Martini book finally found.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Well, more "returned" than found.

This book is a ripper.

Its full title is:

The Martini-Henry Note-Book", The life and times of a grand old rifle), by one Malcolm Cobb.

It is not a dry tome at all, but an informative "romp" through the history and development of the rifle.

The Chapter on the Zulu Wars is both educational and occasionally entertaining.

One statistic is the quantity of ammunition fired at Rorke's Drift; 20,000 rounds, an average of about 200 rounds each. Given that there were quite a few casualties, some troops would have fired a lot more than their "share". This was three times the amount estimated expended at the less successful encounter at Isandhlwana.

Interestingly, Rorkes Drift was essentially a "depot" and stood within half a mile of what was then the "border" with recognised Zulu territory. The Brits knew that there were 60,000 warriors hot to trot, but the compound was only "fortified" thirty minutes before the Zulus popped over for a "visit".

On a slightly lighter note, after it was all over at Rorkes Drift, Chard and Bromhead sat on a wagon and shared a bottle of beer, a vignette which didn't make it into the movie.

The other battle that recieives little notice is that of the 2nd column, under Sir Evelyn Wood, at Kambula, a month later.

Here, the camp was entrenched. When the Zulus attacked they were unable to deliver effective fire (with their large collection of "recently surplussed" arms). Trooper George Mossop's eyewitness account is very interesting:

Never can I forget the sight as the Zulus swept round the corner wagon at full speed and raced along our line, seeking an opportunity to enter. As they passed each wagon a sheet of flame and smoke from the Martini Rifles welcomed them. They tumbled and fell, but it made not the slightest difference; they did not sheer away from the wagons or abate in their speed, and still they came on, an endless stream. In a few minutes the whole west line was engaged, and it being a calm day, the smoke from the rifle fire began to bother us; we could barely distinguish the Zulus only a few feet away. Finding no opening, the Zulus turned and charged the whole line. Crash! - as their shields struck the wagons and the whole line shook.

"They are in. They are in!" was shouted by the men under the wagons. Thrusting my head through my loop hole, I could see dimly, through a haze of smoke, a heaving, struggling black mass trying to wrench a couple of wagons from the line to make an opening, and others swarming over them. The wagons were chained together and the pole of one was thrust between the back wheels of the one in front, making it almost impossible to pull them apart or turn them over. Like a stone from a catapult, I shot out of that tent wagon. A company of the 13th regiment, with fixed bayonets, turned up in support, other men came running up, and the Zulus were driven back - i, gallantly pretending to take part................... The camp was a large one, and three thousand men had to stretch in manning it; also the cattle camp was large and had to be defended. (Compare with 600 regulars at Isandhlwana), we were armed with Martini Henry rifles charged with black powder, and each shot belched out a cloud of smoke; it became so dense that we almost choked, and simply fired blindly into it. The Zulus gave way for a space, and the shrill notes of teh bugles gave "Cease Fire"."

The smoke rose quickly; leaving a clear view. Scattered in all directions were theh bodies of the Zulus, some in heaps, others stretched out or crumpled up, a few on the wagons, others outside the laager. Then, again, a long dense line of Zulus in their regiments came charging down upon us. The other two wings had now joined up. "Now we re for it", I gibbered, but felt no inclination to run. Saturated from the frights of the last two days my system could contain no more. I suddenly became calm - or callous - I do not know which."

.................................

Subsequent charges failed to break in, but Mossop makes the point that the Zulus nearly did make a break when a wagon was removed to let the cavalry out.

Wood ordered a bayonet charge which disrupted the Zulus and was quickly followed up by a charge from the cavalry which pushed the over-extended Zulus over the horizon and leaving a further 500 put to the sword on the field.

It was fortunate indeed that Rorkes Drift was a stores depot that had good stocks of ammo.

Cobb notes that Kambula was very like Isandhlwana, but with much better organisation by the British troops. Isandhlwana was just too big a perimeter and thus seriously undermanned with just 600 defenders on site after Chelmsford took the 2nd/24th away for reconnaissance on the morning of the 22nd of January.

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Sadly, the Cobb Martini book seems to be out of print and very hard to find. Mine, purchased several years ago, still contains a hand-written price of $125 on the fly cover.

No wonder I can't afford to buy nice, collectible shooting irons.

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[Von Gruff]

Certainly a gripping read if it is all in that vein.