Transcript interview LtCol Frank Bourne

Posts : 8 Join date : 2011-08-03

Greetings to all from the US. I am a new member just recently finding this excellent site. I have a more than passing interest in the AZW acquired as a boy the day I saw , at the time, the new movie Zulu. Over the last few years the Internet has allowed me to expand my knowledge of the time, places and men. Most of my reading has been older documentation available for viewing on sites such as GoogleBooks, Archive.org etc. I claim some knowledge but by no means consider myself expert. If I stumble please keep this in mind.

I found a posting at the Rorke's Drift Forum regarding the linked reading of the interview.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l59BTOG_iY&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

Many questions but 2 to begin:

1) Is his transcript considered to be authentic?

2) If so, in Part 2 Bourne states that all the KIA at RD died from bullet wounds, none from assegai thrusts(he states some of the wounded did sustain assegai damage). Can this be interpreted to mean the Zulu generally were unable to close to thrusting distance? And those that did so were parried?

Subject: Transcript Interview Lt. Col Frank Bourne Wed Aug 10, 2011 5:41 am

Hi Britelite .
Firstly welcome to the Forum and hope you enjoy your time here . Bourne did indeed to a BBC radio interview back in
the mid thirties , his Grandson has now released the transcript read by himself . Here is a link to it .

http://www.rrw.org.uk/shop/shop.php?action=view&prodid=329

Several were indeed killed by assagai , These from that wonderful book by Julian Whybra '' England's Sons - A Casualty and
Survivors ' Roll of British Combatants For the Battle of Isandlwana Wed 22 Jan 1879 - And the Defence of Rorkes Drift Wed- Thur
22 / 23 Jan 1879 ''
William Horrigan , Robert Maxfield , Garret Hayden , Joseph Williams , Sydney Hunter , William Beckett and last but not least
an unknown Private of Mkungo's tribe who was a member of the NNC all listed as assagai being the cause of death .
cheers 90th .

ps. It seems during a clean up someone threw away the original tape from the BBC show a long time ago and no -one seems
to know when !.

Subject: Transcript Interview Lt. Col Frank Bourne Wed Aug 10, 2011 5:44 am

Hi Britelite .
This is a link to the book from which I quoted , excellent publication regarding Personal from those two battles .

http://www.rrw.org.uk/shop/shop.php?action=list&author=Julian+Whybra

A very reasonable price .
cheers 90th.

Posts : 747 Join date : 2009-10-18

Britelite. Welcome to the forum. Here's a link to Major Chard's report to Queen Victoria. Some mention of wounds received by some of the defenders.

http://1879zuluwar.forumotion.com/t382-chard-s-report-to-queen-victoria-part-one?highlight=Chard

Posts : 8 Join date : 2011-08-03

Thank you for the welcome. Comparing Chard's and Bourne's accounts and despite the fact both men fought within close proximity of the other their perceptions differ. And Bourne related his account over 50 years after the event. Would love to have heard the original taping of his interview.

Thanks Again

» Interview with Frank Bourne December 1936. Now read by his grandson, Mr Douglas Bourne.
» Radio interview with Lt Col Bourne
» Frank Bourne trivia. Film Zulu