Many will recall the film Zulu, which depicted the Battle of Rorke's Drift and starred Stanley Baker and Michael Caine. This battle took place at the start of the Zulu wars, when Britain decided to develop the territorial interests in South Africa, which until then had been confined to Cape colony.

Rorke's Drift closely followed one of the British Army's worst defeats when on 21 January 1879, a force of 20,000 Zulu warriors attacked a column of 1,700 British soldiers at Isandlwana, killing over 1,000 men. The following day about 4,000 Zulus attacked the nearby small British garrison and mission station Rorke's drift, where there were at the time 130 soldiers, including those who lay sick and wounded in the adjoining military hospital. This small force miraculously over a period of some hours defended the outpost. Eventually at dawn the Zulus withdrew.

The bravery of the small force is demonstrated by the award of eleven Victoria Crosses and four Distinguished Conduct Medals, the most ever awarded for a single action. Amongst those recognised was Cpl Francis Attwood ASC. In the account of the battle he is commended for his bravery in defending the storehouse and hospital, which the Zulus continually tried to burn down.

After the battle Cpl Attwood was posted to Plymouth as Sergeant in charge of the military bakery and he lived in No 5 Cremyll Street, Stonehouse, later to be destroyed by enemy bombing. He died suddenly on 24 February 1884 and was buried with full military honours in the Milehouse Cemetery, which was opened when Stoke Demeral Churchyard became full. Unfortunately enemy bombing on the night of 29 January 1941 destroyed Sgt. Attwood's headstone.

The Institution of the RASC and RCT have funded the placing of a memorial plaque to Sgt Francis Attwood DCM, which is sited on the south wall of Stoke Demeral Church. This was unveiled on Sunday 28 November 1999."

The 1881 census shows that Sgt. Francis Attwood was living at the "Army Service Corps" South Camp, Aldershot, Hampshire, England, rather than Plymouth, The census would also appear to indicate that a Staff Sergeant Edward J. Howard was the baker. The entry for Francis Attwood states that he was unmarried, aged 35 and was born in "London, Middlesex, England". I can find no reference to his baptism on the LDS online International Genealogical Index.

Other than the above, I have no other information about Sgt Francis Attwood.

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