BATTLE HONOURS FOR MISCELLANEOUS ACTIONS

Jersey, 1781—Rodney's Victory of April 12, 1782—The Glorious First of June, 1794—St. Vincent—Fishguard—Copenhagen—New Zealand—Abyssinia—Ashantee.

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Jersey, 1781.

This distinction is borne on the colours of the

1st Royal Jersey Light Infantry.
2nd Royal Jersey Light Infantry.
3rd Royal Jersey Light Infantry.

It commemorates the gallant conduct of these three regiments in repelling the French attack on that island in the year 1781. In the early dawn of January 6 a French force, under the command of the Baron de Rullecourt, made a sudden descent on the island of Jersey, landing a short distance to the east of St. Helier, the capital. Entering the town, they occupied the central square, and surrounded the house of the Lieutenant-Governor, who was at once made a prisoner. He was compelled to sign a capitulation of the island, although he explained to the French commander that such an act would, of course, be ignored by the next senior officer. However, under cover of a flag of truce, the French commander, accompanied by the unfortunate Governor, approached Elizabeth Castle, which dominates the town of St. Helier, and demanded the surrender of the garrison.

The troops at that time in the island, detachments of which were in the castle, consisted of the 78th Highlanders, 83rd Glasgow Volunteers (now the 71st Highland Light Infantry), and the 95th Regiment (the forerunners of the Rifle Brigade), together with the three regiments of Militia named above. The senior officer was Major Pierson, of the 95th. So far from obeying the orders of the Lieutenant-Governor, who, of course, being a prisoner, was deprived of all vestige of authority, Major Pierson replied to the French commander that unless the Governor was released and the French troops laid down their arms within ten minutes he would open fire on them. Rullecourt retorted that unless the castle accepted his terms he would hang the Governor. It is said that Pierson's reply was brief and to the point: "Hang, and be damned!" said he. The French officer was allowed to rejoin his troops, then Pierson, moving a couple of companies of the 78th to a hill on the opposite side of St. Helier, which had not been occupied by the French, descended into the square. The French made a brave resistance, but at the end of an hour Rullecourt, who had been shot through the jaw, surrendered. Our losses were by no means small, the most serious being the death of the gallant Pierson, who fell at the head of his men, and whose gallant conduct and heroic death are commemorated by a monument in the square of St. Helier.

Casualties in Jersey, January 6, 1781.

A Naval Crown, superscribed April 12, 1782.

This distinction is borne by the Welsh Regiment in commemoration of the part played by a detachment of the old 69th Regiment, which were acting as Marines on the fleet in the action when Rodney defeated De Grasse off the island of Martinique, taking the French Admiral a prisoner, with his flagship, the Ville de Paris, of 120 guns.

The total losses in this engagement were 10 officers and 237 men killed, 22 officers and 766 men wounded, the 69th losing 5 officers and 29 men killed and wounded.

A Naval Crown, superscribed June 1, 1794.

This distinction was conferred on the Queen's (Royal West Surrey) and the Worcester Regiment for their services when acting as Marines on the ships composing Lord Howe's fleet in the memorable action on the Glorious First of June. Our prizes included two line-of-battle ships of eighty and four of seventy-four guns, whilst the sinking of the Vengeur afforded our adversaries material for a pretty piece of fiction. The total losses in this battle were 15 officers and 235 men killed, 39 officers and 669 men wounded. To this total the regiments above mentioned contributed as under:

Casualties on June 1, 1794.

St. Vincent, February 14, 1797.

This battle honour has been conferred on the Welsh Regiment in recognition of the services of a detachment of this regiment, under Lieutenant Pierson, when acting as Marines in Lord Nelson's ship, the Captain, at the battle which gave Sir John Jervis his peerage. The gallantry of a sergeant of the 69th, who smashed in the quarter gallery of the Spanish flag-ship, was specially mentioned by Nelson, who also begged to be allowed to retain the services of Lieutenant Pierson on board his ship.[26]

Fishguard, February 24, 1797.

