Private Samuel Wassall, V.C.
80th South Staffordshire Regiment
When Lord Chelmsford left
his base camp at Isandlwana to reinforce the mounted
patrols he had sent out the previous day, he left
behind a large widely spread camp at the base of the
mountain. By midday of 22nd January, the right flank
of the defending British had been overwhelmed and
the Zulu hordes were in the camp, stabbing and
clubbing the disorganised and terrified soldiers.
Private Wassall was one of
the Imperial Mounted Infantry (Carrington's Horse),
who had been left in the main camp by Chelmsford.
Having no particular duty, he and his fellow Mounted
Infantrymen were stood down and in camp when the
Zulus struck. As the right flank gave way, it became
'every man for himself'. Wassell, in shirtsleeves
and weapon-less, hauled himself on to a small Basuto
pony and joined the ranks of those trying to escape
over the narrow pass on to the safety of Helpmekaar
via Rorke's Drift. Only a few were able to reach
safety by this route before the Zulu right horn had
reached this escape route and had advanced around
the mountain to cut off all retreat. There was no
alternative but to head off across rough country and
face swimming the Buffalo River.
With the Zulus in close
pursuit and the steep hills on either side, the
escapees had little option but to follow a hazardous
four mile route that led them to a spot now called
Fugitives' Drift, where there was a ford. All along
the route, men were dying as the Zulus overtook them
but a number of mounted men did reach the river,
including Private Wassall. What he found was a river
in full spate and, in normal circumstances,
unthinkable to attempt to cross. With Zulus opening
fire and closing fast, Wassall urged his pony into
the torrent. About halfway across he heard a cry and
saw Private Westwood of his regiment being swept
round in a raging whirlpool. Despite the approaching
Zulus, Wassall turned his mount and headed back to
the bank, he coolly tied his horse to a bush and
waded in after Westwood. Reaching him Wassall
dragged the half-drowned man to the bank and hauled
him onto his pony. Then, pursued by a hail of
bullets and spears, pony and men plunged into the
river and managed to reach the far bank, scramble up
the steep sides of the gorge and stagger on to
Helpmekaar. The next day, he was back in the saddle
and was one of the force that relieved the defenders
at Rorke's Drift.
At the time he received
his Victoria Cross at Pietermaritzberg a few weeks
later, he was, at the age of 23, the youngest
recipient. After he left the Army, he married,
raised a family and lived out his life in
Barrow-in-Furness until his death in 1927. He was
the only survivor of Isandlwana to be awarded a VC.
Reproduced by the kind permission of the Anglo Zulu
War Society
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