SIDE VIEW: BROKEN MEMORIAL (GRAVE) OF MAJOR GONVILLE BROMHEAD,VC ALONG WITH THE REGIMENTAL MEMORIAL OF SOUTH WALES BORDERERS
BACK VIEW
ENGRAVING OF BROKEN STONE
CLOSE VIEWHero of Rorke’s Drift, Major Gonville Bromhead, V.C. of the 2nd Battalion 24th Regiment (later South Wales Borderers) might have never imagined during his life span that one day his Memorial at grave in "The New Cantonment Cemetery, Allahabad, India" would be left broken on the earth surrounded by animal waste. This is what the beautifully sculpted historical monument stands today at Allahabad completely in a bizarre condition. To all, it gives a feeling of shame after visiting this site; one may also think on the fate of a gallantry soldier sacrificing his life for the honour and pride of the nation. That one day, the same nation would put your honour in the dust. Major Gonville Bromhead was not a politician rather a true patriot who obeyed the will of the nation in the highest tradition. A true soldier of the great Army, for whose deeds, the entire nation owes a lot.
Gonville Bromhead was born in Versailles, France to Sir Edmund de Gonville Bromhead Bart and Judith Christine (née Wood) daughter of James Wood Esq. of Woodville, Sligo. He was educated at Magnus Grammar School, Newark, joined the 24th Regiment as an Ensign on the 20th April, 1867. Served in the South African War of 1877 to 1879, he was mentioned in Dispatches (London Gazette dated 1st March and 15th March, 1879). Promoted to Captain and was given the Brevet of a Major. He also received the South African Medal with clasp as well as being awarded the Victoria Cross.
He died of typhoid at Camp Dabhaura, Allahabad, India on 9th. February 1892 and was buried at Plot B-1, Grave 66, New Cantonment Cemetery, Allahabad, India. A Memorial with a plaque in the Havard Chapel and his name on the colour pole in Brecon Cathedral. Other Memorials at Magnus Grammar School, Newark on Trent and in Thurlby Church, Lincolnshire.
Alongside the Grave at Allahabad Cemetery is The 24th Regiment Memorial with the engraving of following Veterans from the Anglo-Zulu War:
Lieut. Col. J.J. Harvey DSO
Sergeant J.A. Whellor
Drummer D. Kinchenton
Private A. Ker
Private T. Mitchell
(Other names are however, too difficult to read)
His Digest of Citation reads “On 22nd and 23rd January, 1879 at Rourke's Drift, Natal, South Africa, Lieutenant Bromhead shared the command of the defenders of the post with Lieutenant J.R.M. Chard (Reg No.203) of the Royal Engineers, setting a fine example and conducting himself with great gallantry in most trying circumstances.”
The London Gazette 2nd May, 1879 mentioned “Lieut. Chard, Royal Engineers, and Lieut. Gonville S. Bromhead, 2nd Battn. 24th Regt. For their gallant conduct at the defence of Rourke's Drift, on the occasion of the attack by the Zulus on the 22nd and 23rd of June, 1879.The Lieut. General commanding the troops, in his report, stated that if it was not for the fine conduct and excellent behaviour of these two officers under the most trying circumstances, the defence of Rorke's Drift post would not have been conducted with that intelligence and tenacity which so essentially characterised it. He was presented with his Victoria Cross at a ceremony held on the 22nd of August 1879 at Utrecht, Holland by Sir Garnet Wolseley. Major Bromhead served in the Burmese Expedition of 1885 and 1887-9 receiving the Medal and two clasps.”
Battle: The Defence of Rorke's Drift, 22nd and 23rd of January, 1879 South Africa “In January 1879 the British invaded KwaZulu in South Africa, without the sanction of the Home Government, in a war brought about by the misguided policy of "Confederating" Southern Africa under the direction of the Governor-General Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere. The fiercely independent AmaZulu people refused to lay down their arms and accept British rule over the Sovereign Kingdom. The British General Officer Commanding, Lord Chelmsford, despite having abundant military intelligence on the AmaZulu, had a misconceived idea of the fighting prowess of his enemy. The result was that on 22nd January a British force of seventeen hundred strong, was attacked and only some four hundred men, of whom only some eighty Europeans, survived at a place called Isandhlwana.
Prince Dabulamanzi kaMpande commanded an impi, the Undi 'corps' of 4,500. His men had played little part in the action at Isandhlwana, but goaded on by his men, and despite the orders of his brother, King Cetshwayo kaMpande, not to cross the Buffalo River into Natal, he chose to attack the British supply base close to a river crossing known as Rorke's Drift, which the AmaZulu called KwaJimu.
