Editing Battle of Rorke's Drift (section)

==Awards==
{{Main|List of Zulu War Victoria Cross recipients}}

Eleven [[Victoria Cross]]es were awarded to the defenders of Rorke's Drift, seven of them to soldiers of the 2nd/24th Foot – the most ever received for a single action by one regiment. (The most awarded in a day is 16 for actions at the [[Battle of Inkerman]], on 5 November 1854; in a single action, 28 were awarded as a result of the [[Siege of Lucknow|Second Relief of Lucknow]], 14–22 November 1857).<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=24717|pages=3177–3178|date=2 May 1879}}</ref> Four [[Distinguished Conduct Medal]]s were also awarded.

This high number of awards for bravery has been interpreted as a reaction to the earlier defeat at the [[Battle of Isandlwana]] – the extolling of the victory at Rorke's Drift drawing the public's attention away from the great defeat at Isandlwana and the fact that Lord Chelmsford and [[Henry Bartle Frere]] had instigated the war without the approval of Her Majesty's Government.<ref>Edward M. Spiers, ''The Scottish Soldier and Empire, 1854–1902'', Edinburgh University Press, 2006, p. 41. {{ISBN|978-0-7486-2354-9}} Also: Ian Knight, ''Zulu War'', Osprey, 2004, p. 9, "By late 1878 Frere had manipulated a diplomatic crisis with the Zulus&nbsp;..." Colenso 1880, pp. 261–262, "the terms&nbsp;... are evidently such as he (Cetshwayo) may not improbably refuse, even at the risk of war&nbsp;... to preclude you from incurring the delay&nbsp;... involved in consulting Her Majesty's Government upon a subject of so much importance as the terms&nbsp;..." Also: Ian Knight, ''Zulu War'', Osprey, 2004, p. 11, "...&nbsp;an ultimatum with which, Frere knew, they could not possibly comply."</ref>

Sir [[Garnet Wolseley]], taking over as commander-in-chief from Lord Chelmsford later that year, was unimpressed with the awards made to the defenders of Rorke's Drift, saying "it is monstrous making heroes of those who, shut up in buildings at Rorke's Drift, could not bolt and fought like rats for their lives, which they could not otherwise save".<ref>ed. Preston A. (1973) ''Sir Garnet Wolseley's South African Journal''. Cape Town: Balkema. pp 256–257.</ref>

Several historians{{clarify|date=February 2023}} have challenged this assertion and pointed out that the victory stands on its own merits, regardless of other concerns. [[Victor Davis Hanson]] responded to it directly in ''Carnage and Culture'' (also published as ''Why the West Has Won''), saying, "Modern critics suggest such lavishness in commendation was designed to assuage the disaster at Isandhlwana and to reassure a skeptical Victorian public that the fighting ability of the British soldier remained unquestioned. Maybe, maybe not, but in the long annals of military history, it is difficult to find anything quite like Rorke's Drift, where a beleaguered force, outnumbered 40 to one, survived and killed 20 men for every defender lost".<ref>Hanson, V. D. (2001). ''Why the West Has Won: Carnage and Culture from Salamis to Vietnam''. London: Faber. p. 333. {{ISBN|978-0-571-20417-5}}.</ref>

===Victoria Cross===

'''Source:'''<ref>Whybra 2004, pp. 71–72.</ref>
[[File:Victoria Cross Winners- Pre 1914. Q80569.jpg|thumb|Picture taken about 1884 at the site of the battle, allegedly showing VC recipients including Bromhead and Reynolds. Man in rear wearing Foreign Service helmet is not Corporal Schiess but [[Alan Richard Hill]] V.C.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.1879zuluwar.com/t1014-cpl-christian-ferdinand-schiess|title=Cpl. Christian Ferdinand Schiess|website=www.1879zuluwar.com}}</ref>]]
* Lieutenant [[John Rouse Merriott Chard]], 5th Field Coy, [[Royal Engineers]]
* Lieutenant [[Gonville Bromhead]]; B Coy, [[South Wales Borderers|24th (The 2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot]] (2nd/24th Foot)
* Corporal [[William Wilson Allen]]; B Coy, 2nd/24th Foot
* Private [[Frederick Hitch]]; B Coy, 2nd/24th Foot
* Private [[Alfred Henry Hook]]; B Coy, 2nd/24th Foot
* Private [[Robert Jones (VC)|Robert Jones]]; B Coy, 2nd/24th Foot
* Private [[William Jones (VC)|William Jones]]; B Coy, 2nd/24th Foot
* Private [[John Williams (VC)|John Williams]]; B Coy, 2nd/24th Foot
* Surgeon-Major [[James Henry Reynolds]]; [[Royal Army Medical Corps|Army Medical Department]]
* Acting Assistant Commissary [[James Langley Dalton]]; [[Commissariat and Transport Department]]
* Corporal [[Christian Ferdinand Schiess]]; 2nd/3rd Natal Native Contingent

In 1879, there was no provision for the posthumous granting of the Victoria Cross. Private Joseph Williams, B Coy, 2nd/24th Foot, was killed during the fight in the hospital and was [[mentioned in despatches]] that "had he lived he would have been recommended for the Victoria Cross."<ref>Snook 2006, pp. 96–99.</ref>
{{clear}}
<gallery heights="160">
File:Image-John Rouse Merriott Chard2.JPG|[[John Chard]], VC, as a [[lieutenant-colonel]]
File:Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead.jpg|Lieutenant [[Gonville Bromhead]],VC
File:Défense de Rorke's Drift.jpg|Corporal William Allen,VC [right foreground] handing cartridges to Lt Chard
File:VCFrederickHitch.jpg|Private Frederick Hitch, VC
File:Photo of Albert Henry Hook VC.jpg|Private Henry Alfred Hook, VC
File:VCRobertJones.jpg|Private Robert Jones, VC
File:VCWilliamJones.jpg|Private William Jones, VC
File:Victoria Cross Winners- Pre 1914 Q88647.jpg|Private John Williams,VC
File:VCJamesHenryReynolds.jpg|Surgeon-Major James Henry Reynolds,VC
File:Defense of Roark's Drift by Alphonse de Neuville - Detail - Possibly Ferdinand Schiess.jpg|Corporal Ferdinand Schiess, VC
</gallery>

===Distinguished Conduct Medal===

'''Source:'''<ref name="Julian Whybra 2004 p. 72">Whybra 2004, p. 72.</ref>
[[File:Frank-bourne.jpg|thumb|upright|Sgt [[Frank Bourne]], DCM, in 1905]]
* Gunner John Cantwell; N Batt, 5th Brig [[Royal Horse Artillery]] (demoted from bombardier wheeler the day before the battle)
* Private John William Roy; 1st/24th Foot
* Colour Sergeant [[Frank Bourne|Frank Edward Bourne]]; B Coy, 2nd/24th Foot
* Second Corporal Francis Attwood; [[Royal Army Service Corps|Army Service Corps]]

On 15 January 1880, a submission for a DCM was also made for Private Michael McMahon ([[Army Hospital Corps]]). The submission was cancelled on 29 January 1880 for absence without leave and theft.<ref name="Julian Whybra 2004 p. 72"/>