Sir, – Your report of the forthcoming auction of Zulu war pictures by William Whitelock Lloyd is very interesting (Home News, July 4th).
The terrible defeat of the British, colonial and some black African force at the battle of Isandlwana reminds me that it is probably little known in Ireland that most of the British dead were from the 1st Battalion 24th Regiment of Foot, which consisted almost entirely of Irishmen. Two officers were detailed to save the regimental colours but were pursued and killed.
One, Lieut Teignmouth Melvill, was English, the other, Lieut Nevill Coghill, was a Dubliner. They were the first two to be awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously.
Today the 24th Foot is the South Wales Borderers and is credited as having fought at Isandlwana, so people think that it was Welshmen who were involved.
The subsequent battle at Rorke’s Drift, which was made into the film Zulu many years ago, was fought at a place named after an Irishman, James Rorke, who had a trading store there. – Yours, etc,