AS the standards dipped and the people bowed their heads to remember a hero, a living link with a Victoria Cross hero of Rorke’s Drift paid his own respects. Mike Buckingham reports.

TWO continents, thousands of miles and 131 years stand between the Gwent of today and the heroism of a man who in the heat of battle won the highest award for valour his country has to offer.

Yet the red-coated bugler and the military uniforms would have been familiar to the young Fielding as would the little church in the village to which he returned.

So too, would the face of one of those who came to pay the hero tribute.

"I remember John Fielding, VC or John Williams as he was when he joined the Army" Mr John Hall, 82, from Greenmeadow, Cwmbran whose proudest moment is to have been present at the Victoria Cross winners’ funeral said.

"I was introduced to John Fielding on the first outing after I was born."

"Johnny Fielding worked on the farm with my father.

"I’m told that when I was shown to him he didn’t have a silver sixpence to give to me so he gave me a penny.

"When he died in November, 1932 and was taken to the graveyard at Llantarnam parish church I stood over there" Mr Hall, who himself served in the South Wales Borderers which is successor to the VC winners’ regiment, indicated, turning to point to a spot near the old church’s gate.

"The crowds were enormous.

"Dad put me on the crossbar of his bike and rose across the cricket ground to get here. November 29, 1932 is a day I shall never forget."

Today, Cwmbran and the places surrounding it feel close to the man who, over the course of several hours on the night of January 22 and 23, 1879 joined the ranks of those immortal in British military history.

Abergavenny-born Fielding joined the British Army at the age of 20 in 1877 under the assumed name of Williams and was stationed at Rorke’s Drift in Natal, South Africa when Zulu Impis, fresh from their crushing victory over the British at Isandlwana descended on his tiny outpost.

Together with others protecting soldiers in the sick bay the young Fielding helped organise a fighting retreat to the main body of the compound thus saving many men who otherwise would have been speared to death.

Under a sky as blue as any seen in Africa a hundred veterans, members of the Fielding family, Paul Murphy MP together with civic leaders and respectful members of the public gathered to remember John Fielding and his bravery.

A short graveside service was led by the Reverend Anthony Turner accompanied by the Reverend Canon Brian Pippen.

Wreaths were laid by Cwmbran and District ex-Services Association and by Mr Lewis Freeman, chairman of Pontypool branch of the Royal Welsh Regimental Association.

"John Fielding won his Victoria Cross over 130 years ago.

"It’s heartening to see so many people turning out after all these years to honour his memory" Mr Freeman said.

"Many will be thinking of our soldiers in Afghanistan but there does seem to be an increased awareness of our past and what it means."

As the strains of the last Post sounded over Fielding’s grave by Mr Steve Holland died away a two-minute silence settled and standards from half-a-dozen regimental associations were lowered to the ground in mute tribute.

With the sounding of “reveille” the standards snapped back into their proud positions, a bright winter sun glinting remember John Fielding went home leaving by the honoured grave their prayers and tokens of a life bravely lived.