Corporal Friederich Schiess VC

Greetings from KwaZulu-Natal.

If you visit Rorke's Drift, one of the saddest (I think) things is the little brass plaque on the wall of the hospital commemorating Corporal Friederich Schiess VC -

He died less than 5 years after the battle and in great poverty at the age of just 28. In 1884, he was found on the streets of Cape Town suffering from exposure and malnutrition. The Royal Navy found him, gave him food, and offered him a passage to England on board the Serapis. He accepted, but became ill during the voyage and died. His remains were buried at sea.

The plaque reads:

"In Memory of
Corporal Friederich Schiess, VC,
3rd Regiment, Natal Native Contingent,
Who won the VC for Gallantry at the defence of Rorkes' Drift on the 22/23 January 1879.
He died at sea on the 14th December 1884.
He has no memorial but this."

I find that last sentence so sad, discarded and dead at 28, buried at sea, the plaque is all that marks he was ever here