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Richard Stone | profile | all galleries >> Africa >> South Africa >> Kwazulu-Natal >> Kwazulu Natal Battlefields >> The Battle of Rorkes Drift, Anglo-Zulu War tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

The Battle of Rorkes Drift, Anglo-Zulu War


The battle at Rorkes Drift followed immediately after the defeat of the British force at Isandlwana.
In high spirits after their success, the Zulu forces under the leadership of Prince Dabulamanzi kaMpande, directly disobeyed the orders of King Cetshwayo and crossed the Buffalo river into Natal to attack the small station at Rorke's Drift.

The battle took place on the evening of the 22nd January 1879 throughout most of the night.
However the Zulu forces were unable to completely take the station and withdrew early the next morning having lost about 350 men of the original 3000 to 4000 men.
While there can be no doubt of the bravery and courage of the defenders at Rorke's drift, it seems likely that much was made of the success in order to draw attention away from the catastrophe at Isandlwana.
Eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded to the defenders for their bravery.

Re-enactment of the battle of Rorke's Drift
Re-enactment of the battle of Rorke's Drift		 Re-enactment of the battle of Rorke's Drift
Re-enactment of the battle of Rorke's Drift		 The Rorke's Dift building which was the makeshift hospital, now a museum
The Rorke's Dift building which was the makeshift hospital, now a museum		 The Rorkes Drift hospital (now a museum)
The Rorkes Drift "hospital" (now a museum)
The view from the Rorke's Drift building
The view from the Rorke's Drift building		 Prince Dabulamanzi kuMpande, the leader of the Zulu force that attacked Rorke's Drift
Prince Dabulamanzi kuMpande, the leader of the Zulu force that attacked Rorke's Drift		 Re-enactment of the patients in the makeshift hospital at Rorke's Drift
Re-enactment of the patients in the makeshift hospital at Rorke's Drift		 Zulu Bravery Necklace
Zulu Bravery Necklace
Replicas of the 11 Victoria Crosses awarded at Rorke's Drift
Replicas of the 11 Victoria Crosses awarded at Rorke's Drift		 Controversy surrounding the awarding of some many Victoria Crosses
Controversy surrounding the awarding of some many Victoria Crosses		 The remnants of the 24th Company involved at Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana taken later after the war
The remnants of the 24th Company involved at Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana taken later after the war		 Information in the Rorke's Drift museum about the defenders Bromhead, Chard and Dalton
Information in the Rorke's Drift museum about the defenders Bromhead, Chard and Dalton
A memorial at Rorke's Drift to King Cetshwayo (the Leopard), on top of Zuly Shields
A memorial at Rorke's Drift to King Cetshwayo (the Leopard), on top of Zuly Shields		 Memorial Stone at Rorke's Drift
Memorial Stone at Rorke's Drift		 Memorial to the fallen Zulu Warriors at Rorke's Drift
Memorial to the fallen Zulu Warriors at Rorke's Drift		 Rorkes Drift
Rorkes Drift
Scenery around Rorke's Drift
Scenery around Rorke's Drift

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