This distinction is borne on the appointments of the Pembrokeshire Yeomanry, and, with the exception of "Jersey, 1781," borne on the colours of the three regiments of Jersey Militia, is the only battle honour granted for services in the United Kingdom. It recognizes the promptitude with which that regiment turned out to repel an incursion of French troops on the coast of Pembrokeshire on the date above mentioned. Strangely enough, in the despatches in which Lord Cawdor, the senior officer on the spot, and Lord Milford, the Lord-Lieutenant of the county, report the circumstance to the Duke of Portland, the Prime Minister, no mention whatever is made of the Yeomanry being present. Lord Cawdor wrote that, hearing that three French ships of war and a lugger had anchored in a small roadstead near Fishguard, he at once proceeded to the spot "with a detachment of the Cardigan Militia and all the provincial forces" he could collect. He found that 120 men had disembarked, and in the course of the evening the French commandant surrendered unconditionally. Lord Milford, the Lord-Lieutenant of the county, reported that "before the troops arrived many thousands of the peasantry turned out, armed with pikes and scythes, to attack the enemy." It does not appear that any shots were exchanged, or that Monsieur Tate, Chef-de-Brigade, made any effort to regain his ships or to oppose the armed peasantry who were ready to attack him. The name Tate has not a very Gallic flavour. One of the French ships, La RÉsistance, was captured on March 9 by H.M.S.

Nymphe, and brought into the navy under her new name Fishguard, thus connecting the navy with her battle honour.

1800.

This distinction is borne on the appointments of the King's Own Malta Regiment of Militia, and has been awarded to that corps for its services during the defence of the island against the French.

Copenhagen, April 2, 1801.

This distinction has been conferred on the Berkshire Regiment and the Rifle Brigade for the services they rendered as Marines on the fleet under Sir Hyde Parker and Sir Horatio Nelson when the Danish fleet was destroyed at Copenhagen. The casualties suffered by the troops were slight. It is worthy of remark that the Queen's, Worcester, and Welsh Regiments have been granted permission to add a naval crown to the dates of the fleet actions which they bear on their colours. The Berkshires and Rifle Brigade have not been accorded this augmentation.

Casualties at Copenhagen, 1801.

Copenhagen, 1807.

The regiments that would be entitled to this battle honour are the

Coldstream Guards.
Scots Guards.
K.O. Royal Lancaster.
Royal Fusiliers.
King's Liverpool.
Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
Gloucester.
Cornwall Light Infantry.
Oxford Light Infantry.
South Lancashire.
Royal West Kent.
Cameron Highlanders.
Gordon Highlanders.
Rifle Brigade.

It is difficult to understand why the troops which took part in the expedition to Copenhagen in 1807 should be denied the battle honour conferred on the Berkshires and Rifle Brigade for their services as Marines in the expedition of 1801. In neither case were the losses severe, but the later expedition was in no way less successful than the former. The attitude of the Danes and the fear that their fine fleet would fall into the hands of the French led the Ministry of the day to assemble a powerful fleet and a by no means inconsiderable army in order to carry out their policy.

The former, which consisted of no less than twenty-six line-of-battle ships, was under the command of Sir James Gambier; whilst General the Lord Cathcart was in command of the land forces. The troops employed were thus brigaded:

Right Division: Lieutenant-General Sir G. Ludlow.

Left Division: Sir David Baird.

There was, in addition, a strong division of the King's German Legion, under Lieutenant-General the Earl of Rosslyn, comprising three regiments of cavalry, ten battalions of infantry, two batteries of horse and four companies of field artillery. For siege purposes, ten companies of the Royal Artillery, under Major-General Bloomfield, and three of Royal Engineers, under Colonel D'Arcey, accompanied the force.

