Rorke's Drift Tours

In our series of Who’s Who in the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 and hopefully introducing some of the players to the readers of our blog I have decided that it is prudent to start at the top and introduce those of our readers who do not know all the in’s and out’s of the Wars. We should therefore start with the two Monarchs who, although they did not take an active part in the battles of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift themselves were certainly instrumental in the shaping of the events that took place. We start with Queen Victoria, whose reign lasted from 1837 to 1901. Strangely enough, at birth she was only the fifth in the line of succession yet at age 18 she was crowned the Queen of the British Empire. Until recently she was the longest reigning British Monarch but that, of course, has now been eclipsed by Queen Elizabeth II. She married Prince Albert of Saxe-Colburg & Gotha in 1840 and had nine children. Famously Prince Alfred died in 1861 which set off a new fashion trend...

Private Frederick Hitch 2nd Battalion 24th Regiment of Foot "It was chiefly due to the courageous conduct of these [Allen and Hitch] men that communication with the hospital was kept up at all. Holding together at all costs a most dangerous post, raked in reverse by the enemy's fire from the hill, they were both severely wounded, but their determined conduct enabled the patients to be withdrawn from the hospital, and when incapacitated by their wounds from fighting, they continued as soon as their wounds had been dressed, to serve out ammunition to their comrades during the night."

Corporal William Wilson Allen 2nd Battalion 24th Regiment of Foot "It was chiefly due to the courageous conduct of these [Allen and Hitch] men that communication with the hospital was kept up at all. Holding together at all costs a most dangerous post, raked in reverse by the enemy's fire from the hill, they were both severely wounded, but their determined conduct enabled the patients to be withdrawn from the hospital, and when incapacitated by their wounds from fighting, they continued as soon as their wounds had been dressed, to serve out ammunition to their comrades during the night."

Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment "For their gallant conduct at the defence of Rorke's Drift, on the occasion of the attack by the Zulus on the 22nd and 23rd January, 1879. The Lieutenant General, commanding troops reports that, had it not been for the fine example and behaviour of these two officers under the most trying circumstances, the defence of the Rorke's Drift Post would not have been conducted with that intelligence and tenacity which so essentially characterised it. The Lieutenant General adds that its success must, to a great degree, be attributable to the two young Officers who exercised the chief Command on the occasion in question."

Private William Jones 2nd Battalion 24th Regiment of Foot. "In another ward, facing the hill, Private William Jones and Private Robert Jones defended the post to the last, until six out of the seven patients had been removed. The seventh, Sergeant Maxfield, 2nd Battalion 24th Regiment, was delirious with fever. Although they had previously dressed him, they were unable to induce him to move. When Private Robert Jones returned to endeavour to carry him away, he found him being stabbed by the Zulus as he lay on his bed."

Corporal Christian Ferdinand Schiess Natal Native Contingent "During the battle of Rorke's Drift, Lieutenant Chard had observed Schiess taking aim at some of the enemy. He bayoneted a Zulu who had fired at him at almost point blank range, then shot another and bayoneted a third. Despite being wounded he continued fighting. Frederick Schiess was the first man serving with a locally raised force to be awarded the Victoria Cross."

Lieutenant John Rouse Merriot Chard 5th Company Royal Engineers "For their gallant conduct at the defence of Rorke's Drift, on the occasion of the attack by the Zulus on the 22nd and 23rd January 1879. The Lieutenant General commanding troops reports that, had it not been for the fine example and behaviour of these two officers under the most trying circumstances, the defence of the Rorke's Drift post would not have been conducted with that intelligence and tenacity which so essentially characterised it. The Lieutenant General adds that it's success must, to a great degree, be attributable to the two young Officers who exercised the chief Command on the occasion in question."

Private John Williams 2nd Battalion 24th Regiment of Foot "Private John Williams was posted with Private Joseph Williams and Private Horrigan, 1st Battalion 24th Regiment, in a distant room of the hospital, which they held for more than one hour, so long as they had a round of ammunition left; as communication was for the time cut off, the Zulus were enabled to advance and burst open the door; they dragged out Private Joseph Williams and two of the patients, and assegaied them. Whilst the Zulus were occupied with the slaughter of these men, a lull took place, during which Private John Williams, who with two patients, were the only men left alive in this ward, succeeded in knocking a hole in the partition, and in taking the two patients into the next ward, where he found Private Hook."

Private Henry Hook 2nd Battalion 24th Regiment of Foot "These two men [Hook & Williams] together, one man working whilst the other man fought and held the enemy at bay with his bayonet, broke through three more partitions, and were thus enabled to bring eight patients through a small window into the inner line of defence."

Acting Assistant Commissary James Dalton Commissariat & Transport Corps "For his conspicuous gallantry during the attack on Rorke's Drift by the Zulus on the night of the 22nd January, 1879, when he actively superintended the work of defence, and was amongst the foremost of those who received the first attack at the corner of the hospital, where the deadliness of his fire did great execution, and the mad rush of the Zulus met its first check, and whereby his cool courage he saved the life of a man of the Army Hospital corps by shooting the Zulu, who, having seized the muzzle of the man's rifle, was in the act of assegaaing him. This officer, to whose energy much of the defence of the place was due, was severely wounded during the contest, but still continued to give the same example of cool courage."

The Victoria Cross Medal made by Hancocks of London Queen Victoria, during her reign, had instructed the War Office to strike a new medal that would not recognise birth or class. The medal was meant to be a simple decoration that would be highly prized and eagerly sought after by those in the military services. The original warrant stated that the Victoria Cross would only be awarded to soldiers who have served in the presence of the enemy and had performed some single act of valour or devotion. It was originally intended that the VCs would be cast from the cascabels of two cannon that were captured from the Russians at the siege of Sevastopol . In 1990 Creagh and Ashton conducted a metallurgical examination of the VCs in the custody of the Australian War Memorial. Later, the historian John Glanfield, wrote that, through the use of x-ray studies of older Victoria Crosses, it was determined that the metal used for VCs is from antique Chinese guns and not of Russian origin....

Today we meet PRIVATE ROBERT JONES 2nd Battalion 24th Regiment of Foot. His Citation reads as follows: "In another ward, facing the hill, Private William Jones and Private Robert Jones defended the post to the last, until six out of the seven patients had been removed. The seventh, Sergeant Maxfield, 2nd Battalion 24th Regiment, was delirious with fever. Although they had previously dressed him, they were unable to induce him to move. When Private Robert Jones returned to endeavour to carry him away, he found him being stabled by the Zulus as he lay on his bed."

Every day on the dusty plains of Zululand the story of the Defence of Rorke's Drift and the Battle of Isandlwana are retold by inspired storytellers. Grown men are known to shed a tear or two at the retelling of this emotive tale. The shadows of the men who died on that fateful day in 1879 still linger in the air, they embrace all who come to hear and each person leaving these desolate African spaces feel their presence. It is then, only fair, that before discussing any aspects of this day of victory, defeat, tragedy and triumph that one gets to know a little about those who made the ultimate sacrifice and those who remained to account for the day's events. It is fitting that one should start with the men who were singled out for their bravery although in reflection of the battle perhaps each and every participant should have received an award and not just the select few. Today I introduce SURGEON JAMES HENRY REYNOLDS as per his citation for his Victoria Cross Awar...