Christian Ferdinand Schiess
Detail from Alphonse de Neuville's 1880 "The Defense of Roarke's Drift" reputedly depicting Ferdinand Schiess.
Born7 April 1856
Burgdorf, Switzerland
Died14 December 1884 (aged 28)
South Atlantic
Buried
Buried at sea
Allegiance France
 United Kingdom
Service/branchFrench Army
British Army
Years of service1870–1875/1876 (France)
1877–1879 (United Kingdom)
RankCorporal
UnitArmée de l'Est
2nd/3rd Natal Native Contingent
Battles/warsFranco-Prussian War
9th Xhosa War
Anglo-Zulu War
AwardsVictoria Cross

Christian Ferdinand Schiess VC (7 April 1856 – 14 December 1884) was a Swiss recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He died in poverty at just 28.

Biography

Schiess was born in Burgdorf, Switzerland on 7 April 1856, and spent time in an orphanage after his parents died. In 1870 he joined the French Army and fought in the Franco-Prussian War. Schiess later served in the Armée de l'Est and thus was interned in his home country when it surrendered there. He went to South Africa in 1877 and volunteered for the last Xhosa War. When the Anglo-Zulu War began the 22-year-old veteran was made a corporal in the Natal Native Contingent of the British Army in South Africa.[1]

On 22 January 1879, at Rorke's Drift, Natal, Corporal Schiess, in spite of suffering from bad blisters on his foot caused by ill fitting boots, displayed great gallantry when the garrison had retired to the inner line of defence and the Zulus had occupied the wall of mealie bags which had been abandoned. He crept along the wall in order to dislodge one of the enemy and succeeded in killing him and two others before returning to the inner defences.[2][3]

Memorial plaque to Friederich Schiess at the Rorke's Drift Museum, Natal.
Lady Butler's version of Battle of Rorke's Drift.

In 1880[2] he was awarded the Victoria Cross by General Sir Garnet Wolseley for his services at Rorke's Drift. Schiess was the first man serving with a locally raised native unit to receive the Victoria Cross, the "British-only" rule being broken under political pressure, also being the first Swiss national to do so.[1]

After the volunteer forces were disbanded he failed to find work, even from British authorities. He briefly went to India but eventually returned to South Africa. In 1884, he was found on the streets of Cape Town suffering from exposure and malnutrition. The Royal Navy found him, gave him food, and offered him a passage to England on board the Serapis. He accepted, but became ill during the voyage and died. His remains were buried at sea at approximately 13°00′S 07°24′W / 13.000°S 7.400°W / -13.000; -7.400 (Christian Ferdinand Schiess (burial at sea)).

It is unknown if there was a portrait of Corporal Schiess. According to some, in Lady Butler's painting The Defence of Rorke's Drift he is shown lying at left against the mealie bags.

Victoria Cross

The citation for Schiess's Victoria Cross was given as:

For conspicuous gallantry in the defence of Rorke's Drift Post on the night of the 22nd January, 1879, when, in spite of his having been wounded in the foot a few days previously, he greatly distinguished himself when the Garrison were repulsing, with the bayonet, a series of desperate assaults made by the Zulus, and displayed great activity and devoted gallantry throughout the defence. On one occasion when the Garrison had retired to the inner line of defence, and the Zulus occupied the wall of mealie bags which had been abandoned, he crept along the wall, without any order, to dislodge a Zulu who was shooting better than usual and succeeded in killing him, and two others, before he, the Corporal, returned to the inner defence.[2]

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the National Army Museum.[4]

Recognition in Switzerland

For many years, Schiess's story was almost unknown in his home country. However, in recent years he has been remembered by the Museum of the Swiss Abroad at the Château de Penthes in Geneva[5] and by the Swiss branch of the Royal British Legion.[6]

Film portrayal

In the 1964 film Zulu, Dickie Owen portrays Schiess as a much older soldier than he was during the Battle of Rorke's Drift.

References

  1. 1 2 Ernst, F.; Scheurer, K. "HISTORY OF THE SWISS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA – SCHIESS, Christian Ferdinand". The South African Military History Society. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 "No. 24788". The London Gazette. 2 December 1879. p. 7148.
  3. ↑ Stewart, Rupert (1916). The book of the Victoria cross. London: H. Rees. p. 419.
  4. ↑ "VC awarded to Corporal Christian Ferdinand Schiess, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Natal Native Contingent, for gallantry during the defence of Rorke's Drift, 22-23 January 1879". Archived from the original on 14 June 2014. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  5. ↑ "Geneva to honour Swiss Victoria Cross hero". 2 July 2008.
  6. ↑ "Royal British Legion to honour Rorke's Drift hero Friedrich Schiess".
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