199: Zulu's Greatest Injustice: The True Story of Henry Hook VC

Send me a messageChris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.The movie "Zulu"'s Greatest Injustice: The True Story of Henry Hook VC.Become A PatronMake A DonationIf you've watched the classic 1964 film "Zulu," you'll remember Henry Hook as a drunken, cowardly malingerer who miraculously finds his courage during the Battle of Rorke's Drift. But what if I told you the real Henry Hook was the exact OPPOSITE of his film portrayal?In this episode, we uncover the shocking truth about Alfred Henry Hook VC - a teetotal, model soldier who served his country for over 40 years. Far from being the cockney anti-hero played by James Booth, Hook was a dedicated soldier from Gloucestershire, not a London thief. He was a member of the Good Templars temperance society who completely abstained from alcohol. When the Zulus attacked, he wasn't malingering in bed but working as the hospital cook, preparing tea for patients.The real Hook was a skilled marksman who single-handedly held off Zulu warriors for hours, defending the hospital room by room with incredible bravery. He saved patients by carrying them to safety on his back, including the injured Private Connolly whose leg he broke again while dragging him through a hole in the wall to escape the flames and assegais.Discover how Hook's incredible real story of genuine heroism was completely distorted by Hollywood. Explore his post-war life working at the British Museum as a book duster, his struggles with literacy despite letters of support from Lord Chelmsford and the Prince of Wales, and how he became a minor celebrity wearing his Victoria Cross while visitors heard his battle stories.Learn about his continued military service with volunteer battalions for 20 years, rising to Instruction Sergeant, his troubled first marriage and happier second marriage to Ada Taylor, and his tragic early death from tuberculosis at just 54. I also examine his family's genuine distress at the film's inaccurate portrayal and debunk the myth about them storming out of the premiere.Support the show