Posted on 06/29/2014 7:34:22 AM PDT by bd476
Wales Online
June 29, 2014 06:00
By Robin Turner
His role in the battle of Rorke’s Drift was immortalised in the 1964 movie Zulu, yet James Owen’s grave is marked with just a few rotten pieces of wood bearing his name.
Now a campaign is underway to re-dedicate and refurbish the overgrown cemetery plot in South Wales, which is the last resting place of this hero of yesteryear.
Private Owen was portrayed by singer Ivor Emmanuel in the Stanley Baker produced movie about the 1879 battle in South Africa. There, some 150 British soldiers – a number of whom were Welsh – successfully held off a force of 4,000 Zulu warriors.
In the film, Emmanuel, as Pte Owen, leads the weary British soldiers in singing to raise their morale and to match the spiritual songs of the Zulu forces. At the end, he leads the stirring singing of Men of Harlech.
Pte Owen survived the battle and died in Swansea aged 87 in 1938 while living with his son in Kemble Street, Brynmill.
His grave is now in Bethel Cemetery in the city’s Sketty area. Royal Marines bugler Sgt Tim Needham, who has worked to restore a number of graves of Rorke’s Drift survivors, wants Pte Owen’s last resting spot to be given greater attention.
He said: “I’m hoping to bring some attention to the fact a few rotten fragments of a fallen wooden cross bearing the name James Owen are all that remains to mark the plot, and that given his part in such a legendary action there should surely be something a little more fitting to mark this soldier’s final resting place.
“I’m sure most people will be familiar with the legendary battle which took place during the Zulu War of 1879 and resulted in the award of 11 Victoria Crosses and later depicted in Zulu.
“Given the increased interest in marking Rorke’s Drift graves in the past few years, it would be fantastic to stir some local interest in finally resolving this sad situation.”
Born in Swansea and initially a tin worker, James Owen used the alias David Lewis on joining the British Army for reasons that are not clear but it was not unusual for men to give false names when joining the army at that time.
He signed on with 25 Brigade at Brecon and was posted to 2nd Battalion 24th Foot in 1877.
He served for two years and eight months, including a year and eight months in South Africa and was discharged in August 1879.
An Injury Assessment Board held at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, in the same year confirmed he was suffering from Valvular Disease of the Heart – caused by being under canvas for six months and constantly exposed to “climatic vicissitudes”.
He was awarded a pension of six pence per day for six months and was eventually buried with military honours.
At the time a wreath was sent by former comrades at Rorke’s Drift, including Colour Sergeant Frank Bourne, portrayed in Zulu by Nigel Green.
Deborah Owen-Smith, who lives in Snowdonia, is the great great great granddaughter of James Owen.
She said: ”Over the years our family has spread far and wide but a number of family members know of the role James Owen played at Rorke’s Drift.
“We hope to re-dedicate the grave and raise more attention for his last resting place and hope to raise some money to restore it.
“It would be nice to get a headstone to ensure his bravery at Rorke’s Drift is not forgotten.”
“I’m sorry the family was upset but seeing the slothful Hicks finally moved to action and heroics is what filmmaking is all about!”
His name was Hook, not Hicks. In the movie he is called Hooky.
My grandfather was born in New Zealand in 1865..
My mother’s father...
His McClimont/Irvine parents and older siblings werer Presbyterians who came from County Down, Ireland to Ayrshire, Scotland to the ancient family hometown for 2 years and then onto New Zealand in 1863..
My great grandfather was born in 1861, I think.
“We saw all of these movies including “Khartoum.””
In the first ‘Godfather’ movie Khartoum was the name of the expensive horse that had it head cut off and wound up in that movie director’s bed.
My great grandfather was born/baptized in County Down in 1835..
My grandfather was not married until he returned from South Africa so he was already older when his 15 children were growing up..
My mother was born in 1912, in the middle..
When WWII started and 6 of my grandfather’s 7 sons enlisted to fight he said he would wait until they all came back..
The 5 who fought the Japanese in the Pacific all came home but the favorite son in Europe died in Italy in Dec 1944..
Granddad died a couple of years later..
This is a Hollywood myth. Granville Bromhead, was an experienced professional soldier. He had 12 years service as an infantry officer prior to Rorks Drift. He was not an arrogant elite.
Not quiet. The Zulu warriors that attacked Rorks Drift,
had been part of the Zulu force that overran the British forces at Isandlwana. These men did not get into the that fight. So they decided to attack the British at Rorks Drift. Their attack started late in the afternoon of the same day as Isandlwana, and lasted through the night and into the next day.
My great grandmother died in the 1920s I believe. My great grandfather died in 1948. Lived a good long time. I think he used to talk a lot about the Fuzzy Wuzzies (there’s a good ole racist name, lol!) and how Africans would tie their enemies down on red ant hills. My mother was crazy about him - he was Irish but spoke with a Cockney accent because he was in the army with a London troop. He called her “Ducky” which is a very old English term of endearment.
The Battle of Isandlwana was over by around 4 pm on the 22nd of January. The 4000 Zulus that attacked Rorks Drift had been assigned a roll in the Isandlwana battle, but the battle was over before they could participate. These warriors continued their march to Rorks Drift and attacked the British there around 4:30 pm 22 January.
Probably a better, more recent source than “Washing of the Spears” is Lt.Col. Mike Snooks two books on the subject.
The first is “How can Man Die Better” about Isandlwana, first edition is 2005. The second is “Like Wolves on the Fold” about Rorke’s Drift published in 2006. Snook commanded the Royal Welsh Regiment before his retirement from the British Army. Both books go to great lengths to dispel many of the myths about these battles from authors with little military experience and the Hollywood types in their movie versions of these battles. These two books are some of the best military histories I have ever read.
As a Scot, I am fascinated. Even more so as a proud Ayrshireman.
I assume that they went from Scotland to Ireland originally in the 17thC Plantation of Ulster, then later returned to Scotland?.
Any idea where the ‘hometown’ was in Ayrshire?. As I said, I am an actual Ayrshireman and would be delighted to answer any questions you have about Ayrshire or Scotland or Britain.
I saw “Blithe Spirit,” in which Rex Harrison starred when he was quite young, and it was amazing to hear that big, resonant voice coming from a slender fellow hardly older than my sons.
His first starring role. He had 16 mostly uncredited film parts under his belt. A few credited bit parts.
But he was almost completely deaf, which is why he was with a tiny reserve garrison and not the main body which was slaughtered at Isandhlwana.
Uh oh. When the scotsman shows up we will all be corrected for the next few hours...
Agreed but his first name was Gonville and the battle was Rorke's Drift. Attention to details is probably what kept them alive in that battle.
As for the aftermath, the movie has it correct in that there were only 11 Victoria Crosses (VC) awarded with a 12th mentioned in dispatches, Private Joseph Williams, as being worthy but being deceased, was ineligible. The British did highlight this David & Goliath battle not only for real heroism but also to distract from the disaster of the Isandlwana defeat.
Interesting fact from the movie, lead actor Stanley Baker (Chard) bought what he thought was a copy of Chard's VC at an auction in 1972 which Baker's family sold after his death in 1976. In 1996 that same 'copy' was found to be genuine as its metal content matched to all of the other contemporary VCs .
I need something to fill my sad life, don’t I?.
LOL
How about trying crossword puzzles?!
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