The Battle Of Rorkes Drift

[buckshot roberts]

RORKES DRIFT
 
The British forces invaded Zululand at three places, the 2/24th were part of the main central thrust under the command of Lord Chelmsford. By mid-January there were 5,000 troops garrisoned at a Swedish missionary just inside the Natal border with the Buffalo river- Rorke's Drift. On January 22nd, 11 days after the deadline, Chelmsford moved his troops out. Rorke's Drift was an important staging post for supplies and B company of the 2/24th were picked to guard the post - much to their dismay. Shortly after all of Chelmsford's men had crossed the Buffalo, Major Spalding of the 2/24th rode out to Helpmakaar to find out what was happening to the company of soldiers that were to relieve B Company.
 
Whilst Spalding was away the men of B company carried on with their duties of building an enclosure around the post and several Royal Engineers, under the command of Lieutenant Chard, who was now the senior officer at the post, was building a punt across the river. Fred was relieved from his defence making duties and was asked to make the tea for the company. The stoves were several hundred yards away from the buildings but at this point in time there was no danger - despite the sound of sporadic gunfire which the wind carried around the Oskarberg, a large sphinx shaped mountain, which lay between Rorke's Drift and Isandhlwana.
 
The idyllic scene was punctured by two riders galloping furiously towards Rorke's Drift. They told Chard that over 1700 soldiers, including natives, had been annihilated by an attacking Zulu force and that the Zulus were now on their way towards Rorke's Drift. Hitch was called in and ran back carrying four kettles of tea. As soon as he was back, Lieutenant Bromhead ordered him up on to the roof of the storehouse to keep look-out. Whilst Fred was up on the roof everybody else was busy building a makeshift barricade out of anything that came to hand, waggons, mealie-bags and biscuit boxes. A rough perimeter, incorporating the two buildings was built but the news of the defeat at Isandhlwana was too much for the contingent of native kaffirs under the command of George Stephenson. He and the whole contingent fled leaving just 84 soldiers and 36 patients in the hospital to defend themselves against an onslaught of 4,000 Zulus. One of the defending soldiers fired a shot which hit a British NCO stationed with the contingent, in the back. This provoked a cheer from the remaining defenders who felt that the coward had received his just reward. Did Hitch fire that shot? He certainly had superior elevation to everybody else but as far as is known, nobody owned up to it.
 
Chard realised he now did not have enough men to man the perimeter so the area that was to be defended was reduced even further. Within one hour of the news of the disaster at Isandhlwana reaching Chard, the first shot fired out in the defense of Rorke's Drift. It was fired by Hitch on the roof. Hitch is alleged to have shouted out "Here they come! Black as hell and as thick as grass". Although some historians dispute this. Hitch fired several shots at the advancing Zulus who returned his fire but he knew they were too far off to find their mark.
 
As the Zulu's stormed towards the barricades Fred slid down from the roof and fixed his bayonet as he ran across the yard towards the north eastern corner by the hospital. The single shot Martini-Henry was not the superior weapon it was thought to be. As soon as an attacker was killed another one took his place but the defender was still trying to reload his weapon. It was close quarter fighting with the defenders relying more on the bayonet which proved more effective than the bullet.
 
At one time early in the battle Hitch shot and killed a Zulu but before he could reload another Zulu had jumped over the barricade and tried to wrestle Hitch's gun away from him. Hitch reached for a bullet and loaded it into the breach. The Zulu still had two hands on the barrel and Hitch grabbed hold of one of these hands with his and with the other pulled the trigger. The Zulu flew back towards the barricade and was dead before he hit the ground.
 
 
 

 
 
 
[size=+1]Fred Hitch in detail from 1990 painting by Keith A. Rocco[/size]
 
The Zulus withdrew for a short period and then renewed their attack on the hospital, this time with success. The men in the hospital were forced to smash their way through the walls of the building in order to escape from the Zulus. Once they had successfully managed this they had to run through a gauntlet of Zulus for about 20 yards, relying on a group of seven soldiers in an exposed position to cover for them whilst they ran for their life. Hitch was one of these soldiers as was Lieutenant Bromhead. Private Nichols was standing close to Hitch when he was shot through the head, showering Hitch in blood and brains. Privates Chick, Fagan and Scanlon were each in turn shot and killed by the fire coming from the Zulus. Corporal Schiess, who was wounded before the attack, was shot in the foot. This only left two men remaining of the original seven - Hitch and Bromhead.
 
