ZULU - In search of a legend.

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We went on a trip to Wales at the weekend, as there was a militaria market in Brecon. Brecon used to be the home of the 24th Regiment of Foot, later the South Wales Borderers and now the Royal Regiment of Wales.
Next to the depot is the Regimental museum, which is well worth a visit for anyone at all interested in such things.
The survivors and V.C. winners from the Battle of Rorke's Drift died and were buried in many places, including India, South Africa and the Indian Ocean. Several however lie not too far from Brecon and I made the effort to try to find them.
You may know that my youngest son is a fan of the film Zulu and likes to dress the part on every possible occasion. Nowhere has he attracted as much interest and comment as in Brecon though! He was let off the 50p child's entrance fee into the militaria fair by the doorman, who happened to be a collector of Martini-Henrys, owning no fewer than eleven. He later found an example and showed my son how the action worked, though he is fairly familiar with it from the film!
Also in the show fair was a stall manned by the 1879 group and they gave my son a glassfibre tropical helmet which had been worn by an extra in the film Zulu Dawn.

Monmouth Cemetery: The grave of William Allan V.C.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wilson_Allen

The enormous, ancient and excellently preserved Norman church at Peterchurch, Herefordshire. Next to it is a completely hollow yew tree, of uncertain but extreme age.
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The grave of Robert Jones, V.C. Peterchurch churchyard.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Jones_(VC)
Private 593, Robert Jones, was played by Denys Graham in the Film. Graham also played Private Frazer in the film "Dunkirk" and Flying Officer L.G. Knight, D.S.O. in the film "The Dambusters"

Inside Brecon Cathedral: The regimental chapel is in the North Transept, on the left between the two arches in front.
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The amazing font with it's celtic carving, far older than the 12th century cathedral.
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Brass plaque in the cathedral in memory of Major Gonville Bromhead, V.C. A mere lieutenant when he commanded B company, 2nd battalion, 24th regiment of foot in the defence of Rorke's Drift. He is buried in India.
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Brass plaque in memory of Sergeant Henry Hook V.C. A private when he earned his medal defending the hospital and evacuating the sick from the burning building at Rorke's Drift.
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Outside the Regimental Museum: The helmet is the film prop from the film starring Peter O'Toole, Burt Lancaster and John Mills.
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The shield and assegai are genuine relics from Rorke's Drift, picked up the morning after the battle, held by the museum.
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Some of the actual Victoria Crosses awarded for the defence of Rorke's Drift by Queen Victoria. Top centre is Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead, 24th Foot, who is buried in India. (He was of course played by Michael Caine in the film.)
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One of the dioramas in the museum: On the right the burning hospital is being evacuated.
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Down to the beach for a play. Note the sphinx collar badges, replicas sold by the mueum shop.
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St. Cadoc's Church, Trevethin, Gwent. John Jobbins, a defender of Rorke's Drift who did not win a V.C. is buried here but the graveyard is huge and much of it is so overgrown with brambles and nettles that reading inscriptions is a painful and fruitless exercise.
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The graves of soldiers who died in action are maintained by the War Graves Commission though and there are a number here, including some of the South Wales Borderers.
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The grave of John Williams V.C. at Llantarnam, Gwent. He was born John Fielding but I have not discovered the reason for the name change.
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James Keefe, another defender of Rorke's Drift is buried nearby in Ebbw Vale but the area of the graveyard in which he lies has been levelled. Time was pressing so we did not detour to find the spot.

Finally, back in England in the Beautiful Gloucestershire countryside we reached the ancient church at Churcham.
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Here behind the church and close to, ironically, a cattle farm, is the grave of Henry Hook V. C.
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How friggin cool is this post!? Thanks. Sadly I can't see the pictures at the moment but you can bet I'll be checking them out when I get back home.
 
Thanks for the pics.

Great looking lad you have coming along. Good for you!
 
It is good to see a young lad interested in his heritage. The experiences of these soldiers shaped our lives.
 
Hey! What about us? There we were minding our own business and along came a bunch of guys in red coats........well, the rest is history.


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:D






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[youtube]IWuaSww3JnA&feature=related[/youtube]

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Awesome bit of history there. Awesome movie too. On the movie note, I highly recommend Sergei Bonderchuk's "Waterloo" - it features a lot of the same actors as in Zulu, the staging of the battle scenes is incredible, and Rod Steiger and Christopher Plummer play an amazing Napoleon and Wellington, respectively.
 
Thankyou so much for your photos and effort.
Very moving as well as informative.
Did I hear 'Men of Harlech' being sung as I was viewing just now?
Thankyou again.
 
Thankyou so much for your photos and effort.
Very moving as well as informative.
Did I hear 'Men of Harlech' being sung as I was viewing just now?
Thankyou again.
Thank you!
It is Men of Harlech. Private Owen, who begins the singing, was played by Ivor Emmanuel, who was a singer by trade not an actor.
There are at least 20 different lyrics to the song but this version was written especially for the film.
 
Cornwall born Viet Nam War medal winner, Rick Rescorla sang a version during the evacuation of the WTC.

At 8:46 a.m., American Airlines Flight 11 struck World Trade Center Tower 1 (see September 11, 2001 attacks). Rescorla, following his evacuation plans, ignored building officials' advice to stay put and began the orderly evacuation of Morgan Stanley's 2,700 employees on twenty floors of World Trade Center Tower 2, and 1,000 employees in WTC 5. Rescorla reminded everyone to "...be proud to be an American ...everyone will be talking about you tomorrow", and sang God Bless America and other military and Cornish songs over his bullhorn to help evacuees stay calm as they left the building, including an adaptation of the song Men of Harlech:

Men of Cornwall stop your dreaming;
Can't you see their spearpoints gleaming?
See their warriors' pennants streaming
To this battlefield.
Men of Cornwall stand ye steady;
It cannot be ever said ye
for the battle were not ready;
Stand and never yield!


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Rescorla
 
Awesome bit of history there. Awesome movie too. On the movie note, I highly recommend Sergei Bonderchuk's "Waterloo" - it features a lot of the same actors as in Zulu, the staging of the battle scenes is incredible, and Rod Steiger and Christopher Plummer play an amazing Napoleon and Wellington, respectively.

Great post . Anyone know where i can get acopy of waterloo in the u.s.
 
Great post . Anyone know where i can get acopy of waterloo in the u.s.
ebay?

Eg: 150449336217

Also Zulu:
150453717394

And Zulu Dawn:
280517959321

Zulu Dawn, about the battle of Isandlwana, is a less good film than Zulu but is much more historically accurate.
 
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Did you had the opportunity to visit St. Martins church in Hereford?
The two-two Regiments book of condolence is located there, and there are a lot of graves of members located in the cemetary.
89 Ross Road
Hereford HR2 7RJ, United Kingdom
 
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