- Frank Bourne
Frank Bourne DCM OBE (
April 1854 -8 May 1945 ) was a decorated British soldier who participated in the defence of Rorke's Drift during the 1879Anglo-Zulu War . He was also the last known survivor of the battle.Early Life
Born in
Balcombe ,Sussex ,England in 1854, Bourne enlisted in the Army atReigate on18 December 1872 , aged 18 years 8 months. Four years later he had been promoted toColour Sergeant becoming the youngestNCO of his rank in the entire British Army. This earned him the nickname 'The Kid'.Rorke's Drift
On 22 and
23 January 1879 Bourne was among the garrison atRorke's Drift , Natal,South Africa who held off a Zulu army.Bourne, who was now an NCO in B Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot, helped organise the defence at the mission station and field hospital.
Throughout the coming day and following night repeated attacks were made by the armed Zulus against the barricades. But the defenders held out until relief arrived. For his bravery, he received the
Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) for "outstanding coolness and courage" during the battle. The DCM, until 1993, was the second highest military decoration (after theVictoria Cross ) awarded to other ranks of theBritish Army . He was also offered a commission, but "being an eighth son, and the family exchequer was empty" he declined it.Later Career
He was commissioned in 1890 and retired in 1907. At the outbreak of WWI he re-enlisted. By 1918 he had been given the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and appointed an OBE.
Bourne lived in retirement at 16 King's Hall Road,
Beckenham ,London . Before he died onVE Day , aged 91, he was the last surviving defender from Rorke's Drift. Bourne was buried in Beckenham Cemetery.Film Portrayal
In the 1964 film "Zulu", Bourne was played by
Nigel Green .Inaccurately, despite a memorable performance, Green was about 40 years old at the time of the movie. Although at the actual battle in 1879 the real Colour Sergeant Bourne was only 24.
External links
* [http://www.rorkesdriftvc.com/defenders/bourne.htm Colour Sergeant Bourne DCM] , (2459 B Co. 24th. Regiment)"(biography, photos, memorial details)
* [http://www.victoriacross.co.uk/Rorke's%20Details.html Rorke's Drift Details ] at www.victoriacross.co.uk listing of medal recipients, casualties "
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