This Heroic Little Garrison,
defence of Rorke's Driftt
by
C h r i s C o l l i n g w o o d

Fanatastic new painting of the Zulu war epic stand of the 24th regiment South Wales Borderers at Rorkes drift. By about 6pm the Zulu attacks had extended all around the front of the post, and fighting raged at hand-to-hand along the mealie-bag wall. Lieutenant Chard himself took up a position on the barricade, firing over the mealie-bags with a Martini-Henry, whilst Lieutenant Bromhead directed any spare men to plug the gaps in the line. The men in the yard and on the front wall were dangerously exposed to the fire of Zulu marksmen posted in the rocky terraces on Shiyane (Oskarsberg) hill behind the post. Several men were hit, including Acting Assistant Commissary Dalton, and Corporal Allen of the 14th. Surgeon. Reynolds treated the wounded as best he could despite the fire. Once the veranda at the front of the hospital had been abandoned, the Zulus had mounted a determined attack on the building itself, setting fire to the thatched roof with spears tied with burning grass. The defenders were forced to evacuate the patients room by room, eventually passing them out through a small window into the open yard. Shortly after 6pm Chard decided that the Zulu pressure was too great, and ordered a withdrawal to a barricade of biscuit boxes which had been hastily erected across the yard, from the corner of the store-house to the front mealie-bag wall. In this small compound the garrison would fight for their lives throughout most of the coming night. Text supplied by Zulu War Author Ian Knight.
Men of the 24th of foot, or 2nd Warwickshire regiment (later in 1881 to become the South Wales Borderers) repel the massed Zulus attempting to smash through the mealie bag entrenchment. at the conclusion of the battle, hundreds of Zulus lay dead, According to official figures the British lost 25 men, 11 Victoria crosses were awarded.
Print serial number DHM1197

Edition Size: 1,150 S/N, 50 Artist Proof and 50 Giclee on Canvas
Image Size: 25” x 16” and Giclee Size: 30 are 40" x 30" (Large) and 20 are 30" x 26" (regular)
S/N Price: $140.00 [Order] [Checkout]
Artist Proof Price: $190.00 [Order] [Checkout]
Large Giclee on Canvas Price: $1,060.00 [Order] [Checkout]
Regular Giclee on Canvas Price: $880.00 [Order] [Checkout]
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