Rorke's Drift cover art

Rorke's Drift

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

Try for £0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Rorke's Drift

By: Adrian Greaves
Narrated by: Paul Herzberg
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £16.99

Buy Now for £16.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

The story of the bravest battle ever fought.

On 22nd January 1879 a force of 20,000 Zulus overwhelmed and destroyed the British invading force at Isandlwana, killing and ritually disemboweling more than 1,200 troops. That afternoon, the same Zulu force turned their attention on a small outpost at Rorke's Drift.

The battle that ensued, one of the British Army's great epics, has since entered into legend. Throughout the night 85 men held off six full-scale Zulu attacks at the cost of only 27 casualties, forcing the Zulu army to withdraw. Eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded for bravery shown on that night, the largest number for any one engagement in history.

But as Adrian Greaves' new research shows, there are several things about the myth of Rorke's Drift that don't add up. While it was the scene of undoubted bravery, it was also the scene of some astonishing cases of cowardice, and there is increasing evidence to suggest that the legend of Rorke's Drift was created to divert attention from the appalling British mistakes which caused the earlier defeat at Isandlwana.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2020 Adrian Greaves (P)2020 Orion Publishing Group
Africa Military British Army
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Latter Days at Colditz cover art
A Terrible Glory cover art
Trafalgar cover art
Fire and Movement cover art
Gettysburg’s Peach Orchard cover art
Brutal Valour: The Tragedy of Isandlwana cover art
The Fort cover art
All the King's Men cover art
Admiral Collingwood: Nelson's Own Hero cover art
Trailing Clouds of Glory cover art
How Can Man Die Better cover art
Scimitar into Stanley cover art
The Devil's to Pay cover art
Meade at Gettysburg cover art
Like Wolves on the Fold cover art
The Confederacy's Last Hurrah cover art

What listeners say about Rorke's Drift

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    36
  • 4 Stars
    10
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    32
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    32
  • 4 Stars
    8
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good narration of a great story

Having listened to a few audiobooks now that involve Southern Africa it was refreshing to hear accurate pronunciations of both Afrikaans and African terms, names, and places - especially from a narrator that sounded British rather than South African. As the book features accounts of the battle from various participants, there is an element of repetitiveness, and there is a lot of dry detail from time to time, but this does not detract from an incredible story well told.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Interesting listen

Some great information, although quite a bit of repetition. However, the narrator was awful. Dull and monotonous and the way he pronounced Oskarsberg was very grating. The list of every person who took part in the battle was a very long two hour listen. The transcript of Bournes 1932 radio broadcast though was very interesting. A bit of a mixed bag. Personally I would now rather read the book fo myself.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Rorke’s Drift

Absolutely enjoyed this having seen the film when I was a child it is more interesting to listen to haw the really we’re how much smaller they really were what drew them into the army how many times they were promoted and demoted back ground to the history and the following afterwards really worth listening to thanks

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Duller than dullsville on a dull day !!!

Up to the description of the battle and the immediate aftermath, all is fine but what follows is a further 12 hours of sifting through every detail & name include masses of repetition and I suspect a good bit of contradiction. Thoroughly recommend the transcript of Colour Sergeant Bourne’s 1930s radio broadcast.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

Loved it. Great for my personal research of the victorian wars. The detail is splendid.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Riveting story.

It is great to listen to the facts from a balanced point of view.well researched..great book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great BOOK

great bit of history from when Britain was Great, from disaster to magnificent, well worth a listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

A rather dry academic study

The writer knows his stuff, but doesn't know how to produce a compelling narrative from all they know. Well over half the book is an appendix with hours of long dry lists. It does, of course, have value, and some may find it very useful, but it's not one for those looking for Stanley Baker and Michael Caine.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Narration is awful

I'm part way through chapter 2 but really struggling as the narration is awful. It's almost as though its computer generated. The narration is laboured, there are delays in the middle of sentences, emphasis placed in the wrong place. It really is making it difficult to listen to the book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Rorke’s Drift very repetitive making a great story dull. Fast forward is the only option

Repetitive repetitive receptive therefore a great story made very dull.So dont both to listen to

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!