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Date	Original Topic
13th August 2001	Monmouthshire By Alan Critchley I keep getting stick over the question of the Welshness of the 24th. regiment. When it was the Warwickshire regiment, it moved to Brecon in 1873. It then started recruiting locally, as you do. Some of these recruits were from Monmouthshire. I was told that this was an English county until the 1960's. The 'shire' in the name would support this. If this is correct, then the details on our site would be correct as to the Welsh make up of the defenders at Rorke's Drift. If not correct, we will amend the details. Does anyone have the full details. Alan
Date	Replies
13th August 2001	Martin Everett The 24th Regiment was raised in 1689. It has served the UK continuously for over 300 years. Its record is distinguished and it has never been found wanting. Even if you ignore its participation in the Zulu campaign of 1879, there many instances in its long distinguished history where the regiment has performed beyond the call of duty - Marlborough's campaign, American War of Independence, Talavera (1809), Chillianwallah, 1st Day of Somme (1916), Grand Couronne (Salonkia 1918), Norway (1940), Landed on D Day (1944) etc. It is the politicians and the planners in the War Office who have changed the shape and size of army and changed the name of the 24th; the soldiers of 24th just continue to do their job despite all the odds. The real problem is the movie 'Zulu' made by an ardent Welshman - Stanley Baker - he wanted to believe that everyone at RD was a Welshman also all singing Men of Harlech. It makes a very good story and of course it sold the movie to the world. The movie was a serious commercial venture and some facts have been changed to make it a financial success. In the 19th century, there was no such thing as a true 'county regiment' except perhaps for the Scottish Regiments, all English and Welsh regiments recuited for all over Britain - so in the 24th there were many Irishmen and many Scotsmen, as well as Englishmen and Welshmen. Rorke's Drift was not a 'football' match, where supporters of Wales and Warwickshire can try and score points against each. These soldiers of the 24th were fighting for their lives - it really doesn't matter where they were born - what really matters is that we remember their heroic deeds against considerable odds. When I go to RD - it really brings it home to me what a tremendous feat of arms occured on 22/23 January 1879. I rest my case PS - I live in Monmouthshire - until the local government reforms of 1974, Monmouthshire was neither part of Wales or part of England. In 1974 the county became part of Wales as the County of Gwent. In answer to the question how many VCs were won by Welshmen at RD - the technically correct answer is NONE - as John Williams and Robert Jones were born in Monmouthshire.
13th August 2001	Alan Critchley Martin, as ever, you're right with the points you make. My point is that these were British soldiers who happened to have their garrison at Brecon and who as a Briton I am proud of everyone of them, and they did us proud, whatever the part of Britain (or Ireland, then ruled by Britain) they came from. I prefer that people consider the events which happened at Rorke's Drift to have been carried out by a British garrison, not Welsh, English, Scottish or Irish, but British. Alan