Wars and ConflictsΒ permalink
Why didnt Windridge win a VC
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Message 1.Β
Posted by 40andabit (U3682476) on Saturday, 31st January 2009
Having just watched the movie 'ZULU' it struck me that the bravest person portrayed was Sergeant Windridge, yet he gets no mention at the end when all the recipients of the Victoria Cross are listed.
Does anyone know why? -
Message 2
Posted by LongWeekend (U3023428) on Saturday, 31st January 2009
For the same reason as the film's "Colour Sergeant Bourne" didn't get the VC (a fact I could never understand as a youngster). The actions of the film's characters do not necessarily match those of their real-life namesakes.
Bourne in the film is a mixture of the real Bourne ( amuch younger man than Nigel Greene), Commissary Dalton, the standard British film industry cliched warrant officer. The weedy character actually called Dalton bears little resemblance to his namesake, apart from dragging ammunition around after being injured (the real Dalton broke his leg while catching escapees from the hospital on his hip.) -
Message 3
Posted by Anglo-Norman (U1965016) on Sunday, 1st February 2009
Sun, 01 Feb 2009 19:24 GMT, in reply to LostWeekend in message 2
Why did Dalton have a hospital on his hip? (Sorry, couldn't resist - that's hat too much Goon Show does to you...)
'Zulu' is just another in the glorious brotherhood of films playing fast and loose with history. 22nd January was, of course, the 130th anniversary of the start of Rorke's Drift (and, of course, Isandhlwana). -
Message 4
Posted by LongWeekend (U3023428) on Sunday, 1st February 2009
Anglo-N
That's a bit of a grammatical stretch, even at this time of night.
Mind you, the hospital must have been handy when he broke his hip.
Of course, Addendorf wasn't really there (however much Afrikaaner historians dispute it). Which is a pity, because he's got a lot of the best lines.
If you want a military history film that does its best to be accurate, how about "Ice Cold in Alex" or "A Hill in Korea" (Stanley Baker and Michael Caine's first appearance together)? -
Message 5
Posted by flipacross (U9997641) on Sunday, 1st February 2009
the real Dalton broke his leg while catching escapees from the hospital on his hipΒ
Are you sure about that LW?
According to Chard's second report of the action, Dalton was shot through the body while near to Chard. Admittedly he wrote this when he was back in England later in the year after being ordered to write a more detailed report than the one he composed immediately after the battle, but I would have thought it unlikely he would get something like that wrong.
Phil -
Message 6
Posted by LongWeekend (U3023428) on Sunday, 1st February 2009
flipacross
You're right. Dalton was shot at the barricade, just after saying "Pot that fellow!" (so they got the line right).
The man with the hospital on his hip was Private Hitch, and he didn't break his leg. Should have picked up my copy of "Washing of the Spears" before posting.
Incidentally, for those who claim history left Dalton out until the past couple of years, Donald Morris does give Dalton his due. I still think WOTS is the best thing on the subject.
LW -
Message 7
Posted by Mark (U2073932) on Monday, 2nd February 2009
According to Line of Fire (Rourke's Drift) Private Hook was an exemplary soldier with no malingering habits. The film Zulu just made him into a bit of a reluctant hero.
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