This
action was at Rorke's Drift, Wednesday 22- Thursday 23 January,
1879, when some 150 soldiers defended a supply station against
some 4000 Zulus, aided by the Martini-Henry
rifle 'with some guts behind it'.
At Rorke's
Drift, eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded. Seven to
the 2nd Battalion, 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot, one
to the Army Medical Department, one to the Royal Engineers, one
to the Commissariat and Transport Department and one to the Natal
Native Contingent. (click here
to find out more...)
There may possibly have been more VC's awarded but the posthumous VC was only started in 1905, among the first recipients in 1907 were Lts
Melvill and Coghill who were killed whilst saving the colours
from Isandhlwana on the
22nd. of January. One other VC winner on the 22nd. of January was
a Private Samuel Wassall from Birmingham. He rescued a comrade who
was drowning in the Buffalo River during the retreat from Isandhlwana.
He went on to live until he was 70. He is buried in The Barrow-in-Furness
cemetery, section 3.B. plot 1952. There was another VC winner who
died at Isandhlwana. He was Private William Griffiths, born in Ireland.
He won his VC in 1867 at Little Andaman Island. His grave is unmarked
on the battlefield at Isandhlwana.
The action at
Rorke's Drift is well covered by the numerous publications
and web sites which are devoted to the subject as well as the details
of the lives of the VC recipients and their action in the defence.
These are well
worth exploring for the information which they give, and there is
an extensive list of links available. My
only aim, as an amateur enthusiast, is to offer the chance to bring
tangible reality to those who have an interest in the subject. To
visit the graves of the VC recipients allows one to make some contact
with the participants of this historic event. My interest with the
individuals involved led me to visit the graves of all the VC winners
of Rorke's Drift who are buried in this country, as well as the
grave of Daltonin South Africa
whilst on our visit to Rorke's Drift.
You will also see that there are sections for other interesting
aspects of the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879, as it is very difficult to
remain specialised!
My next project
is to visit the grave of Bromhead
in Allahabad, in India. One, (Cpl. Schiess
NNC), was buried at sea off the coast of Angola.
The links on
the left form as accurate a guide as I can give to anyone who is
interested in visiting the graves of the VC Defenders of Rorke's
Drift, along with information about the events leading up to the
"immortal defence".
When
the flagpole is on the left when being viewed, the broad band
of white next to the diagonal red stripes must be on
the clockwise side. When the broad band is on the anti-clockwise
side, this indicates a distress signal.
DISCLAIMER
Although every effort is made to be accurate, we cannot be held
responsible in any way whatsoever for any inaccuracies in our links,
dates, names or otherwise. If anyone has any queries or points which
need addressing relating to our site, we would be pleased
to discuss them. Please bear in mind that this is not a commercial
site and that our interest is purely academic.
