Frank Bourne Hero Of Rorkes Drift
The defence of Rorkes Drift is one of the best well-known battles from the background within the British army. It was at the little mission station on the border of Zululand and Natal where four thousand Zulus attacked a garrison of around 140 British soldiers. The soldiers struggled for their lives all night and by morning, the Zulus had retreated. The top award for gallantry while in the British Army is the Victoria Cross and the defence of Rorkes Drift saw twelve VCs awarded, greater than in every other single action in history.
The fight was portrayed by the Stanley Baker movie “Zulu” and one of several leading characters who carried out their duty with distinction at Rorkes Drift, ultimately failed to receive a Victoria Cross. Colour Sergeant Frank Bourne was instead awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal that is ranked 2nd behind the Victoria Cross. Additionally, Bourne was also offered a commission yet he declined. Being the 8th son in the family, there wasn’t any money available and this would be a time when wealth was used to buy commissions for officers from the British Army.
Nevertheless, Bourne was destined to be a career soldier and an excellent one as well. Immediately after South Africa, he was posted to India and Burma just before finally earning his commission 11 years following the Battle of Rorkes Drift. He eventually retired from the British Army in 1907. Only seven years later, The First World War started and so Bourne rejoined the army. By the end of the Great War in 1918, he had risen to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and was made an OBE. Bourne left the army again, this time around for ever.
A result of the actor who portrayed Bourne in the film Zulu, numerous people considered Frank Bourne to have been in his mid-50s at the time of the Battle of Rorkes Drift however in fact he was only twenty four years old. Immediately after the stop of The First World War, he lived in old age in Beckenham, South London and he was the final survivor of Rorkes Drift to pass away at the age of 91 on 8th May 1945, the day World War II in Europe ended.
Read the full article...







