VETERAN'S DEATH

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19919, 22 April 1939, Page 10

VETERAN'S DEATH

ZULU WAR SERVICE MR. HAYWOOD'S CAREER RORKE'S DRIFT DEFENCE A survivor of the famous figbt at Rorke's Drift, in the Zulu War of 1879, Mr. Henry Claire Haywood, died in the Auckland Hospital this week, aged 84. Mr. Haywood, whose home was in Point Chevalier, was born in Scotland, and as ia young man went to South Africa, where he joined the Cape 'Mounted Police. On the outbreak of War with the Zulu leader Cctywayo, he accompanied the military expedition which was sent into Zululand. He did not take part in the disastrous battle at Isandhlwana, where a European and native force was overwhelmed with the loss of nearly .1300 lives. At the time he was at Rorke's Drift, a field hospital post where 30 or 40 men were being cared, for under a guard consisting of two officers and 40 men of the 24th Regiment. One afternoon the post was attacked by 4000 Zulus returning from Isandhlwana. The little garrison out up a brave defence, repelling with the bayonet six assaults which actually penetrated the temporary earthworks. Alt dawn the attackers withdrew, leaving 350 dead- The British loss was 17, killed and 10 I wounded.

High Opinion of the Zulus

In the fight, Mr. Haywood received a .number of assegai wounds in the legs. However, he recovered and after the war continued his police duties, reaching the rank of sergeant. He always kept a very high opinion of the Zulus, whom he regarded as the finest typo of African native.

After a number of years' service, during which he penetrated into remote places and had many adventures with wild animals, Mr. Haywood took his discharge and went to (Queensland, where he resumed mounted police work on the goldfields. Here h<* became accustomed to operating with black trackers and made some notable arrests. Between 30 .and 40 years ago he came to New Zealand and entered the service of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society as a fishing ranger. For a long period he was engaged in liberating trout ova from its Rotorua hatchery, and his work took him over a large part of the Auckland Province. He retired abou 1 : 11 years ago.