A MILITARY historian has shed new light on one of the most famous British victories.

Neil Thornton, from Runcorn, has uncovered what really happened at the battle of Rorke’s Drift in 1879.

Around 155 defenders held off more than 4,000 Zulu warriors in a savage, bloody conflict which led to 11 Victoria Crosses being awarded.

With painstaking precision, Neil has scrutinised ancient archives and documents to get to the truth.

Remarkable discoveries in his debut book Rorke’s Drift: A New Perspective have won praise from eminent authors of Zulu publications.

Neil, 37, of Malpas Road, said: “I’ve always been interested in military history, researched soldiers and collected medals and memorabilia.

“Zulu was my favourite film. I used to watch it every Sunday with my grandad.

“After reading about it I discovered that details of the battle from various authors were different.

“I wanted to know exactly what happened. The only way to find out was to piece it together myself.”

Neil, a plant process technician at Mexichem, meticulously examined newspaper articles, service records and census returns.

“I only used primary documents from people who were there,” said Neil.

“I found new accounts that had never been found before. It changed the whole battle.

“I showed my findings to two leading experts and they were blown over by it.”

Author James Bancroft said: “Thornton’s enthusiasm for the subject is inspiring and his in-depth knowledge is exceptional.

“I welcome his new refreshing look on how the battle developed.

“His narrative has certainly given me food for thought.”

Author Ian Knight said: “Neil has gone back to those primary sources, picking over those diligently sought-out by others before him, uncovering some that have been overlooked and piecing them together with a precision that has not always characterised studies of the battle.

“Even if you think you know the battle of Rorke’s Drift, his conclusions will intrigue and inspire you.”

Two of the defenders – Thomas Moffatt and Thomas Taylor – were from Runcorn.

“People may not realise this,” added Neil. “They didn’t even know each other and only met when King George visited Runcorn and they were invited to shake hands with him.

“I found out so much I could have written double the book, 80,000 words.”

Neil will be signing copies of his book at The Curiosity Bookshop on High Street in Runcorn from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday, December 10.

The book is available on Amazon.

Neil has been commissioned to write two more books on the First World War.