Zulu Dawn Page #6

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Without answering, VEREKER turns his horse towards the hills.

Breaking into

a gallop, he shouts the command:

VEREKER:

Forward Sikali!

NORRIS-NEWMAN watches through his binoculars, then turns his

horse back

towards the camp.

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101.EXT. RIVERBANK OPPOSITE RORKE'S DRIFT. DAY

CLOSE UP of CHELMSFORD. We see the view through his binoculars.

He is watching NORRIS-NEWMAN enter the camp.

CREALOCK approaches on horseback. They exchange salutes.

CHELMSFORD:

What's that strange name the newspaper chap's called?

CREALOCK:

Er, called Noggs, Sir Actual name is Norris-Newman. He presented

credentials from "The Standard".

CHELMSFORD:

Our runners bare his dispatches, do they not?

CREALOCK (Smiling)

Of course, Sir

They exchange knowing looks and turn their horses about towards

camp.

102.EXT. SWITCH TO RIVER. CLOSE TO CAMP - RORKE'S DRIFT. DAY.

A long line of NATAL NATIVE COMPANY is transporting wooden

boxes of

ammunition on their shoulders across the river. V.0. of a

brusque NCO is

heard:

NCO:

Come on lads, it's only a river! (The NCO is seen in CLOSE UP

in the

foreground).

103.LIEUTENANT COLONEL HAMILTON-BROWN, a rough kishman, and old

campaigner joins in:

HAMILTON-BROWN

104.

105.

Come on you piss-arse lot, get these bastards across. It's only

water

Come along you idle scum, let's 'ave yer

HAMILTON-BROWN rides away as we see a native fall into the

water under

his burden.

CHELMSFORD and his Company cross the river.

NATAL NATIVE COMPANY is seen again, still struggling across the

river.

The NCO's VOICE is heard:

NCO:

I'll 'ave your guts fer garters!

25

106.On the far bank CHELNISFORD and his Company are seen riding

to meet

NORRIS-NEWMAN.

CHELMSFORD:

An historical moment, Gentlemen.

NORRIS-NEWMAN

Excuse me, My Lord. (Introducing himself) Norris-Newman, of "The

Standard", My Lord.

CHELMSFORD:

1 saw you lead our Cavalry sir

NORRIS-NEWMAN

Indeedldid, MyLord. Itwas one ofthe first to cross.

CHELMSFORD:

Were they in good heart as they entered enemy territory?

NORRIS-NEWMAN

They spurred onto high ground, My Lord, full of spirit and

looking for

the Zulu. Full of sport they were, My Lord.

CHELMSFORD:

Tell what you see. Write it well, Sir, and make sure you get it

right

NORRIS-NEWMAN

If I've got it right, My Lord, you lead an invasion into

Zululand, for I see

it all around me, but "why?" is the question my readers will

ask.

"why?"

CHELMSFORD:

Do not confuse yourse{fi Why? We must strike a heavy blow. This

cannot be a war of manoeuvre.

NORRIS-NEWMAN

So attack is your defence. Well let's hope Cetshwayo will offer

his Impis

full destruction.

CHELMSFORD:

My only fear is that the Zulu will avoid the engagement

He turns his horse about and his Company follow as

NORRIS-NEWMAN looks

on in amazement.

107.CAMERA PANS to follow CHELMSFORD and his Company as they

ride to

the foot of the hills.

108.We see the view through CHELMSFORD's binoculars. He spots

VEREKER:

with the SIKALI HORSE.

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109.NORRIS-NEWMAN has caught up with CHELMSFORD:

NORRIS-NEWMAN

I have it, My Lord, we attack for sport - or is it reputations?

CHELMSFORD (Lowering his binoculars)

Enough of your politicking, Noggs.

NORRIS-NEWMAN

I know your views on the usefulness of the Press, My Lord, but

the

Englishman back home wants to know what his Regiments are

doing.

