Zulu Series: “More Ammo, Man!” – Lieutenant John Chard

On 22 January, 32-year-old lieutenant John Rouse Merriott Chard set out for Rorke’s Drift with the news that Zulus had been spotted moving on the British camp at Isandlwana. Chard’s engineer’s eye was crucial. He decided to defend the Drift; it was a wise decision since any attempt to retreat would undoubtedly have exposed the men to a Zulu attack on the open veldt. He directed that a line of barricades be run in front of the post. His soldiers would be sheltered by a wall of mealie bags and biscuit boxes above their own head height. This put the Zulu warriors fighting with close-quarter weapons at a fatal disadvantage. The battle had cost the lives of approximately 600 Zulus, while just 17 British soldiers were killed – a testament to the effectiveness of Chard’s barricades.

Model: WB20218