John Chard

John Rouse Merriott Chard VC ( born December 21, 1847 in Boxhill at Plymouth, † November 1, 1897 in Hatch Beauchamp at Taunton ) was a British officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross. He commanded the British troops at Rorke 's Drift.

Chard served as a lieutenant in the Royal Engineers of the British Army in Bermuda and Malta. In 1879 he fought in the Zulu War. On January 22, 1879, he took it at the Battle of the 139 British soldiers against 4,000 Zulus at Rorke 's Drift in part. There he led the defense of this item together with Gonville Bromhead. For his services in this battle he was awarded the prestigious Victoria Cross, the highest award the UK for outstanding bravery in the face of the enemy and was promoted to captain.

From 1892 to 1896 commanded Chard, with the rank of lieutenant colonel, the Royal Engineers in Singapore. In 1897 he was promoted to colonel and transferred to Scotland. He died in 1897 of cancer in Hatch Beauchamp at Taunton.

His role in the film Zulu was played in 1964 by Stanley Baker. Michael Caine played the role of Gonville Bromhead.

• Military person ( UK )
• Person in the Zulu War
• Recipient of the Victoria Cross
• Briton
• Born in 1847
• Died in 1897
• Man