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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. |
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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.
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| 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.
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