Welsh victory.

Why did Rorke’s Drift go down in the History books? As a Welsh victory. It doesn’t bother me, but just wondered why.

South Wales Borderers

Mr G. In 1879 The regiment was know as the 24th Regiment of Foot which became part of the South Wales Borderers and then the Royal Regiment of Wales.

The Regimental Depot had been established at Brecon, in South Wales, in 1873, By 1879 there was a considerable increase in Welsh recruits within the ranks. Like every regiment in the British army - recruits were signed on at recruiting depots across the country, and the 24th consisted of men from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

This led to a somewhat higher proportion of Welshman in the ranks.

Nonetheless, a search of the regimental roll can find only 19 men of B Company, 2/24th, with any sort of Welsh association making a total garrison of about 140. So the Welsh deputation encompass no more than 15% of the entirety.

See the regimental stories thread on here started by Neil
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Subject: Regimental Stories Tuesday 20th Sept Sat 17 Sep - 21:16

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Just to let you know, BBC 4 at 20.30 Regimental stories is showing, and the first in the series is the Royal Welsh. Hopefully the footage they took with Bill at the Museum at Brecon, then with myself and Keith on the range at Stennybridge with the squaddies and Martini's is featured. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]


IN THIS DOCUMENTARY, THE NARRATOR STATED THAT 1 OUT OF EVERY 3 MEN IN B COMPANY 24TH, WHO DEFENDED RD, WAS A WELSHMAN.
If we assume that the research in this excellent documentary is reliable (and I am not nearly expert enough to verify this) then there is your answer.
After the Carden reforms, this regiment recruited solely from Wales, as opposed to Wales AND elsewhere, so at the time, this was the nearest the Army had to a "Welsh Regiment."
If we are to get pinickity over this as a Welsh Victory, then we will need to be equally pinickity over the Scots' Victory of their thin red line tipped with steel at Balaklava, and credit Her Majesty's Army's Victories from the Napoleonic Wars onwards, not as British, but as Irish victories in the main.