Anthony Durnford

Col. Anthony Durnford RE

Anthony William Durnford (born May 24, 1830 in Manorhamilton , County Leitrim , Ireland , † January 22, 1879 in Isandhlwana , South Africa ) was a British officer and commander of the Natal Native Contingent in the Battle of Isandhlwana in 1879.

Life

Durnford was the eldest son of General Edward William Durnford (1803-1889). He was educated in Düsseldorf and at the Royal Military Academy . On June 27, 1848 he was appointed 2nd Lieutenant of the Royal Engineers . Durnford had since December 11, 1873 Lieutenant Colonel and since December 11, 1878 Brevet -Colonel . Durnford served in South Africa from 1871–76 and from 1877 until his death.

In January 1879, English colonial troops under Lieutenant General Lord Chelmsford invaded King Cetshwayo's Zulu empire from Natal and started the Zulu War . Durnford commanded one of the five departments of the British. On January 22, 1879, part of the British middle division suffered a catastrophic defeat in the Battle of Isandhlwana . Durnford fell in battle and was buried in the Fort Napier Cemetery in Pietermaritzburg , South Africa, on October 12 of the same year.

literature

Frederic Boase: Modern English Biography. Containing many thousand concise Memoirs of Persons who have died during the Years 1851-1900, with an Index of the most interesting Matter . 6 volumes. Netherton and Worth, Truro 1892-1921.
RWF Droogleever: The Road to Isandhlwana. Colonel Anthony Durnford in Natal and Zululand 1873–1879 . Greenhill Books et al., London et al. 1992, ISBN 1-85367-118-5 .

Web links

personal data
SURNAME	Durnford, Anthony
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Durnford, Anthony William (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	British officer and commander of the "Natal Native Contingent" in the battle of Isandhlwana in 1879
DATE OF BIRTH	May 24, 1830
PLACE OF BIRTH	Manorhamilton , County Leitrim , Ireland
DATE OF DEATH	January 22, 1879
Place of death	Isandhlwana , South Africa