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DateOriginal Topic
15th December 2001last veteran of the zulu war
By jon
Does anybody know when the last known british veteran of the zulu war died and how old was he ,etc
DateReplies
15th December 2001Ian Woodason
Jon,

Out of the thousands of Anglo-Zulu War veterans we have traced, the last recorded death (so far!) is Charles Wallace Warden of the 57th - He had carried the colours at Gingindlovu and died on the 8th March 1953.
http://www.keynshamlighthorse.com/wb57/cwwrdn.html

He almost died much earlier though - He had been Deputy Lieutenant and High Sheriff of Co Kerry during the troubles there and was caught at home by the IRA. They had got him to kneel on the ground, pointed their weapons and told him to say his last prayer. At this point his wife intervened by putting herself between them and Charles. She refused to move and the IRA men left. He is featured in Tim Day's book 'But Burdens Shouldered'.

The longest living holder of the South African campaign medal found so far died at the age of 103 in 1934, in Dublin.

For more info on veteran's and their later lives check out the links to our site - The Keynsham Light Horse - on the links page (left) of this site.

(also loook under 'Last Veterans' posted on 18th March 2001 - page 8 below.)

Ian Woodason
16th December 2001Gary Laiberty
To put my two cents in...
The last know veteran of the battle of Rorke's Drift is CS Frank Bourne, he died May 8, 1945 at the age of 91. He had later achieved the rank of Lt. Colonel.

Gary