TIDWORTH-based The 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh commemorated the 140th Anniversary of the battle of Rorke’s Drift last Tuesday at their barracks and in South Africa.

The soldiers marked the occasion of one of the most famous battle’s in their history which saw their antecedent regiment the 24th of Foot awarded the largest number of Victoria Crosses to a single unit in any one action.

The bloody battle against Zulu Warriors on January 22, 1879 was commemorated by a series of events commencing with a Rorke’s Drift themed Physical Training session and ending with the screening of Zulu the Hollywood film which immortalised the bravery on both sides.

A small service of remembrance was conducted at the Garrison Church, in which the Padre blessed the Battalion’s Colours that had been marched through the barracks accompanied by Fusilier Llewelyn the regimental goat mascot, the Goat Major, Pioneers, the Drum Major and the Corps of Drums.

The day started much earlier for the 36 members of B ‘Rorke’s Drift’ Company, who are spending ten days touring the South African battlefields that led to the place of their namesake. They honoured the occasion at a wreath laying ceremony at Isandlwana with King Goodwill Zwelithini and 80 Zulus.

Major Ed Wilcox, the Officer Commanding, B Company has led the contingent to Kwazulu-Natal said: “It is a huge honour to be the commander of B “Rorke’s Drift” Company. It is an even greater honour to be in South Africa 140 years on and to be invited to attend the Zulu four-day programme of remembrance, to the remarkable men who fought on both sides.”

The day represented a core thread of the identity of the Royal Welsh, an important period of history and one whose legacy Captain Sam Large, a member of today’s Colour Party shared with new members of the unit.

“That shared history really underpins what it is to be a Royal Welshmen,” said Sam. “So it is important that all of our soldiers really understand that heritage and believe in it. And that really makes up our fighting spirit.

“The men at Rorke’s Drift made a massive sacrifice, 150 soldiers fought off 4,000 Zulus, if our soldiers can live that sort of grit and determination, it is only going to make them better soldiers in the future.”