The attack was relentless and Hitch and Bromhead defended their corner well but with Zulus attacking them from two sides their was only so much they could do. Whilst Hitch was struggling with one Zulu he could see another on the barricade taking aim at him. He felt the bullet smash into his shoulder and he fell to the floor. A Zulu stood over him in order to spear him with his assegai but Bromhead saw what was happening and shot the Zulu with his revolver.
 
Hitch was taken to the side of the hospital where a great coat was ripped up to form a bandage. After a couple of minutes he returned to Bromhead who gave him his revolver which allowed Hitch to carry on with the fighting. With ammunition running low Bromhead asked Hitch to distribute what was left among the rest of the defenders.
 

 
Detail from Lady Butler's painting showing Hitch handing out the ammunition.
 
Hitch was doing this when he was finally overcome with exhaustion, blood loss and thirst. Sitting up agianst the storehouse wall Hitch was asked by private Deakin whether he wanted (Deakin) to end it all for him now by shooting him. Hitch declined the offer and said "they have very nearly done for me and they can finish me right out when it comes to the last."
 
Hitch collapsed into a feint shortly after and awoke in the morning. Fears of another onslaught were dismissed when it was found that Lord Chelmsford and his troops were marching towards the drift. The defenders had done the impossible.
 
For the action in Fred's own words see The Cambrian account - written soon after his return to Britain whilst he was still at Netley Hospital; or the unpublished account which was written some time later.
 
Surgeon Reynold's, himself awarded a Victoria Cross, removed thirty-nine pieces of bone from Fred's smashed shoulder. From Rorke's Drift he, and the other injured soldiers were sent to Helpmakaar where, because of the lack of hygiene there, the condition of many of the soldiers grew worse. Fred was an exception to the rule and Surgeon D. Blair Brown of the Army Medical Department recorded that the "case did well".
 
From Helpmakaar Fred and the other injured soldiers were moved to Durban before being shipped back home on the Tamar.
 
On May 2nd, notice of Fred's Victoria Cross commendation appeared in the London Gazette.
 
He eventually arrived at Netley on June 10th and must have been interviewed by a reporter almost immediately as his account appeared in The Cambrian just three days later.
 
On August 12th, Queen Victoria, along with Princess Beatrice, made the journey from Osborne House on the Isle of Wight to Netley hospital where she pinned the Victoria Cross upon Fred's chest.
 
 
 
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[sav17]

hi buckshot fine piece of welsh history that
theyve got a memorial display of the weapons and uniforms from that battle at the army barracks in brecon just up the road from where i live,the regiment was based there
p.s how are you feeling now hope your on the mend my friend...................Richie

[sav17]

http://www.rrw.org.uk/museums/index.htm this a link to the museum for the regiment(south wales borderers) in brecon,they have on display i think it,s 16 victoria crosses,the highest award for valour issued to the british armed forces
I f your interested.............................................Richie

[buckshot roberts]

Sav17, Glad you liked it, I read up on Fred, it seems that he got done just like we do are VET's, "BUT A HERO HE WAS", I always liked the move ZULU, and the Wild Geese, The PATTON Museum's just a few hour drive, lot's of stuff.
:D My Friend I do'n fine, Be out bird hunt'n in the morn'n, But I'm still taken it slow.Thanks I give it a look see.

[sav17]

hi buckshot ,

glad to here your on the mend,if youve seen the movie you might understand this story i am about to tell you.
I was working in a telephone exchange down west wales(where people are really welshy if you know what i mean)and the lad i was working with was coloured(west indian)he was the laser technician we were installing fibre optic phone lines.Well he was living in crewe and turned up an hour or two after i had installed the fibres to conect and test them.As he walked in he was complainig that he couldnt find any where to stay(hotel guest house pub)all were either full or not interested,out of the blue an old engineer working in the far corner of the exchange,remarked in a strong welsh accent"you know what it is boyyo,they never forgave your lot for killing Ivor Emanuelle at rorkes drift"(Ivor was a well liked welsh singer actor the one who started them all singing "men of harlech" in the film:D )
But the upshot was the old engineer took him into his home and made him a guest fior the 4 days he was with me and paraded him all around the village like a local celebrity.H e told me was glad to be going home because his wife wouldnt stop feeding him ,not used to the old cooked breakfast,he said he felt as if he,d put on 28 pounds,and the old guys kept getting him drunk down the local social club:D :D
look after yourself now...........................Richie

[buckshot roberts]

Yep, things like that happ'n, I saw it myself onetime. I go'n to post the rest about Frank tonight, look for it, Be good.