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HISTORY (to 1881)
A Synopsis
Other pages give an overview of each of the Regiments
that would eventually form the Royal Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiments
and thence the Duke of Edinburgh’s Royal Regiment in 1959. This
synopsis provides a broad background to the campaigns and wars in
which the various regiments often served together.
The story begins in Jamaica on 25th December 1743.
On the advice of the Governor, Edward Trelawney, the eight independent
companies that formed the garrison were amalgamated to form a new
Regiment. The Governor was appointed colonel and the Regiment called
Trelawney’s Regiment, as it was the fashion at the time to name
Regiments after their Colonel. It became the 49th Regiment in 1748.
In 1758 the 2nd Battalion of the 4th Foot, formed
in 1756, became the 62nd Regiment and the 2nd Battalion the 19th
Foot also formed in 1756 became the 66th Regiment.
In 1782 it was announced that some Regiments of
the Line would be affiliated to Counties and the Regiments thus
became known as the 49th (Hertfordshire) Regiment, 62nd (Wiltshire)
Regiment and the 66th (Berkshire) Regiment.
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The Order for forming a Regiment of Foot under the Command of Govenor Trelawney
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American War of Independence
Both the 49th and the 62nd Regiments were involved
in the American War of Independence. For the 49th it included its
first major action. The Regiment took part in the occupation of
Philadelphia in 1777 and the battle at nearby Brandywine Creek.
The 49th's Light Company, which was attached to
the 2nd Battalion Light Infantry, made a night attack with the bayonet
under cover of a rain storm. A force of 1500 Americans encamped
in a wood were taken completely by surprise, some 300 being killed
or wounded with minor loss to the 49th. Humiliated, the Americans
accused the British of killing the wounded, a charge proved to be
totally unfounded, and vowed to give no quarter to the units involved
when they met in later battles. The Light companies reacted to this
threat by dyeing their distinguishing green feathers red so that
they should be easily recognised. This action continued to be commemorated
by the wearing of the red Brandywine Flash behind the cap badge
by the Royal Berkshire Regiment, the Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment
and now by the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment.
The 62nd Regiment acted as Light Infantry and were
involved in the advance from Canada into the rebel New England colonies
under General Burgoyne. They won great praise for their steadfastness
and fortitude in a number of actions and at Saratoga, where they
earned the nickname "The Springers".
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An Officer of the 62nd Regiment, and A Private Grenadier of the 62nd Regiment
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Major General Sir Isaac Brock KB, late Commander of the 49th Regiment
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General Sir Isaac Brock
From 1802 to 1814 the 49th served in Canada where
it was engaged in frontier warfare with the Americans. One of its
finest actions was at Queenstown in October 1812, but this involved
the tragic loss of General Sir Isaac Brock. He had previously commanded
the Regiment with great distinction and in 1810 was appointed Commander
in Chief in Upper Canada and later Governor of the province.
His administration both civil and military and
the able way in which he established friendly relations with Chief
Tecumseh and his Indians meant that long before his death he was
recognised as the saviour of Canada. It was perhaps fitting that
he should have died leading the charge of the Light Company of his
old Regiment at a crucial moment of the battle, but both they and
Canada had suffered an irreparable loss.
The spot on which he died and was later buried
is today marked by an impressive monument. The depot of the Royal
Berkshire Regiment, which was created in Reading in 1881, was named
"Brock Barracks" in memory of one of the Regiment’s distinguished
Commanders.
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The Brock Memorial
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The Battle of Sobaron, at which the 62nd Regiment fought
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The Peninsular War
1803 saw the raising of 2nd Battalions for both
the 62nd and 66th Regiments. Both these battalions served with the
Peninsula Army under Sir Arthur Wellesley, later the Duke of Wellington,
with great distinction. They were involved in many of the battles
which are now household names and earned 9 Battle Honours. Among
them Albuhera, where the 2nd 66th were all but cut to pieces by
the French Cavalry, holding on until relieved with only fifty two
men still standing.
The 2nd 62nd were disbanded in 1817. The 2nd 66th
were moved to St Helena where they amalgamated with their 1st Battalion
and were responsible for guarding the deposed Emperor Napoleon.
It was grenadiers of the 20th and 66th Regiments who bore his body
to the grave.
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Formation of the 99th Regiment
The 99th Regiment was formed in Glasgow in 1824 and became the 99th
(Lanarkshire) Regiment in 1832. The Regiment moved to Australia
and in 1845 were part of a force sent to New Zealand to put down
the Maori rebellion. The campaign lasted for more than two years
before the Regiment returned to Tasmania. In the late 1850s the
Regiment was stationed in Aldershot where it gained a high reputation
for smartness in drill and dress and were selected to provide the
guard for the Royal Pavilion. The Regiment’s perfection is said
to have given rise to the expression "dressed up to the Nines".
