RORKE'S DRIFT (1) - 22nd January 1879

One hundred and forty five years ago, on the afternoon and evening of 22nd January 1879, a company (well, 141 men) of the 24th Foot (subsequently the South Wales Borderers) held off an attack by some 5,000 Zulus on the Mission Station at Rorke's Drift. Here is a list of all the officers and men present, as drawn up, in later years, by Colour Sergeant Bourne himself : 

and of equal interest, a similar list in the handwriting of Lt. Chard, RE, drawn up only some 10 days after the Battle:

A fascinating document - download and enlarge if you wish to study.

Now the Zulu War "isn't our period", as it were, although the legend of the defence of Rorke's Drift no doubt formed part of the "collective historical memory" of those who took part in the Very British Civil War of 1938. These two documents are reproduced simply because they are very interesting and, oh, also provide us with an appropriate opportunity to pay homage to one of the greatest Very British films of all time:

Stanley Baker as Lt. Chard and Michael Caine as Lt. Bromhead in Cy Endfield's 1964 classic, "Zulu".

Nigel Green as Colour Sergeant Bourne. "Because we're 'ere, lad. Nobody else. Just us."

It must be for these reasons that, many years before the "Sealed Knot" was thought of, the Hereford VBCW had its own (heavily armed, of course) group of "historical re-enactors":

Rorkes Drift Re-Enactment Society (on Field Exercises), Spring Big Game 2017 - see HERE -
Attack on an Armoured Car.