Historical person
John Chard
1847–1897
John Rouse Merriott Chard was a Royal Engineers officer serving in southern Africa when the Anglo-Zulu War began in 1879. On 22 January he was at the mission station at Rorke’s Drift when news arrived of the British disaster at Isandlwana and a large Zulu force approached the post.
Chard took command of the defence alongside Gonville Bromhead. The garrison held improvised barricades through repeated attacks and Chard received the Victoria Cross for his role. He later served at Ulundi and continued his army career, eventually reaching the rank of colonel. Ian Knight’s works on Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift repeatedly place Chard within the broader operational history of the campaign.
Non Fiction
Non Fiction featuring John Chard (4 books)
Biographies, histories and other non-fiction are listed separately from the historical novels above.
