Rob Gerrard, respected tour guide at Isandlwana Lodge and author, has passed away in Dundee Hospital.  Rob suffered a fall last year while taking tourists around the battlefields and earlier this year he sustained severe injuries during a horrific attack at his cottage at Isandlwana.

Thieves broke into house and assaulted him before making off with firearms and money.  He never really recovered. Last week he was admiited to hospital with pneumonia and he passed on yesterday.

Fellow tour guide and Courier journalist, Johann Hamman, paid tribute to Rob by quoting from what Rob had once written about himself:

“My father, Brigadier BJD Gerrard DSO, commanded The Gordon Highlanders. Winston Churchill called them the finest fighting unit in the British Army, and it was my father who piqued my interest and passion for British military history, later to include South Africa.

After Ampleforth College I joined The Gordon Highlanders, serving in Kenya, then on secondment in Malaya, Thailand and Borneo.

My great-grandfather, Sir John Robinson, was the first Prime Minister of Natal and when I left the army I moved to South Africa, married and had two sons, and joined WK Croxton as a commodity broker until 1995.
When I was invited to join David Rattray at Fugitives Drift I started to live my passion. I have met descendants of men from Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift, as well as working with other historians uncovering new information, and learned about the characters involved; how that history has affected our modern society; what we can learn from the mistakes; the bravery and stupidity and the repercussions of those events.
Later I was asked to become the Resident Historian at the new Isandlwana Lodge, and there I met a local Zulu, Petros Sibisi, who introduced me to many old Zulus. Zulu history is oral, so there is little written information and it was extremely important for me to understand the Zulu perspective of the Anglo Zulu War.
The development that’s taken place in South Africa since 1879 has hardly touched the beautiful landscape of Zululand. Visitors from around the world flock here to hear the stories of the Anglo Zulu War and to learn about the culture of these wonderfully proud and friendly people. One can enjoy trekking on horseback; bird watching; cultural tours, museums, and the near-by Drakensburg Mountains.
I regularly visit the UK and the US for lecture tours, some raise money for charity, some entertain or share information. I often work with military groups, and I was made a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in 1998.
My ‘flagship’ tours are the Battles of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift, both speak to me, especially Isandlwana which has a passion of its own similar to Scotland’s Culloden. But my portfolio covers all the battles of the Anglo Zulu War.
The Anglo Boer Wars (1881/1890-92) are also of special interest as both my grandfathers were involved. John Robinson as editor of The Natal Mercury covered the campaign in his editorials and Major General John Gerrard, a surgeon, who had a medical train named after him.
My book ‘People of The Heavens’ covers the background, the battles of the Anglo Zulu War and the aftermath. 500 pages with full colour illustrations and original artwork and maps.
I have four individual booklets on the major battles of the Anglo Zulu War and the Anglo Boer War. Plus a seven audio disc box set of my lectures on the Introduction to the Anglo Zulu War, the Battle of Isandlwana and the Battle of Rorke’s Drift, as well as the Introduction to the Anglo Boer War and the Battles of Talana, Elandslaagte, Reitfontein and Ladysmith. ”