Standards/Banners/Colors VII.

This is coolbert:

Isandhlwana.

"Zulu Dawn is a 1979 book and war film about the Battle of IsandHlwana between British and Zulu military units in 1879 in South Africa."

[a sequel to the movie "Zulu". Both movies are MUST see for military history buffs!]

Isandhlwana. British 24th of Foot [Welsh] versus the massed Zulu army. Total victory to the Zulu. Annihilation almost in totality of a British unit by "savage forces". At the climactic end of the movie, the British commander, Pulleine, orders two of his officers to save the colors. This was the ride of Melvill and Coghill! Futile effort at escape, again, illustrating the superhuman efforts that have traditionally been made to safeguard the colors of a unit from being captured by an enemy.

"During the last minutes of the battle, the camp's commander, Colonel Pulleine, entrusts the Union Jack [Queen's Colors/national flag] to two junior officers, Lieutenants Melvill and Coghill, who attempt to carry it to safety in Natal . . . While attempting to cross the Buffalo River, the three lieutenants - Melvill, Coghill, and Vereker - are cut down by Zulus and the Union Jack is captured"

NOT ENTIRELY ACCURATE. ALL THREE MEN WERE KILLED, INCLUDING THE TWO MEN ENTRUSTED WITH SAFEGUARDING THE QUEEN'S COLOR, BUT THE FLAG WAS NOT CAPTURED!!

"The film generally avoids historical inaccuracies and is fairly true to the events of January 22, 1879."

"The scene depicting Lts. Melvill and Coghill's escape with the Union Flag is inaccurate. In the film, Lt. Melvill carries the Union Flag unfurled, whereas in reality the Union Flag of the 24th Regiment was furled up inside its leather case. In addition . . . Melvill was too exhausted to hold onto the heavy flag while trying to swim the river, and it slipped from his grip. It was later recovered, so probably was never captured."

NO, floated downstream and settled to the bottom of a pool, then covered by a layer of silt. WAS RECOVERED TWO WEEKS LATER, CLEANED, AND NOW HANGS IN A PLACE OF HONOR. The Queen's flag was NOT CAPTURED BY THE ZULU!!

"The colour floated downstream and was later recovered from the bottom of a pool: it hangs in Brecon Cathedral, adorned with a wreath of immortelles placed upon it by Queen Victoria in memory of the events of that day."

"im·mor·telle - - n. - - having flowers that retain their shape and color when dried. - - French, from feminine of immortel, immortal [a wreath of dried flowers, symbolizing immortality!]"



A sacred consecrated object, the colors, hung in a sacred consecrated place.

". . . It was Melvill's responsibility to save the regimental colours as he did not have any troops directly under his command. Lt. Coghill likewise did not have any responsibility for troops, therefore there was no necessity for him to remain"

The two junior officers without troops to command were entrusted with guarding the colors [only the Queen's flag was present at Isandhlwana]!

Both posthumously [1907] were awarded the Victoria Cross. Highest British decoration for valor.

coolbert.