Rorkes Drift Defenders

Posts : 706 Join date : 2012-05-05

How many of them continued into to Zululand after the Battle Of Rorkes Drift I know Chard took part in other Battles, but out of the private soldiers, who took part in other battles.

Subject: Re: Rorkes Drift Defenders Sat Feb 02, 2013 12:30 am

Hi Ray63.
I dont think there was to many that fought another action . Cant tell you exactly , I see Gunner Howard on an earlier post today in another thread said he was at Ulundi . If anyone will know it may be Julian , possibly send him a pm he may be able to help . The 1 / 24th and 2 / 24th didnt take part in any other Battles during the War except of course Isandlwana & R.Drift . Some may have been transferred to the Mtd Infantry but I'm only guessing , I'm sure Kris Wheatley's books on those at R.D will have that info but I'm sorry I dont have the time to go through them .
Cheers 90th

Subject: Re: Rorkes Drift Defenders Sat Feb 02, 2013 1:04 pm

I have seen some RD defenders' medals paired up with the IGS medal, so some lads will have carried on serving in India the following decade.

Posts : 706 Join date : 2012-05-05

So can I take not many carried on in to Zululand. Possibly returned to Natal or remained at RD.

Subject: Re: Rorkes Drift Defenders Sat Feb 02, 2013 1:24 pm

Ray63 wrote:: So can I take not many carried on in to Zululand. Possibly returned to Natal or remained at RD.

Ray, as 90th says, not a single member of the 1st or 2nd 24th carried on into Zululand post iSandlwana/RD for the rest of the war.
Perhaps someone else can prove otherwise? Unless a RD lad of the 24th was adopted by an officer of a different regiment as his batman, who then subsequently went back into Zululand; but this would be a possibly unique exception ... but I have yet to hear of one!
The only RD defenders who may have been involved in the AZW subsequently would be some of the non-24th men of other units and regiments, like Chard.