The post was established in a trading store-cum-mission station that consisted of a dwelling house and a chapel, both sturdily built of stone. The house was doing temporary duty as a field hospital, the chapel was full of stores and there were only 104 men who were fit enough to fight. The command of the post had passed to Lieutenant Chard of the Royal Engineers, when Major Henry Spalding of the 104th Regiment left on the morning of the 22nd January. Commanding a company-strength was Lieutenant Bromhead of the 24th Regiment.* James Langley Dalton, a volunteer serving as an Acting Assistant Commissary and a former Staff Sergeant, ordered the construction of barricades connecting the two buildings with sacks of corn, and an inner barricade with biscuit boxes.
When the Zulus attacked, wielding their short stabbing assegais, they were unable to reach the men behind the barricades and they were blasted by rifle fire at point blank range. Most of those who did mount the breastwork were repulsed by the bayonets of the defenders. Some of the Zulus were armed with rifles, purchased from unscrupulous traders, but they were not trained marksmen and the British soldiers were able to pick them off at long range.
After a number of unsuccessful attacks the Zulus set fire to the hospital, burst in and began to spear the patients. A private named Alfred Henry Hook, a Gloucestershire man, kept them at bay with his bayonet while his friend John Williams hacked holes in the wall separating one room from another and dragged the patients through one by one, the last man had dislocated his knee. Williams had to break the other to get him out of a window and into the yard where the barricades offered some protection.
Fighting went on all night in the fitful glare from the blazing hospital as the Zulus made charge after charge on the barricades. Both sides fought with desperate courage. A patient from the hospital, a Swiss born adventurer Christian Ferdnand Schiess, stabbed three Zulus in quick succession after he had clambered over the breastwork. In the yard Surgeon James Henry Reynolds tended to the wounded, oblivious to the life and death struggle going on all around him. Those too badly hurt to shoot propped themselves up as best they could and reloaded the guns, and re-supplied ammunition to those who were still on their feet.
When dawn came at last, the Zulus drew off taking their wounded with them and leaving at least 351 dead around the barricades. Later Lord Chelmsford arrived on the scene with a column of British Soldiers.
Lieutenants Chard and Bromhead were both awarded the Victoria Cross, as were the redoubtable privates Alfred Hook, Frederick Hitch, Robert Jones, William Jones, Corporal Allen, James Langley Dalton and Pte. John Williams. Surgeon Reynolds got the Cross for tending the wounded under fire; and the Swiss volunteer Christian Schiess - the first to a soldier serving with South Africa forces.”
The post was established in a trading store-cum-mission station that consisted of a dwelling house and a chapel, both sturdily built of stone. The house was doing temporary duty as a field hospital, the chapel was full of stores and there were only 104 men who were fit enough to fight. The command of the post had passed to Lieutenant Chard of the Royal Engineers, when Major Henry Spalding of the 104th Regiment left on the morning of the 22nd January. Commanding a company-strength was Lieutenant Bromhead of the 24th Regiment.* James Langley Dalton, a volunteer serving as an Acting Assistant Commissary and a former Staff Sergeant, ordered the construction of barricades connecting the two buildings with sacks of corn, and an inner barricade with biscuit boxes.
When the Zulus attacked, wielding their short stabbing assegais, they were unable to reach the men behind the barricades and they were blasted by rifle fire at point blank range. Most of those who did mount the breastwork were repulsed by the bayonets of the defenders. Some of the Zulus were armed with rifles, purchased from unscrupulous traders, but they were not trained marksmen and the British soldiers were able to pick them off at long range.
After a number of unsuccessful attacks the Zulus set fire to the hospital, burst in and began to spear the patients. A private named Alfred Henry Hook, a Gloucestershire man, kept them at bay with his bayonet while his friend John Williams hacked holes in the wall separating one room from another and dragged the patients through one by one, the last man had dislocated his knee. Williams had to break the other to get him out of a window and into the yard where the barricades offered some protection.
Fighting went on all night in the fitful glare from the blazing hospital as the Zulus made charge after charge on the barricades. Both sides fought with desperate courage. A patient from the hospital, a Swiss born adventurer Christian Ferdnand Schiess, stabbed three Zulus in quick succession after he had clambered over the breastwork. In the yard Surgeon James Henry Reynolds tended to the wounded, oblivious to the life and death struggle going on all around him. Those too badly hurt to shoot propped themselves up as best they could and reloaded the guns, and re-supplied ammunition to those who were still on their feet.
When dawn came at last, the Zulus drew off taking their wounded with them and leaving at least 351 dead around the barricades. Later Lord Chelmsford arrived on the scene with a column of British Soldiers.
Lieutenants Chard and Bromhead were both awarded the Victoria Cross, as were the redoubtable privates Alfred Hook, Frederick Hitch, Robert Jones, William Jones, Corporal Allen, James Langley Dalton and Pte. John Williams. Surgeon Reynolds got the Cross for tending the wounded under fire; and the Swiss volunteer Christian Schiess - the first to a soldier serving with South Africa forces.”
(Film titled "ZULU" is based on this operation)
(Published by the team of "Indian Analysis" in the absence of Surender Singh)
(Source: http://www.rorkesdriftvc.com/index.html)
