Who were the men who fought for their lives with such unwavering courage on the fateful night of 22 January 1879, against an army of Zulu warriors at Rorke’s Drift in South Africa; the battle during the Zulu War which was depicted in the 1964 motion picture Zulu! The defenders fought with such gallantry that 11 Victoria Crosses were awarded to them; the total for a single action which has never been equalled since.

In carefully-presented biographical tributes to men who have been a part of his life since he was ten years old, ‘The Defenders of Rorke’s Drift’ from the respected historian James W. Bancroft tells the stories of who they were, what happened to them during their military careers, and what the future held for them.

The main source for the book is the JWB Historical Archive, compiled over five decades, and in addition to the comprehensive bibliography, James has included all reference numbers to items such as War Office papers, birth, marriage and death certificates, and other official documentation he consulted, and in many cases from where he acquired them.

The result is a fitting tribute to the defenders, and no bookshelf concerning the history of the Zulu War is complete without one.