulu Army - the most powerful indigenous African army.Only hours earlier, in the shadow of the ominous Sphinx-like Isandlwana Crag, other elements of this same Zulu force had virtually annihilated a 1700-strong British colonial force - one of the greatest defeats of Queen Victoria's reign. In the wake of this massacre, the survival of the British Empire in South Africa rested with the tiny garrison of Rorke's Drift.

On 22 January 1879 a 20,000-strong Zulu army attacked 1,700 British and colonial forces. The engagement saw primitive weapons of spears and shields clashing with the latest military technology. However, despite being poorly equipped, the numerically superior Zulu force crushed the British troops, killing 1,300 men, whilst only losing 1,000 of their own warriors. It was a humiliating defeat for the British Army, who had been poorly trained and who had underestimated their enemy. The defeat ensured that the British had a renewed respect for their opponents and changed their tactics, rather than fighting in a straight, linear formation, known as the Thin Red Line they adopted an entrenched system or close order foundations. The defeat caused much consternation throughout the British Empire, who had assumed that the Zulu were no match for the British Army and thus the army was greatly reinforced and went on to victory at Rorke's Drift. Battle Story: Isandlwana puts you at the forefront of the action.