RORKE’S DRIFT

Hokitika Guardian, 26 January 1928, Page 4

RORKE’S DRIFT

BRITISH ARMY FEAT. Forty-nine years ago. on January 22, 1870, Koike’s Drift in Ztiltiland was the scene of one of the most mag-nic-eiit feats in the annals of the British Army. Early in the month a British force had invaded Xuliiland for the purpose of punishing Cctewayo, the Zulu cJiietain. who bad been defying the authority of the Imperial Government ever since the annexation of the Transvaal a couple of years before. A hospital and commissariat camp was established on the Ttigela River at a. spot known as Rorke’s Drift, and when the army moved on a small detachment of eighty-two men was left behind in charge of tlu* camp, which consisted of two undefended houses, one of which was in use as a hospital for thirty-nine sick and wounded soldiers. At three o'clock in the afternoon of January 22 two messengers arrived at the camp with the news that a body of 1300 British troops had been massacred at Tsandu’a by an army of over 20.000 Zulus and that the savages were marching rapidly in the direction of Rorke’s Drift. The two officers in charge of the little- garrison. Lieutenants Chard and Romhead, at uni -.- hastened to fortify the unprotected camp but the host that could la* done was Id make loon-holes in the walls of the two frail buildings and surround them with a flimsy barricade. which consisted mainly of army wagons, nioaiio bags and biscuit tins. An Ilnur am! a half later an advance pan;, ol about 100 Zulus swooped down on the camp, and. in spite of a nil hi-nng lire from the defenders. they .succeeded in getting within fifty vards "I the barricade before their advance was checked, when they were forced to retreat and take cover behind some adjacent rocks. Every minute the enemy received reinforcements. ami in a short Lime the camp was completely surrounded by over ROD!) bloodthirsty savages. Attack after attack was made and beaten ott, but on six occasions the Zulus forced their way through the bai l ic-ades and were only repulsed after spells of desperate hand-to-hand fighting, in which the defenders were outnumbered by nearly forty to one. Eventually the Zulu warriors stormed and set tile to the hospital, and while the sick na n were being removed from the burning building a little hand ol heroes delended i lie place, room by rooms, until nearly all the helpless inmates had been carried out to an improvised shelter. but a few unfortunate men had In he left to their late.

The unequal iighi raged throughout the night, and at lour o'clock in tlu* morning, when the garrison was preparing to make a final stand in a linHily-con.xtnict.ed redoubt, which consisted of two piles of menlie hags, the enemy suddenlv retired and disappeared over the neigbrniring hills. The exhausted di-P-mlcr-. who had been lighting con:-nii'u-sly for over twelve hours, did mil dare to take a nnich-neodod rest. Imt immediately commenced to ivlutild their barricade*' so as to be ready for a renewal of hostilities. At seven (.-’clock another large hand of Zulus appeared in the distance, hut tin- t:inely arrival of a strong for.-c of lirilLh troops caused ■them to heat a retreat and the galla’:'-, fight, at Rorke's Drift was over. 'I he Zulus U-ft ov< r 37il dead men around the camp and arc believed to lic.-c carried away as many more, hut the casualties of ihe heroic little garrison were only fifteen killed and twelve wounded.