On July 18 the troops, numbering upwards of 27,000 men, embarked on 377 transports, and on the 15th of the following month disembarked without opposition at Wibeck, a few miles from Copenhagen. On the 28th of the month the Reserve Division, under Sir Arthur Wellesley, had a sharp brush with the Danes, capturing ten guns and 1,500 prisoners; and on September 1, the siege-works being complete, the city was summoned to surrender. General Peiman, the Danish Commander-in-Chief, returned a bombastic reply, intimating that the Danes were ready to die to a man rather than surrender their capital or their fleet. On the following day the batteries opened fire, and on the 5th the General surrendered unconditionally. Our trophies included eighteen line-of-battle ships and fifteen frigates, the prize-money accruing to the two Commanders-in-Chief amounting to upwards of £300,000! On October 15 the troops re-embarked, and in the course of the following month troops and prizes arrived in England. It is worthy of note that of the huge convoy of 377 transports, few of which exceeded 500 tons burden, only six were wrecked. Five, unfortunately, were picked up by French frigates.

Casualties during the Expedition to Copenhagen, 1807.

The total casualties amongst the troops amounted to 4 officers and 39 men killed, and 6 officers and 139 men wounded. Amongst the latter was Sir David Baird, who had been badly wounded, as we have seen, in India, and who was destined to lose an arm at Corunna in the following year.

NEW ZEALAND.

This distinction has been conferred for three separate campaigns, but no attempt has been made by the addition of dates, as in the case of the wars in South Africa, to differentiate between the various operations.

New Zealand, 1846-47.

The first campaign took place in the years 1846-47, and the regiments which obtained the honour for these operations are the

Northamptons.
Manchesters.
Wiltshires.

New Zealand, 1860-61.

The regiments which earned this distinction are the

Suffolk.
West Yorkshire.
South Lancashire.
Middlesex.
York and Lancaster.

At the time of the dispute which led to these operations there was but one British battalion in the islands, and so critical was the situation that the city of Auckland was practically besieged by the natives. Urgent messages were sent to Australia and to Tasmania, where at that time we had garrisons, and the 12th (Suffolks) and 40th (North Lancashires) arrived very shortly from Sydney and Melbourne respectively. At the same time, on the news reaching England, the 68th (Durham Light Infantry) was ordered from Burmah, the 57th (Middlesex) and 70th (East Surrey) from India, and the 2nd Battalion of the 14th, a newly-raised corps, from the Curragh. General Pratt, who had arrived from Australia, took command of the operations, but some dissatisfaction was expressed at his strategy, and in March, 1863, he was superseded by Sir Duncan Cameron, an officer who had done good service in the Crimea.

The New Zealanders—or rather the Maori—showed themselves most gallant foes. Their pahs, or stockades, were constructed with much skill, and until these had been thoroughly searched out with artillery fire we found them almost impossible to carry.

It was generally conceded that the war was one which, with a little exercise of forbearance on the part of the Colonial Government, might have been avoided, and there was a good deal of friction between the civilian and military elements in consequence, many of the soldiers openly expressing an opinion that their foes had not been fairly dealt with. In the spring of 1861 a hollow truce was patched up. Our casualties during the operations, so far as the regular troops were concerned, had not been heavy, except in the case of the 40th (North Lancashires) and 65th (York and Lancasters).

New Zealand, 1863-1866.

The regiments which were present during the operations, which lasted for nearly three years, are the

Suffolks.
West Yorkshire.
Royal Irish.
North Lancashire.
Oxford Light Infantry.
Royal West Kent.
Middlesex.
York and Lancaster.
Durham Light Infantry.

The same causes which led to the war in 1860 were once more the origin of armed resistance to the Government. The natives considered that they were not being dealt fairly with in the matter of the sale of their lands, and, as I have said before, there was a very strong party in the Colony who sympathized with them. At the same time, it was felt that the Government must be supported until peace had been restored, and that then, but not till then, could the cause of the disturbance be removed. The troops, which included all the regiments named above, were under the command of Sir Duncan Cameron, and he had on his staff a number of exceptionally good men—men who came to the fore in our later wars—amongst them being Sir George Greaves and Sir Thomas Baker, both of whom became Adjutant-General in India. With them were Sir Henry Havelock and Sir John MacNeill, the latter of whom obtained the Victoria Cross in the campaign.

