142 years ago, these men of Gwent fought at Rorke's Drift

Eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded after the action, the highest number in any engagement fought by the British Army.

Many of the men of the 24th Regiment of Foot - later the South Wales Borderers - who held the position, were from Gwent. 

Just a few years ago, in 2016, the King of the Zulus visited Wales to forge cultural links with the regiment. He died earlier this month and we look back at his visit and at some of the Gwent men who took part in the famous battle.

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Rorke's Drift

Visit of the King of the Zulus

In 2016 Dorcas Cresswell, at that time chairman of the trustees of the Friends of the Royal Welsh Regimental Museum, received what she thought were nuisance calls from Eliot Nubane, a Zulu who had got her contact details from the website Never Forget Your Welsh Heroes, a campaign by the museum to digitally archive the letters of Welsh soldiers from the First World War.

Mr Nubane, who had a background in theatrical productions, wanted to establish a cultural link with the regiment that was defeated at Iswandlana and won the VCs at Rorke’s Drift, to help commemorate the visit of King Cetshwayo to Britain in 1879.

One thing led to another, and King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu enjoyed a five-day regal visit of 100 Zulus including six princes and princesses to Britain.

During his trip he met Prince Charles at the Royal Welsh Show, where the Zulu troupe performed traditional dances.

Prince Charles and a Zulu warrior at the Royal Welsh Regimental Museum in 2017

He also visited Brecon, for which Dorcas arranged for the original VCs to be brought out of the bank and put on display, attracting 3,000 visitors to the town, which the king kindly agreed to formally unveil as a sign of friendship and respect.

The visit also included a visit to the Senedd for a reception by the Welsh government, before a visit to Windsor Castle to view the records of the Anglo-Zulu war and a reception in Pall Mall.

King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu died on March 12, 2021.

John Fielding VC

Private John Fielding, from Ty Coch in Cwmbran, served as Pte John Williams and received the Victoria Cross after defending the remote station at Rorke’s Drift against 4,000 Zulus. He and around 150 soldiers faced up to 4,000 Zulus, fresh from their crushing victory over the British at Isandlwana as they descended on his tiny outpost.

Abergavenny-born Fielding joined the British Army at the age of 20 in 1877 under the assumed name of Williams. He is buried at St Michael and All Angels Church, Llantarnam.

Robert Jones VC

Robert Jones was born in Clytha near Abergavenny and was 21 years old when he fought at Rorke's Drift. A private in the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot he was awarded the VC for his heroism inside the hospital at the outpost.

He and Pte William Jones saved six out of the seven patients in hospital, firing at oncoming Zulus through a hole they had cut in the wall.

John Samuel Jobbins

A native of Pontypool and a ‘puddler’ (coal-washer) Private John Samuel Jobbins was another Gwent defender of Rorke’s Drift and received the Zulu War medal with three clasps. He died age 79 in 1934 at his home in Pontypool and was buried with full military honours.

A street in the area was been named after him, Jobbins Way, and a group of veterans discovered his grave in Trevethin cemetery after the graveyard had become overgrown by weeds and brambles.

Abraham Evans

Abraham Evans was born at Twynyrffrwd, Abersychan in 1855 and enlisted in the Royal Artillery in Newport at the age of 19 and three years after that went to South Africa where he fought in battles prior to the Zulu wars.

When the British Army, which had marched from the Cape, arrived at Rorke's Drift on the Natal border in 1879 Evans was confined to the mission hospital suffering from dysentery.

After the near-annihilation of the British Force at Isandlwana and as Zulu reserves turned against the tiny outpost at nearby Rorke's Drift, Evans manned the defences and helped repel the Zulus.

Gunner Evans died in 1915.

William Partridge

Blaina man William Partridge enlisted in the 24th Regiment of Foot in 1877 aged 20, after having previously enrolled in the Monmouthshire Militia.

He was promoted to Lance Corporal in 1878 while serving in South Africa but reverted to Private later that year.

He fought to defend the Rorke’s Drift mission station alongside the small force from the 24th Regiment of Foot. They were also joined by soldiers from the Royal Engineers and the 2nd/3rd Natal Native Contingent.

Later that year he was awarded a Good Conduct Badge South Africa Medal 1877-79 for the part he played in the war. He died aged 71 in 1930.