Lieutenant-Colonel Anthony William Durnford was an Irish career British Army officer of the Royal Engineers who served in the Anglo-Zulu War.
22 Facts About Anthony Durnford
1.
2.
Breveted colonel, Durnford is mainly known for his defeat by the Zulus at the Battle of Isandlwana, which was a disaster for the British Army.
3.
Anthony Durnford was born into a military family at Manorhamilton, County Leitrim, Ireland, on 24 May 1830.
4.
Anthony Durnford's father was General Edward William Durnford, of the Royal Engineers.
5.
In July 1846 Anthony Durnford returned to England to enter the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Royal Engineers in 1848 initially serving at Chatham and Scotland.
6.
In 1853 Anthony Durnford was instrumental in saving portions of the harbour defences from destruction by fire.
7.
Anthony Durnford volunteered for service in the Crimean War but was not accepted.
8.
Anthony Durnford was transferred in 1856 to Malta as an intermediate posting, but did not see active service either in the Crimea or in the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857.
9.
Anthony Durnford served in Malta as an adjutant until February 1858, when he was promoted to Second Captain and posted back to Chatham and Aldershot in England.
10.
Between 1861 and 1864 Anthony Durnford commanded No 27 Field Company, Royal Engineers, at Gibraltar.
11.
Anthony Durnford was promoted to major on 5 July 1872 and lieutenant-colonel on 11 December 1873.
12.
Anthony Durnford was later stationed at Pietermaritzburg, where he was befriended by Bishop Colenso, and he joined Theophilus Shepstone on an expedition to crown King Cetshwayo.
13.
Anthony Durnford had a close relationship with the bishop's daughter Frances Ellen Colenso.
14.
Anthony Durnford saw some action in pursuit of Langalibalele at Bushman's River Pass, where he showed great courage.
15.
Anthony Durnford managed to shoot two of his assailants with his revolver and to extricate himself.
16.
That evening, a portion of the No 2 Column under Anthony Durnford arrived at Rorke's Drift and camped on the Zulu bank, where it remained through the next day.
17.
Anthony Durnford did not over-rule Pulleine's dispositions and after lunch he quickly decided to take the initiative and move forward to engage a Zulu force which Pulleine and Anthony Durnford judged to be moving against Chelmsford's rear.
18.
Anthony Durnford asked for a company of the 24th, but Pulleine was reluctant to agree, since his orders had been specifically to defend the camp.
19.
Anthony Durnford was killed during the resulting battle, and was later criticised for taking men out of the camp thus weakening its defence.
20.
Anthony Durnford's policy was, in effect, to ride to the sound of the guns, "and attack the Zulu wherever they appeared".
21.
In one last valiant effort, Anthony Durnford, after ordering his native troopers to escape, perished with a mixed group of colonial volunteers, members of the Natal Mounted Police and infantrymen of the 24th Foot that had held open the only escape route.
22.
Anthony Durnford's body was later found lying near a wagon, surrounded by the bodies of his men.