South Africa Medal (1877-78) 1879 Clasp

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Description: (obverse) Wyon profile of Queen Victoria; (reverse) a British lion drinking at a waterhole beside a protea shrub, a Zulu shield and four crossed assegais being in the exergue.

Awarded to Royal Navy, Army and Colonial Units who took part in operations against: The Galekas and Gaikas, 26th September 1877 - 28th June 1878. Chief Pokwane, 21st - 28th January 1878. The Griiquas 24th April - 13th November 1878. The Zulus, under Cetewayo and his Lieutenants, 11th January - 2nd December 1879. Chief Sekukuni, 11th November - 2nd December 1879. Chief Moorosi in the Drakensberg Mountains, 25th March - 20th November 1879.

The Zulu War had begun on 11th January, 1879, when Cetewayo, the King of the Zulus, ignored the British ultimatum to disband his army of 30,000 Impis gathered at Ulundi. A British force, under Lord Chelmsford advanced on Ulundi and was annihilated at Isandhlwana, with 1,600 troops killed in close-combat fighting. That night a force of Zulu warriors went on to attack a mission hospital at Rorke's Drift. Eighty one infantry under the direction of Lieutenants Chard, (Royal Engineers), senior officer present, and Bromhead (24th) fortified their position. They inflicted heavy casualties on the Zulus before being relieved by Chelmsford.

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