Battle of Rorke's Drift close to defeating the much smaller garrison, but were ultimately repelled. Eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded to the defenders, along with a number of other decorations and honours. Rorke's Drift, known as "kwaJimu" ("Jim's Land") in the Zulu language, was a mission station and the former trading post of James Rorke, an Irish merchant. It was located near a drift, or ford, on the Buffalo (Mzinyathi) River, which at the time formed the border between the British colony of Natal and the Zulu Kingdom. On 9 January 1879, the British No. 3 (Centre) Column, under Lord Chelmsford, arrived and encamped
Gordon Rorke Gordon Rorke Gordon Frederick Rorke (born 27 June 1938 in Mosman, New South Wales) is a former Australian cricketer who played in 4 Tests in 1959. Rorke made his Test debut in January 1959 in the Fourth Test of The Ashes series against England in Adelaide. It was an impressive debut, taking 3/23 off 18.1 eight-ball overs in the first innings (including the wickets of Colin Cowdrey for 84, Tom Graveney and Willie Watson) and 2/70 from 34 overs in the second innings. Rorke claimed three wickets in the Fifth Test at Melbourne a fortnight later, and was selected to