The right horn of the Zulu army (4,500 men), held in reserve, sought its own unauthorised share of the glory, travelling 10km back to Rorke’s Drift to attack the British left at the outpost. Rorke’s Drift was a former trading post, operated by an Irishman with a drink probelm who had killed himself, subsequently serving as a mission. Chelmsford had left 105 British officers and men (mainly of the 24th Warwickshire, now Royal Welsh), 36 men sick with fever and dysentry and 14 ancilleries including a doctor and a pardre.
On hearing of the approaching Zulus the officers in charge Ltds Chard and Bromhead, built makeshift defences between the hospital and storeroom using wagons, bags of meal and tins of biscuit rations. The Zulu attack began at 4.30pm and continued through the night. By the times Chelmsford’s advance force arrived at 8am on 23rd January, the Britsh casualties were 17 dead and 15 wounded with the Zulu dead around 500. Against the odds, Rorke’s Drift had been held and subsequently 11 VCs were issued to the defenders.
Shilli-Fully Travels 