Defence of Rourkes Drift ..... Fine Art Print

DEFENCE OF ROURKES DRIFT

 by

ALFONSE MARIE DE NEUVILLE

Fine Art Litho Print 

This is probaly one of the most famous military paintings of all time.

On January 2nd 1879, during the Zulu War, the small british field hospital and supply depot at Rourkes Drift in Natal was the site of one of the most heroic military defences of all time. manned by 140 troops of the 24th Regiment, led by Lieutenant John Chard of the Royal Engineers, the camp was attacked by a well trained and well equiped Zulu army of 4000 men, heartened by the great Zulu victory over the British forces at Isandhlwana earlier on the same day. The battle began in mid afternoon, when british remnants of the defeat at Isandhlwana struggled into camp. Anticipating trouble Chard set his small force to guard the perimeter fence but, when the zuly attack began, the Zulus came faster that the British could shoot and the camp soon became overcome. The thatched roof of the hospital was fired by Zulu spears wrapped in burning grass and even some of the sick and dying were dragged from their beds and pressed into service in the desperate hand to hand fighting. Eventually, Chard gave the order to withdraw from the perimeter and to take position in the smaller compound, protected by a hastily assembled barricade of boxes and it was from behind this barricade that the garrison fought for their lives throughout the night. After twelve hours of battle the camp was destroyed, the hospital had burned to the ground, seventeen British lay dead and ten were wounded. However the zulus had been repulsed and over 400 of their men killed. This battle is one of the greatest examples of bravery and heroism in British military history. Nine men were awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and eleven, the most ever awarded for a single battle, received the highest military honour of all, the Victoria Cross.

A truly exceptional Fine Art Lithograph with very intricate detail and magnificent shades. Many Galleries are retailing this print at £100 plus. This is an opportunity to obtain  the print at less the current retail price.

The print is taken from the original oil painted in 1880 and which is on permanent display in The Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney

Paper size 26 X 39 ins  66 X 100 cms

Image size 21 X 35 ins   53 X 89 cms

The print is issued by leading publishers Rosenstiel's. All prints are purchased direct from the publisher and are therefore new and in mint condition The print is despached rolled in a tube to ensure that it arrives in pristine condition. The BIG R watermark shown in the picture is a publishers security feature and will obviously not be on the print.

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