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Martin Everett
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The Hon Standish William Prendergast Vereker - 3rd son of Irish Peer Viscount Gort - same family as the Field Marshal and WW2 commander (and VC holder) - lost his horse while serving in 3rd Natal Native Contigent and was killed on the battlefield - he was not involved the Saving of the Queen's Colour 1/24th.
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_________________ Martin Everett Brecon, Powys
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ChrisF1987
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Correct me if I'm wrong but dident his horse fall on top of him? Its been several years since I saw "Zulu Dawn".
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Redcoat
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Martin, thanks for replying, I had always wondered if the film was as close to real life as it makes out to be.
Chris, yes you're right his horse did fall on top of him but only trapped one of his legs (I think). Would this have killed him though? |
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Dawn
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Actually, in the book of the movie, Vereker loses his horse and borrows one. When the owner points out that it is his horse while Vereker is on the Fugitives Trail, Vereker gives up the horse and is consequently overrun by impi and killed. I'm not sure whether this is factual or not.
Dawn |
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Mike McCabe
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There is a photograph of Vereker, and many others killed in the War, listed alphabetically at
http://members.tripod.com/~Glosters/south.htm He was the fourth child, and 3rd son, of the 4th Viscount Gort. The Field Marshal was the 6th Viscount, William ... John Standish Surtees Prendergast Vereker , and it was a family tradition to commemorate alliances by marriage by recurring use of forenames in successive generations. The Verekers are a Norman Irish family of long standing and are generally accepted to have descent from William the Conqueror. The Viscountcy of Gort has been created twice, once in the Peerage of Ireland and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, in 1946. The Viscountcy was first created in 1816 along with the subsidiary title Baron Kiltarton, with which it remains united. The sixth Viscount, Field Marshal John Vereker, received a second Viscountcy (in the Peerage of the UK), but it became extinct since he left no children, while the Irish titles had remainder to a cousin. The UK Viscountcy would, in those days, have entitled the bearer to take his seat in the House of Lords. MC McC |
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Coll
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One characteristic of Lt. Vereker demonstrated in the film 'Zulu Dawn' appears to be that of an accomplished marksman.
There were three particular scenes in the movie where he shows this skill. Is it known if he was indeed an expert shot in real life ? Coll |
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a.j
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Vereker in real life did give up his horse for an Auxiliarie and was killed in the camp
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Sawubona
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My understanding is that you're quite correct, aj. But the whole story (at least as Morris tells it) is worth retelling and is just too good not to be true. Vereker had lost his own horse but had managed to grab one out of the melee in the wreckage of the Saddle. Although I doubt he had any thoughts that this mount might just be his salvation on the Fugitive's Trail, I'm certain he must have felt a suddenly renewed hope of escape. At that point, however, a member of the NNH (I think it was that unit) ran up on foot and spoke to him in Zulu while pointing at the horse Vereker was now sitting upon. It was explained to Vereker by a companion that the native was saying that the horse was his, so he dismounted, apologized for his error, handed over the reins, and watched the native ride off. Vereker then joined one of the groups forming for a "last stand" and died with Durnford helping to hold the Zulu left horn from closing the only escape route off the battlefield. He seems to have been a man with style!
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raiengland
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Hi all, This story of Vereker giving up his horse, appears in the Boy's Own Paper during 1879, with an illustration that has appeared in two modern books on the subject since.
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