"Specialising In Military History Memories"
Isandlwana (Isandhlwana)
January 22nd 1879
Commanded by Lord Chelmsford
1st & 2nd Battalions 24th Regiment of Foot
Were camped around the mountain of Isandlwana when attacked by upwards of 20,000 Zulu warriors.
The camp held a compliment of: 67 Officers and 1,707 men. They believed that their superior weapons and tactics would hold off any attack by the Zulu’s.
They were virtually annihilated:
52 Officers and 806 other ranks, 471 auxiliaries all killed. This included the very prominent Lt. Col. Anthony Durnford.
It is believed that the Zulu’s lost about 1,000 dead and many hundreds wounded.
The reason for the failure was three fold and caused ultimately by Chelmsford’s arrogant and pompous belief that he had the superior fighting force:
1) Chelmsford had split his invading force into two thus weakening it considerably.
2) He seriously underestimated the full strength of the Zulu Force he was up against.
3) The camp was not prepared for such a massive attack and actually ran out of ammunition during the battle.
Awards: VC
Private S. Wassall 80th Regiment
Lieutenant N.J.A. Coghill 1/24th Regiment
Lieutenant T. Melvill 1/24th Regiment
The battle went down in history as one of the worst ever defeats suffered by the British Army and particularly so as the victorious force were seen to be nothing but primitive natives armed with clubs and spears.
Lt. Horace Smith –Dorrien, 95th Regiment; fought at this battle and 35 years later went on to command 2 corps of the BEF during the First World War.
January 22nd 1879
Commanded by Lord Chelmsford
1st & 2nd Battalions 24th Regiment of Foot
Were camped around the mountain of Isandlwana when attacked by upwards of 20,000 Zulu warriors.
The camp held a compliment of: 67 Officers and 1,707 men. They believed that their superior weapons and tactics would hold off any attack by the Zulu’s.
They were virtually annihilated:
52 Officers and 806 other ranks, 471 auxiliaries all killed. This included the very prominent Lt. Col. Anthony Durnford.
It is believed that the Zulu’s lost about 1,000 dead and many hundreds wounded.
The reason for the failure was three fold and caused ultimately by Chelmsford’s arrogant and pompous belief that he had the superior fighting force:
1) Chelmsford had split his invading force into two thus weakening it considerably.
2) He seriously underestimated the full strength of the Zulu Force he was up against.
3) The camp was not prepared for such a massive attack and actually ran out of ammunition during the battle.
Awards: VC
Private S. Wassall 80th Regiment
Lieutenant N.J.A. Coghill 1/24th Regiment
Lieutenant T. Melvill 1/24th Regiment
The battle went down in history as one of the worst ever defeats suffered by the British Army and particularly so as the victorious force were seen to be nothing but primitive natives armed with clubs and spears.
Lt. Horace Smith –Dorrien, 95th Regiment; fought at this battle and 35 years later went on to command 2 corps of the BEF during the First World War.
Rorke’s Drift January 22nd / 23rd 1879
Was a Swedish missionary station and hospital
2nd Battalion 24th Regiment of Foot were sent to defend it against possible attack.
One company commanded by Lieutenant John Chard and seconded by Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead were stationed at the Mission with about 80 men plus 30 men sick in the hospital building.
They were attacked by upwards of 4,000 Zulu’s during the afternoon of the 22nd and they went on to fight all night through to dawn the next day, 23rd. During the fighting some 500 Zulu’s were killed with many hundreds wounded.
Lt Chards men suffered 15 men killed; 2 mortally wounded; with all the remaining having suffered minor wounds of one sort or another.
This battle remains the British Armies most heroic battle where a grossly inferior force of just 80 men saw off repeated attacks by many thousands of Zulu warriors for the loss of only 17 men. Consequently it has gone down in history as the only battle where 11 Victoria Cross awards were granted for one action.
Awards: VC
Lieutenant J.R.M. Chard Royal Engineers
Lieutenant G. Bromhead 2/24th Regiment
Surgeon J.H. Reynolds Army Medical Department
J.L. Dalton Acting Assistant Commissary
Corporal W.W. Allen 2/24th Regiment
Corporal F.C. Schiess Natal Native Contingent
Private F.Hitch 2/24th Regiment
Private A.H. Hook 2/24th Regiment
Private R. Jones 2/24th Regiment
Private W. Jones 2/24th Regiment
Private J. Williams 2/24th Regiment
Awards: Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM)
Colour Sergeant F. Bourne 2/24th Regiment
Corporal M. McMahon Army Hospital Corps
2nd Corporal F. Attwood Army Service Corps
Wheeler J. Cantwell Royal Artillery
Private W. Roy 1/24th Regiment.
Was a Swedish missionary station and hospital
2nd Battalion 24th Regiment of Foot were sent to defend it against possible attack.
One company commanded by Lieutenant John Chard and seconded by Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead were stationed at the Mission with about 80 men plus 30 men sick in the hospital building.
They were attacked by upwards of 4,000 Zulu’s during the afternoon of the 22nd and they went on to fight all night through to dawn the next day, 23rd. During the fighting some 500 Zulu’s were killed with many hundreds wounded.
Lt Chards men suffered 15 men killed; 2 mortally wounded; with all the remaining having suffered minor wounds of one sort or another.
This battle remains the British Armies most heroic battle where a grossly inferior force of just 80 men saw off repeated attacks by many thousands of Zulu warriors for the loss of only 17 men. Consequently it has gone down in history as the only battle where 11 Victoria Cross awards were granted for one action.
Awards: VC
Lieutenant J.R.M. Chard Royal Engineers
Lieutenant G. Bromhead 2/24th Regiment
Surgeon J.H. Reynolds Army Medical Department
J.L. Dalton Acting Assistant Commissary
Corporal W.W. Allen 2/24th Regiment
Corporal F.C. Schiess Natal Native Contingent
Private F.Hitch 2/24th Regiment
Private A.H. Hook 2/24th Regiment
Private R. Jones 2/24th Regiment
Private W. Jones 2/24th Regiment
Private J. Williams 2/24th Regiment
Awards: Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM)
Colour Sergeant F. Bourne 2/24th Regiment
Corporal M. McMahon Army Hospital Corps
2nd Corporal F. Attwood Army Service Corps
Wheeler J. Cantwell Royal Artillery
Private W. Roy 1/24th Regiment.
Disclaimer:
We acquire material for this website from a number of very different sources ranging from the interviewing of local people, the generosity of museum staff, the National Archives and extracts from relevant existing publications both long out of print and current. Where exact sources can be traced and identified we will always endeavour to credit accordingly; any omissions or lapses of this procedure are purely accidental and no malice is intended. Should a reader of this website feel that improper attention to the crediting of a source has occurred then please let us know immediately so that the oversight can be rectified?
We acquire material for this website from a number of very different sources ranging from the interviewing of local people, the generosity of museum staff, the National Archives and extracts from relevant existing publications both long out of print and current. Where exact sources can be traced and identified we will always endeavour to credit accordingly; any omissions or lapses of this procedure are purely accidental and no malice is intended. Should a reader of this website feel that improper attention to the crediting of a source has occurred then please let us know immediately so that the oversight can be rectified?
Copyright Steve Sullivan, January 2020
Email: blighty-at-war@outlook.com
Email: blighty-at-war@outlook.com
