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Defenders of Rorke's Drift
Private John Williams (AKA John Fielding) B Coy, 2nd Bn, 24th Regt.
John Fielding was born in Abergavenny on the 24th May 1857 and was a worker at the Nut and Bolt Factory. After enjoying his time in the Militia he decided to join the Regulars in
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Private John Williams (AKA John Fielding) B Coy, 2nd Bn, 24th Regt.
John Fielding was born in Abergavenny on the 24th May 1857 and was a worker at the Nut and Bolt Factory. After enjoying his time in the Militia he decided to join the Regulars in
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May 1877.
His Father strongly disapproved so he used the name Williams so he couldn’t be traced. He went to South Africa with his battalion and for his conduct during the battle of Rorke’s Drift was awarded the Victoria Cross.
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His Father strongly disapproved so he used the name Williams so he couldn’t be traced. He went to South Africa with his battalion and for his conduct during the battle of Rorke’s Drift was awarded the Victoria Cross.
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(The battle is said to have turned his hair white overnight)
His citation read:
Private John Williams was posted with Private Joseph Williams, and Private William Horrigan, 1st Battalion 24th Regiment, in a distant room of the hospital, which they held for more than an
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His citation read:
Private John Williams was posted with Private Joseph Williams, and Private William Horrigan, 1st Battalion 24th Regiment, in a distant room of the hospital, which they held for more than an
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hour, so long as they had a round of ammunition left: as communication was for the time cut off, the Zulus were enabled to advance and burst open the door; they dragged out Private Joseph Williams and two of the patients, and assagaied them. Whilst the Zulus were
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occupied with the slaughter of these men a lull took place, during which Private John Williams, who, with 2 patients, were the only men now left alive in this ward, succeeded in knocking a hole in the partition, and in taking the 2 patients into the next ward, where he found
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Private Hook. These two men together, one man working whilst the other fought and held the enemy at bay with his bayonet, broke through three more partitions, and were thus enabled to bring eight patients through a small window into the inner line of defence.
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He received his VC from General Anderson in March 1880 and was then posted to India. He returned home in 1883 and was transferred to the Reserve soon after. He was discharged from service in 1893 but served as a civilian at Brecon until he retired in 1920
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(His eldest son, Thomaswas killed in Septemer 1914 whilst serving with the South Wales Borderers).
In 1920 he attended a Garden party for holders of the VC and hosted by King George V and Queen Mary.
He died of heart failure on the 24th November 1932.
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In 1920 he attended a Garden party for holders of the VC and hosted by King George V and Queen Mary.
He died of heart failure on the 24th November 1932.
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Amazing Pathe film footage of the funeral of John Fielding VC defender of Rorke's Drift in 1932.
