The annual Rorke’s Drift Service will be held at Brecon Cathedral at 11am on Sunday January 25th 2026.

This service commemorates the date the first major defeat of the Zulu War took place, when 20,000 warriors of King Cetshwayo’s mighty army, swept down upon the unsuspecting soldiers of the 1st Bn the 24th Regiment of Foot, as they camped beneath the hill of Isandlwana, which bore an uncanny resemblance to the Sphinx on the collar badges of their uniform.  At first, the heavy volley fire from the disciplined ranks of the Regiment held the opposing force in check, but within a few short hours the position had been over-run by the Zulus, not because of a shortage of screwdrivers to open the ammunition boxes, but because it was just not possible to replenish the Companies fast enough in the face of such overwhelming odds.  Some of the auxiliary troops broke and ran in sheer terror, but the rifle companies of the 24th Regiment of Foot stood their ground and fought to the bitter end.  A soldier may fight for Queen and Country, but a man can die no better than when he lays down his life for his friends - epitomised by the fact that, of the 600 men of the 24th Regiment of Foot on the battlefield that day, only six were to survive.

When it became apparent that the battle was all but lost, Lieutenants Melvill and Coghill attempted to save the Queens Colour from falling into enemy hands. There is no glory in the act of war itself, but the Colours embody the honour, pride, tradition and ethos of a Regiment, so it is no surprise that they were willing to risk their lives in such an attempt.  Pursued by the Zulus along what is now known as the Fugitives Trail, Lieutenant Coghill was first to reach the safety of the home bank of the Buffalo River, but on seeing Lieutenant Melvill in difficulty with the Colour, he had no hesitation in plunging back into the river to help his friend.  Some years later, they were both among the first ever to be awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously, such was the highest regard given to their selfless act of courage.

Brecon Cathedral has long been the custodian of the noble heritage of the 24th Regiment of Foot, witnessed by the Regimental Colours and the Wreath of Immortelles laid up in the Havard Chapel, the main east window and the many brass and marble memorial tablets on the Cathedral’s walls.  When the Regiment returned to England, Her Majesty Queen Victoria placed a floral wreath of immortelles on the Colour and decreed that this should be carried forevermore by the Regiment in honour of all those who had lost their lives during the Zulu wars - a distinction that is unique throughout the British army.  The Zulu War Colours were laid up in Brecon Cathedral on Easter Day in 1934. The Regiment has seen much change over the last 147 years and is now known as The Royal Welsh, yet the golden thread of the Regimental history accompanies those who forge ahead on their new journey, and the legacy of the Battle of Isandlwana and the Immortal Defence of Rorke’s Drift remains in good hands.

All are welcome

The Cathedral Cafe will be open before and after the service for refreshments