I'm led to believe that 24th Foot Rorke's Drift memorabilia has been found in the loft of the The Hatch,Hatch Beauchamp,Somerset. A framed presentation of the engagement along with identified casualties has been found along with a photograph of two Zulus drinking bitter at the Hatch....must be from the late end of the 19th century. The intention, it has be reported,is to clean up the memorabilia and display them.
Here is the photograph of Alfred Saxty's grave at St. Woolos Cemetery, Newport. Thanks to The Scorer for supplying the image:
Rorke's Drift soldier John Manley gets Nottingham memorial The memorial for John Manley is the first one to recognise his role at Rorke's Drift Continue reading the main story Related Stories Rorke's Drift lost soldier honoured Movie myths of Zulu war's battle Memorial for Rorke's Drift hero A memorial for a soldier who fought in the Battle of Rorke's Drift has been unveiled at a Nottingham cemetery. Pte John Manley survived the battle and was buried in an unmarked grave in Carlton Cemetery, with his involvement in the famous 19th Century battle going unrecognised. It was featured in the film Zulu starring Michael Caine. Military historian Tony Higton, who organised the new memorial, said: "It has been an emotional day." Communal plot A small group of British and colonial troops held out against an assault by 4,000 Zulu warriors in the 1879 battle. Irish-born Pte Manley, who was a member of B Company 2/24th Warwickshire Regiment, first defended the hospital at Rorke's Drift and then the stores, Mr Higton said. "John Manley was a brave man... who did not receive any recognition," Mr Higton. After returning from the war, Pte Manley became a house painter and had six children after marrying Ellen Carroll. Zulu battle The defenders of Rorke's Drift: B Company 2/24th Warwickshire Regiment The battle began on 22 January 1879 and continued until the early morning of the following day It was part of the Anglo-Zulu war which broke out after the British invaded southern Africa The British victory in the war caused the end of the independent Zulu nation The British and colonial forces suffered 18 losses while Zulu losses were estimated at about 600 The events formed the basis of the Michael Caine film Zulu in 1964 Mr Higton said: "He passed away in October 1924 and is buried in Carlton Cemetery in a communal plot, until now with no memorial. That has now been rectified." Jan Jarvis, Pte Manley's great-granddaughter, thanked the members of the Diehard Company re-enactment group for attending the ceremony. "We are overwhelmed and emotional that we can now come to visit his grave and pay homage to John," she said. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-29870693
A Rorke's Drift survivor ended up buried in an unmarked pauper's grave in Swansea , historians have discovered. Private John Connolly fought in the conflict, which took place on January 22 and 23, 1879, and saw more than 150 British and colonial troops successfully defend the garrison against an intense assault by 3,000 to 4,000 Zulu warriors in Natal, Africa. The Battle of Rorke's Drift survivor buried in a pauper's grave
Lieutenant-Colonel Frank Edward Bourne OBE DCM Not one of the VC recipients, but the last survivor. At Rorke's Drift he held the rank of Colour Serjeant. Recall that at this time a DCM was the second highest award for non-officers. His radio talk, delivered in Dec 1936 in old age (he lived to be 91 and died in 1945), is here read by his grandson.
Hero of Rorke's Drift's Eyewitness Account A handwritten account of the battle of Rorke's Drift by Lieutenant John Chard of the Royal Engineers, who led the stand against the Zulu attack, sold for £175,500 at Bonhams Fine Books and Manuscripts Sale today (17 December Bonhams : Hero of Rorke's Drift's Eyewitness Account Triumphs at Bonhams Book Sale
