THE last surviving granddaughter of Rorke’s Drift hero Pte John Williams VC has died.

Pte Williams was one of 11 soldiers to be honoured with a Victoria Cross for defending a station against up to 4,000 Zulus in the 1879 Battle of Rorke’s Drift immortalised in the Michael Caine film Zulu.

Kathleen Couzens, nee Jones, died at Leamington Spa on August 18. She was aged 98.

Kathleen was born and raised in Ty Coch where her grandfather, also known as John Fielding, was a regular visitor.

Mr Fielding is said to have played a large part in Kathleen’s upbringing, keeping her fascinated with stories of his life and recalling the happenings at Rorke’s Drift, between January 22 and 23, 1879.

Kathleen’s funeral was held Leamington Crematorium.

But tomorrow, a memorial family service will take place at Our Lady of the Angels RC church in Cwmbran.

The service to be led by parish priest Canon John Griffiths is to be followed by the interment of her ashes at the family grave at Cwmbran Cemetery.

Lew Freeman, chair of the Cwmbran based John Williams (Fielding) VC Memorial Trust, said: “We received the news of Kath’s death with great sadness.

“She was an invaluable source of help and encouragement to us and we will miss her deeply.”

In 2011, Kathleen spoke of her “tremendous pride” for her grandfather as she met art students from the former Llantarnam School to help prepare a design brief for a new grave memorial for John Williams at Llantarnam Church.

Kathleen and her family were able to clearly remember their grandfather talking about his wish for his Victoria Cross Medal to be given after his death to the South Wales Borderers Museum at Brecon.

The family faithfully honoured that wish as the medal now forms part of their collection along with a display and artefact’s from the famous battle.