The Defence of Rorke's Drift - Private John Williams

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."

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The Victoria Cross - Its Origins

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.

Lady Florence Caroline Dixie (1855 -1905)

Image from Vanity Fair Magazine Lady Florence Caroline Dixie (1855 -1905), daughter of the 7th marquess of Queensberry. Authoress, war correspondent and traveller. From an early age Florence showed a fondness for sport and travel together with a facility for writing. After marrying, she combined these talents in a journey to Patagonia and published Across Patagonia in 1880. In 1879 she was the war correspondent for the Morning Post , covering the Anglo Zulu war in Southern Africa. Arriving too late, she justified her visit by interviewing the defeated King Cetshwayo. Impressed by his dignity she returned home to successfully campaign for his re-instatement. She had strong views on African politics, publishing In the Land of Misfortune in 1882. Dixie played a key role is establishing the game of women's association football, organising exhibition matches for charity, and in 1895 she became President of the British Ladies' Football Club, stipulating that &quo

The Defence of Rorke's Drift - Corporal William Wilson Allen

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."

Rorke's Drift Tours

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