A first hand account

At noon midday this week on Thursday 17th December in Knightsbridge the auction house Bonham’s will be holding its latest auction of fine books, atlases, manuscripts and historical photographs.

Included in the sale is the handwritten account of the famous siege of Rorke’s Drift in South Africa on 22nd/23rd January 1879 written by Lieutenant John Chard VC of the Royal Engineers,  the officer in command of the defenders during that action, together with his notes, sketch book and other memorabilia.

Overnight I spotted this report upon the auction by Robert Hardman – referencing the classic 1964 movie Zulu, in which Stanley Baker played Lieutenant Chard and Michael Cane his colleague Lieutenant Bromhead – that appears today upon the website of the – DAILY MAIL

For those Rusters who might be interested in learning more – not that I am in the business of encouraging bids, I hasten to add (!) – I also include here a link to the specific lot as appears upon the website of – BONHAM’S