CHELMSFORD (Resuming his gaze through the binoculars)

Then I trust you will tell him exactly what you have observeJ

110.QM BLOOMFIELD pulls a drowned Basuto from the river onto

the bank. He

removes the man's ammunition belt.

LT. HARFORD approaches. He is on horseback.

BLOOMFIELD:

Look at that waste. Five rounds ruined Mr HaiforJ Each round has

to be accounted for.

LT. HARFORD (Referring to the BASUTO)

It's terrible. Quite dreadfuL Something must be done.

BLOOMFIELD (Standing)

If they'd been put back in their boxes (moving towards

Harford). Boxes

banded and screwed down proper like, as His Lordship ordered,

nothing

would have happened to them, Sir

LT. HARFORD

I'm talking about our drowned Natives, Quartermaster!

BLOOMFIELD:

Natives is not on my invoices, Mr Haiford. . ammunition is, and

'as

to be accounted for. and the brass cartridge cases returned.

111.In disgust, LT. HARFORD turns his horse about. He meets

HAMILTON-

BROWN at the top of the bank.

LT. HARFORD

Several of our Natives went under Shouldn 't we have a Rolicall

Colonel?

HAMILTON-BROWN

Not practical, lad.. .we haven 't had time to make up the rolls

yet

Besides, I'm not sure how many we had before the crossing.

HAMILTON-BROWN canters away.

27

LT. HARFORD follows reluctantly, not enthralled by this show of

callousness.

112.A Zulu recognisance party is seen atop the ridge. They view

the scene

below.

113.VEREKER and the SIKALI HORSE ascend the ridge.

114.The infantry - the Twenty Fourth Foot -~fan out in

sections, alert to possible

attack, and make for the high ground.

115.CHELMSFORD's party rides by below.

116.One of the Zulu's fires a warning shot into the air.

117.VEREKER halts his company, as does CHELMSFORD.

118.The guilty Zulu's voice booms out from above:

why do you come to the land of the Zulu?

119.LT. MELVILL turns about in his saddle to address

CHELMSFORD.

MELVILL:

May Ianswer, Sir?

CHELMSFORD:

By all means, Mr. Melvill.

MELVILL (Moving his horse forward a few paces, he bellows a

reply)

We come here by the Orders of the Great Queen Victoria. Queen

of all

Africa.

There is a moment of silence:

VEREKER (Gives the order)

Forward!

120.MELVILL turns to face his Redcoats.

MELVILL:

Company, advance!

121.Turning to a member of his party:

CHELMSFORD:

Major, send the troops.

122.There is a steady advance up the hill. The Zulus turn,

scrambling through the

undergrowth.

28

123.The SIKALI approach. One of the Zulus turns and stands his

ground. He

thrusts his assegai at his foe dismounting the SIKALI from his

horse. In a

second the Zulu jumps astride the horse but his escape is

prevented by an

offending shot from another SIKALI.

124.More SIKALI advance. They bring down several more Zulus.

125.A group of four Zulus converge on one SIKALI. They pull him

off his horse

into a crop of rocks. One Zulu manages to mount the horse and

rides away

encouraged by the others.

VEREKER notices this. Slowly and deliberately he removes his

rifle from his

saddle, takes aim and then fires. The dead warrior falls to the

ground.

126.A group of LANCERS track one ZULU. The lead LANCER

approaches,

guiding his horse expertly. He feints with the downstroke of

his lance.

The ZULU lowers his shield.

The LANCER, on the ZULU now, uses the up-stroke to impale the

ZULU to

a tree.

NOGGS rides near the incident.

127.CHELMSFORD has surveyed the incident through his

binoculars.

128.

MELVILL (to Noggs)

Well done, Sir.. did you see, that Noggs? He deceived him with

the

up and took him with the down.

NOGGS (Studying the deceased Zulu from his horse)

Well, well this one's a grandfather at least if he'd been a

Zulu in his

prime, I'd have given odds against your Lancer, Mr MelIvilL

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