rorkesdriftvc.com :: View topic

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2006 8:27 pm

Hi

I am researching my mothers fathers family tree, and she was told by a cousin that her grandfather Gustave Louis Ruscoff was a soldier (from London - but I'm not sure which regiment, something to do with Guards we think) was at Rorke's drift.

I'm a bit dubious about this, as I haven't seen his name on any of the liturature, but I thought there maybe a chance not all the names are included.

Also, he had a chain made out of Welsh gold. The story goes, when he came back from the war, all the soldiers in the battle were given a ingot of Welsh gold, and he had it made into a chain. Does anyone know if this was the case, or whether it relates to the Boar war 1899 - 1901?

or like many of the stories told by the family is completely made up Crying or Very sad

Many thanks
Penny

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2006 11:10 pm

Dear Penny,

Your story may be partially true - but what bits? You have to tackle it logically. Men joined the army at 18 years and served for maximum of 21 years (pensionable service). Few served in both the AZW and 2ABW. If you know when he was born then you can work out when he probably served. Surviving soldier's service papers are held in the National Archives at Kew. There are two blocks, both filed alphabetically regardless of regiment in WO97 series - periods 1883-1899 and 1900-1913 (this would be the year of discharge). All you need to do is to go to Kew and find the box with the Ruscoff papers. This assumes he served in a regular British Regiment. Note the papers are not available on-line - you have to go to Kew or pay a researcher to find them for you.

From memory the AZW has 34,000 names on the medal roll. The 2ABW has about (from memory) 170,000 so the chances of him being mentioned by name in any account are slim.

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 11:36 am

Penny

As Martin has said, it is possible that there is a germ of truth somewhere in the story which has come down to you. Very few stories of this nature don't have some sort of origin which is just recognisable once the truth is fully unravelled, but it is highly likely that - among the generations which have passed it on - it has been misheard, misunderstood, half forgotten, recalled much later and embellished, even if not necessarily deliberately exaggerated.

You can certainly discount him from the small number (c150/152) of those who defended the post on 22/23 January 1879. However, of the many thousands who served in the AZW during that year, a very large proportion actually passed through Rorke's' Drift either before, or after, the engagement, or both - and many were billetted there for several weeks during Jan/Feb/March/April. So a story that "I was there" could be literally true but misunderstood.

However, in family memories passed down, stories about Zululand, S Africa or even any African colonial postings generally can be misinterpreted very quickly as " served at Rorke's Drift." For example:

"Didn't someone say that grandad was in South Africa or somewhere as a young man?"

Yes, I think so - probably fighting Zulus or someone."

"What, you mean Rorke's' Drift or whatever it was called?"

"Expect so."

Well, there you are then. Fancy grandad being one of those chaps in that film!"

And so another gallant defender is added to the famous roll! I'm not suggesting your relative's possible role has been assumed in such a way, but family stories such as this are very, very common and it is not difficult to see how they are mistakenly perpetuated. We all have vague memories of earlier generations which are indistinct and, if passed on, would eventually depart from any semblance of the actual truth.

Despite its remote location, British soldiers were present at (or very near to) Rorke's Drift on & off throughout the troubles and civil war of the 1880s, as well as passing through or nearby more than once during the 2nd Anglo-Boer War, and again present in the district during the Bambatha rebellion of 1906, so very many families will have true stories that their soldier relative really WAS "at Rorke's Drift" - but not on the actual night in question.

I wonder whether he returned from a campaign and a local dignitary (town mayor, for example) had a little memento struck for returning servicemen. Not an uncommon event. If so, I think the 2ABW would be the most likely campaign. Sheer numbers would also suggest so, as nearly 450,000 men had served in that war before it came to and end.

The almost continuous presence of various British units at RD & district over the 35 years or so from 1879 (plus the 1913 and 1929 commemorations as well!) are perhaps a reminder, too, that any junk (badges, buttons, bullets etc) found anywhere in that district may have absolutely nothing to do with the events of 1879!

Peter