William Allen (VC 1879) (later The South Wales Borderers), British Army during the Zulu War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 22 and 23 January 1879 at Rorke's Drift, Natal, South Africa, Corporal Allan and another man (Frederick Hitch) kept communication with the hospital open, despite being severely wounded. Their determined conduct enabled the patients to be withdrawn from the hospital, and when incapacitated by their wounds from fighting, they continued, as soon as their wounds were dressed, to serve out ammunition to their comrades during the night. He later achieved the rank of sergeant for
INkatha (Zulu artifact) INkatha (Zulu artifact) The iNkatha (plural: iziNkatha ) was the magic and sacred 'grass coil', a symbol of unity of the Zulu nation. The sacred item was normally kept under guard, and Zulu kings sometimes seated themselves on it when going to war. The preparation of an iNkatha can be traced back to the time of king Senzangakhona, the father of Shaka. The last "inkatha yezwe" (grass coil of the nation) was destroyed in 1879 during the Anglo-Zulu War. Specialized iziNyanga (or medicine men) initiated a ritual vomiting exercise when the Zulu army prepared for battle, by administering an emetic