The Princess Charlotte of Wales, with her husband
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Title Princess Charlotte of Wales's
The 49th Regiment returned to England from Canada
in 1815 to be stationed at Weymouth. Here they discarded their battered
campaign clothing and were issued with new scarlet coats, white
breeches, black shako and gaiters before taking over the duties
of guarding those members of the Royal family in residence. So affected
was the young Princess Charlotte by the sight of these pipeclayed
and polished soldiers that she begged that the 49th might be ‘her’
Regiment. This was approved and later that year the title "Princess
Charlotte of Wales’s Regiment" was granted.
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Battle of Ferozeshah
In 1845 the 62nd was stationed in India and was engaged in the first
Sikh War. At the battle of Ferozeshah over the 21st and 22nd December
1845 the 62nd led the main attack and suffered horrific casualties
on the first day, losing 18 out of 23 officers and 281 out of 560
other ranks. When the battle resumed the next morning most of the
Companies were commanded by Sergeants. A Ceremonial Parade is now
held annually on which, in appreciation of the service rendered
by the Sergeants at Ferozeshah. The Colours are handed over by the
Commanding Officer to the Warrant Officers and Sergeants for the
rest of the day and handed back at midnight. Uniquely the Regimental
Sergeant Major alone commands the Escort to the Colours.
A hospital in the Crimea, with Florence Nightingale
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The Crimean War
Both the 49th Regiment and the 62nd Regiment were
engaged in the Crimean War. The 49th was at the battles of Alma,
Inkerman and Sevastopol during which three Victoria Crosses were
awarded to members of the Regiment.
The 62nd spent the worst Russian winter for 100
years on the heights in front of Sevastopol in the Crimea. The following
September they attacked the Great Redan, losing half their Sergeants
and Officers and over 100 men. Twenty five of all ranks were, however,
Mentioned in Despatches for bravery, more than any other Regiment
taking part.
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The Wars in China
In 1841 the 49th was sent from India to take part in the "Opium
War" with China, and it was in action at the capture of Chusan,
Canton, Amoy and Shanghai. In consequence of the consistent gallantry
displayed by all ranks during the campaign the Regiment was awarded,
as a badge, the Dragon superscribed "China". It is the China Dragon
that later became the cap badge of the Royal Berkshire Regiment
and formed the centre piece of the Regimental badge of the Duke
of Edinburgh’s Royal Regiment. In 1860 the 99th was part of an expedition
to China and participated in the sacking of Peking. A Pekinese dog
belonging to the Chinese Empress was found and christened "Lootie".
In was the first Pekinese to appear in England and was presented
to Queen Victoria.
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Return from Inkerman
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HRH Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh
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Title Duke of Edinburgh's Regiment
His Royal Highness Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh,
second son of Queen Victoria had shown great interest in the 99th
since his inspection of the Regiment in Cape Town in 1868. In 1874
permission was granted for the Regiment to be styled "The 99th (Duke
of Edinburgh’s) Regiment".
Battle of Maiwand
The 66nd Regiment was serving in India during the 1870s when it
was ordered to Afghanistan. In July 1880 on the arid plain of Maiwand,
45 miles from Kandahar, the Regiment earned undying glory. The 66th
was part of a mixed Indian and British force under Brigadier General
Burroughs and was given the task of dispersing a reportedly small
band of rebellious Afghan tribesmen under Ayub Khan. In the event
the rebels proved to be a massive army over 40,000 strong supported
by 30 guns.
After several hours desperate fighting only the
remnants of the 66th stood firm. Slowly and deliberately, contesting
every foot of ground the hundred and twenty survivors under Colonel
Galbraith withdrew to a walled garden. Here they fought on until
only two officers and nine other ranks were left. This small group
charged out of the garden, formed up back to back and continued
to fire until the last of them fell.
The action caught the prevailing mood of nationalism
which was prevalent in Victorian England at the time and inspired
a poem to be written. A small white mongrel dog named "Bobbie",
who was the pet of a Sergeant in the Regiment, was wounded in the
battle but survived and was eventually brought back to England where
he was presented to Queen Victoria at Osborne House on the Isle
of Wight. The action also inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to base
his character, Doctor Watson, on the Regiment’s Medical Officer,
Surgeon Major A F Preston, who was also wounded at the battle and
who describes in "A Study in Scarlet" how he was shot while attending
to a fallen soldier.
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