Welcome to the Family History Social

The very latest news from the world of genealogy

Categories

More...

Rorke's Drift Zulu War hero remembered

As today, the 22 January,  marks the date of the famous battles of Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift in the Zulu War, a gravestone has been discovered in a Liverpool cemetery of a veteran who fought in the famous rearguard action at Rorke's Drift. In Ford Cemetry, Litherland, there is a distinctive Celtic cross monument dedicated to Thomas Burke, who died in 1925, aged 64. However, there is no mention of his military career in the Battle of Rorke’s Drift in the Anglo-Zulu War, in South Africa. Private Thomas Burke served in B Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot, tasked with defending the mission station of Rorke's Drift. For this he was recipient of the South Africa Medal, with 1877-8-9 Clasp. He also served in the Far East and was awarded the India General Service Medal with Burma 1885-87 Clasp. He reached the rank of sergeant and was discharged from the Army in 1897. There's more details on the discovery of this soldier who fought in one of the most iconic battles of Victorian times on the Liverpool Echo website. TheGenealogist also has many of the British soldiers who fought in the Anglo-Zulu War in their Army Lists available online .

Thomas Burke Zulu War

The gravestone of Private Thomas Burke has been found in a Liverpool cemetery

Leave a comment
Found 1 Result.
Back to top