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DURNFORD (Lt.-Col. E.)
A Soldier's Life & Work in South Africa, 1872-1879. A Memoir of the Late Colonel A.W. Durnford, Royal Engineers.
1st Ed., xvii+406pp., real photo. portrait frontis., fldg. map. Sampson, Low, Marston et al.
1882
#62128
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![[HLMainPic]](booksThumbs/62128.jpg "Click on the left or right of the image for more images")
Anthony William Durnford (1830-1879) was commissioned in the Royal Engineers in 1848. He arrived in South Africa in 1872, was in action at Bushman's River in pursuit of Langalibalele in 1873 when he received two assegai wounds, but managed to shoot two of his assailants & extricate himself. By 1878 he was senior RE officer at the Cape & served with the Boundary Commission to establish the disputed border between the Transvaal & Zululand. In the same year he formed the Natal Native Contingent & at the outbreak of the Zulu War commanded a column in Chelmsford's invasion of Zululand. On 22nd January 1879 he moved out of the Rorke's Drift encampment to Isandhlwana where he was killed in action during the epic battle. His participation in the Zulu war has resulted in much discussion as to whether he should have stayed in Rorke's Drift, which would then have been better defended, or whether his decision to move forward considerably altered the nature of the battle at Isandhlwana. This work, prepared for publication by his brother, contains a full account of his services & work in South Africa & is considered to be a very important work on the Zulu War of 1879 & events leading up to it. "This is an attempt to rehabilitate the reputation of Colonel Durnford (composed by his brother), who was blamed for the disaster at Isandlwana... Colonel Anthony Durnford's actions did, however, contribute to the debacle." - Raugh [2846]. Orig. dec. red cloth, lightly worn but overall VG but for small abrasion to front-paste-down wearing through to the fabric of the binding, possibly caused by removal of a small round sticker or similar, & of no great significance. Rare, complete with one tipped-in errata slip. See illustrations on our website.
£1200
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