History — Military history — List of battles

Battle before: Battle of Isandlwana
Battle after: ?

Battle of Rorke's Drift
Conflict	Zulu War
Date	January 22-January 23, 1879
Place	Rorke's Drift, South Africa
Result	British victory
Combatants Britain Zulu Nation Commanders John Rouse Merriott Chard ? Strength 139 Approximately 4000-5000 men Casualties 17 dead and 15 wounded 500-600 men

Rorke's Drift was a mission station in Natal, South Africa. The defense of Rorke's Drift (January 22 - 23 1879) during the Anglo-Zulu War, immediately followed the British Army's humiliating defeat at the Battle of Isandlwana earlier in the day. At Rorke's Drift approximately 150 British soldiers defended their garrison against an intense assault by roughly 5000 Zulu warriors. In the ensuing action, eleven Victoria Crosses were won, the largest number of VCs awarded during a single action in British military history.

The events surrounding the assault on Rorke's Drift were dramatised in the film Zulu in 1964. In 1979 the battle at Isandhlwana was dramatised in the film Zulu Dawn.

See also

• List of Zulu War Victoria Cross recipients

External links

• Extensive information about the action at Rorke's Drift. (http://www.rorkesdriftvc.com/)
• Excellent minute by minute detail. (http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/19thcentury/rorkesdrift/default.aspx/)