Casualties in New Zealand, 1864.

Although the war dragged on for so long, it calls for no special remark. It resolved itself into the attack of the Maori stockades, which were constructed with great skill. On more than one occasion we certainly came off second best. One point, however, is worthy of note. It was found that the red coats and shakos of the soldiers were not the most suitable garments for Bush warfare, and, to the distress of the old soldiers of the leather stock and pipeclay school, the men fought in blue jumpers and forage-caps.

In the month of June we experienced rather a serious reverse at what was known as the Gate Pah; but the distinguished regiment which suffered heavily on that day showed a few weeks later that it had lost none of the dash for which it had been so famous in Wellington's days. In the early spring of 1866 peace was declared, and since then there have been no more loyal servants of the Crown than our Maori fellow-subjects.

Abyssinia, 1867-68.

The following regiments are authorized to bear this battle honour:

3rd Dragoon Guards.
King's Own Lancasters.
Cameronians.
West Riding.
Sherwood Foresters.
10th Hodson's Horse.
12th Cavalry.
33rd Q.O. Light Cavalry.
2nd Q.O. Sappers and Miners.
3rd Sappers and Miners.
21st Punjabis.
23rd Pioneers.
102nd K.E.O. Grenadiers.
103rd Mahratta Light Infantry.
104th Wellesley's Rifles.
121st Pioneers.
125th Napier's Rifles.
127th Baluch Light Infantry.

The above regiments formed the expeditionary force, under Sir Robert Napier, then Commander-in-Chief in Bombay, which had for its object the release of a number of English and German prisoners held in captivity by Theodore, King of Abyssinia. Until the year 1861 our relations with this half-savage, half-Christian potentate had been of the most cordial nature. He looked on Mr. Plowden, the British Consul, as his most trusted adviser, and amongst the members of his personal household was more than one Englishman. On Mr. Plowden's death a change occurred. The new Consul seems not to have been on the best terms either with the King or with the Foreign Office, and the neglect of the latter to take any notice of an autograph letter addressed to our Queen by King Theodore led to an open rupture. The King swept all Europeans into prison, including the Consul, and on remonstrances being made detained other emissaries. As Theodore had contracted a habit of doing away with his prisoners, it was considered necessary to back up verbal remonstrances with force, and the conduct of the negotiations was removed from the Foreign Office and placed in the hands of the Commander-in-Chief in Bombay.

Little was known of the country, and the most pessimistic forebodings were indulged in by the English Press. The result proved the falsity of the critics. Sir Robert Napier was a master of the art of organization, and from the date of the landing of the troops in Zoulla Bay until their final embarkation there was not a single mishap. There was practically no fighting. The army traversed close on 300 miles of country destitute of roads, crossed mountain-ranges 9,000 feet in height, stormed what Theodore fancied was an impregnable fortress, effected the release of the European prisoners, and freed the Abyssinians from the tyranny of a bloodthirsty King, without the loss of a single man killed in action, and of only thirty-seven who died by disease. The result was due to one man, and to one man alone, and it proved the wisdom of not interfering with the General in command when once he has been entrusted with the conduct of military operations. The House of Commons grumbled at the cost of the expedition, but Sir Robert Napier judged the value of a British soldier at a higher price than mere pounds, shillings, and pence, and preferred that the tax-payer should pay for the mistakes of the Foreign Office in hard cash rather than that the army should pay in the lives of its men.

Thirty years later the Italians tried their 'prentice hand in the same country. The annihilation of their army threw into stronger relief the wisdom of the tactics employed by Lord Napier, where, by utilizing native labour for the construction of the necessary military roads, he saved the health and the lives of his soldiers.

