ONE of the most celebrated military actions in British history is to be remembered in a lecture to raise money for wounded servicemen.

Expert Rob Caskie is to discuss the defence of Rorke’s Drift, made famous in the Michael Caine film Zulu, in a lecture at Durham Cathedral on Thursday, June 16.

The event is part of a national lecture tour of talks on the Zulu Wars by Mr Caskie, senior guide and principal lecturer at the Fugitives Drift Heritage Lodge in South Africa, to raise money for the charity Help For Heroes.

The Battle of Rorke’s Drift took place in January 1879 when a British garrison of 135 men, including 30 sick and injured soldiers, held off wave after wave of attacks by 4,000 Zulu warriors, just hours after their shock victory at the Battle of Isandlwana.

The lecture tour, sponsored by financial services company Brewin Dolphin, hopes to raise more than £100,000 for Help for Heroes.

Nick Hood, Senior Independent Non Executive Director of Brewin Dolphin, said: "What better way to honour what hundreds and thousands of soldiers, airmen and sailors have done for us over the years than taking the time to find out more about the heroism of the British soldiers and the Zulu warriors in the battles of 1879.

"We hope the audience will thoroughly enjoy these talks but also that these events will increase people’s awareness and knowledge of Help for Heroes."

The talk at Durham Cathedral takes place at 7pm and tickets, priced £30, are available from www.h4hzuluwartalks.co.uk.