Rorkes Drift

Military art prints of Rorkes Drift during the Zulu Wars. Defence of Rorke's Drift historical prints published by Cranston Fine Arts.

Defence of Rorkes Drift. After the British Defeat and the Zulu victory at isandhlwana. Zulu Chief Cetawayo entered northern Natal that night. On a tributary of the Tugela River stood the British garrison of 140 troops under the command of Lt Chard at Rorkes Drift. the Zulu force of 4,000 attacked the garrison repeatedly, using their assagais, (also with Rifles form the hillside, taken form the dead British troops at isandhlwana.) The attacks lasted all night through 22nd into the 23rd. in the morning the Zulu withdrew, but only having lost 400 dead in the fighting. The British suffered 25 casualties. for this achievement of holding rorkes drift a total of 11 Victoria Crosses were received.

By about 6pm the Zulu attacks had extended all around the front of the post, and fighting raged at hand-to-hand along the mealie-bag wall. Lieutenant Chard himself took up a position on the barricade, firing over the mealie-bags with a Martini-Henry, whilst Lieutenant Bromhead directed any spare men to plug the gaps in the line. The men in the yard and on the front wall were dangerously exposed to the fire of Zulu marksmen posted in the rocky terraces on Shiyane (Oskarsberg) hill behind the post. Several men were hit, including Acting Assistant Commissary Dalton, and Corporal Allen of the 14th. Surgeon Reynolds treated the wounded as best he could despite the fire. Once the veranda at the front of the hospital had been abandoned, the Zulus had mounted a determined attack on the building itself, setting fire to the thatched roof with spears tied with burning grass. The defenders were forced to evacuate the patients room by room, eventually passing them out through a small window into the open yard. Shortly after 6pm Chard decided that the Zulu pressure was too great, and ordered a withdrawal to a barricade of biscuit boxes which had been hastily erected across the yard, from the corner of the store-house to the front mealie-bag wall. In this small compound the garrison would fight for their lives throughout most of the coming night. Text supplied by Zulu War Author Ian Knight.

The VC Winners: Lieutenant J.R.M. Chard, R.E.; Lieutenant G. Bromhead, 2/24th; Surgeon J.H. Reynolds, A.M.D.; Acting Assistant Commissary J.L. Dalton, C. & T.D.; Corporal Allen, 2/24th; Corporal C.F. Schiess, N.N.C.; Privates F. Hitch, A.H. Hook, R. Jones, W. Jones, J. Williams, 2/24th.

Frederick Hitch

Hitch was associated with William Allen VC in a most courageous defence of a dangerous and important position. By their steady fire the two men held open the communication between the hospital and the Inner Defence, enabling the wounded to be carried across, when the Zulus had set light to the thatched building. He was very badly hit by a roughly made Zulu bullet, which inflicted a fearful gash on his shoulder, no less than thirty-six pieces of bone being taken away afterwards from the wound. He was presented with the Cross by Queen Victoria at Netley Hospital on his return in the summer of 1879.

Born at Southgate in Middlesex on 28th November 1856. Previous to the Zulu War, he had served through the Kaffir War of 1877-8. After leaving the Army held held the position of one of the Right of the Line Corps of Commissionaires at the Imperial Institute. He later drove a cab in London, owning two horses for the purpose.

The DCM Winners: Col. Sgt. F.E. Bourne2/24th; 2nd Corp. F. Attwood, A.S.C.; 2nd Corp. M. McMahon, A.H.C.;Wheeler J. Cantwell, R.A.; Pte W. Roy, 1/24th.

This Heroic Little Garrison, Defence of Rorke's Drift. By Chris Collingwood. Men of the 24th of foot, or 2nd Warwickshire regiment (later in 1881 to become the South Wales Borderers) repel the massed Zulus attempting to smash through the mealie bag entrenchment. At the conclusion of the battle, hundreds of Zulus lay dead. According to official figures the British lost 25 men, 11 Victoria crosses were awarded.
Stand Firm the 24th (Rorkes Drift) by Chris Collingwood. During the battle for Rorkes Drift, 24th Warwickshires man the improvised ramparts of the inner barricade as the Zulu attack reaches its height.

Defence of Rorkes Drift by Lady Butler. The Defense of Rorke's Drift by Alphonse De Neuville.

Defence of Rorke's Drift by Brian Palmer Men of the 24th Foot defend Rorkes Drift against an overwhelming number of Zulus near the barricades, and the hand to hand fighting. Surgeon Reynolds can be seen attending a wounded soldier.

Defence of Rorkes Drift, 1879 by Henry Dupray
Victoria Cross Winners at the Defence of Rorke's Drift, January 22nd-23rd 1879 by S Liptrot
Individuals shown: Lieutenant G. Bromhead, Lieutenant J.R.M. Chard, Private F. Hitch, Corporal W.W. Allen, Private W. Jones, Private J. Williams, Private R. Jones, Surgeon J.H. Reynolds, J.L Dalton and Private A. Hook.

Rorkes Drift 22nd January 1879 - Defending the Hospital by Jason Askew

Rorkes Drift 22nd January 1879 - Defending the Store House by Jason Askew

Into The Fire by Mark Churms Crouching low behind their shields, the warriors of the uThulwans, iNdlondo and uDloko regiments advance around the foot of Shiyane hill. Led by their commander, Prince Dabulamnzi kaMpnade, the main Zulu force attacks the British outpost at Rorke's Drift, 4.50pm, 2nd January 1879.