It is impossible to write of the Abyssinian Expedition without adding a word as to the marvellous manner in which the disembarkation and final embarkation of the army was conducted, without hitch or loss, by the Quartermaster-General at Zoulla Bay, then Major Fred Roberts,[27]

The casualty rolls are instructive, and may be compared with advantage with those of the Italian army which was cut to pieces in Abyssinia thirty years later:

Casualties in Abyssinia, 1867-68.

Ashantee, 1873.

This distinction has been conferred on the

23rd (Royal Welsh Fusiliers).
Black Watch.
Rifle Brigade.
West India Regiment.

It commemorates the services of a force, under the command of Major-General Garnet Wolseley (now Field-Marshal Viscount Wolseley), which was organized for the purpose of putting a stop to the intolerable cruelties and depredations of the Ashantee monarch on the West Coast of Africa. In February, 1873, King Coffee Kalkali, not content with ravaging the territories of our allies, actually invaded our own territories in the neighbourhood of Cape Coast Castle. He was beaten off by Colonel Harley, then in command of the troops, and a second invasion was also repulsed by Colonel Festing, of the Royal Marine Artillery. Our relations with the Ashantees had been clouded by the memory of a severe defeat we suffered at their hands when Sir Charles Macartney, the Governor of the Colony, had been killed, and his head carried in triumph to Coomassie, the capital. It was now deemed imperative to teach the Ashantees that the English arm was longer than they imagined, and Sir Garnet Wolseley, who had only recently carried through a most successful little expedition in the North-West Territory of Canada, was selected for the command of the Ashantee Expeditionary Force. With him were associated a number of special-service officers, whose duty it was to raise regiments from the tribes which had suffered at the hands of King Coffee Kalkali, and to act in co-operation with our own advancing troops.

The expedition was perfectly successful. After penetrating to the capital, the force returned to the coast, and re-embarked for England. There were several sharp skirmishes during the advance, in which the 42nd (Royal Highlanders) particularly distinguished themselves, and in which they suffered severely. The expedition, however, is more noticeable in that it produced a school of officers for long known as "the Wolseley Gang," to whom the army and the nation owe a deep debt of gratitude for the institution of many of the most valuable military reforms.

At the conclusion of the war a medal was granted to the officers and men who took part in the expedition, with a special clasp—"Coomassie"—to those who were fortunate enough to have been present at the final advance on the capital.

Casualties in Ashantee War, 1873.

Sierra Leone, 1898.

This distinction is borne by the West India Regiment and West African Regiment, and commemorates their conduct in the campaign undertaken for the purpose of putting down the rebellion in the Colony of Sierra Leone in that year. The rising was a most serious one, and for a time the lives of all the whites on the West Coast were in danger. Nominally the cause of offence was the imposition of a hut-tax; in reality the grievance was a stricter interpretation of the laws regarding slavery. Little heed was paid to the warnings of disaffection. A number of towns in the hinterland were burnt and many English were massacred before we were in a position to cope with the rebels. The command of the operations was entrusted at first to Major-General Woodgate, who afterwards met a soldier's death at the head of his brigade at the Battle of Spionkop, in the Boer War. On his falling ill, the operations were brought to a successful conclusion by Colonel Cunningham, of the Cornwall Light Infantry. The losses of the West India Regiment amounted to 3 officers and 8 men killed, 8 officers and 39 men wounded.

WEST AFRICA.[28]

West Africa, 1887.

The above distinction is borne on the colours of the West India Regiment, and has been conferred on that hard-working corps for a series of arduous campaigns on the West Coast of Africa.

The campaign of 1887 was under the command of Major-General Sir Francis de Winton, the troops being accompanied by a naval brigade furnished by H.M.S. Icarus and Royalist. It was undertaken for the subjugation of a powerful tribe called the Yonnies, who had carried fire, sword, and rapine through the hinterland of the Colony.

West Africa, 1892.

The campaign of 1892 was under the command of Colonel Scott, an officer who had served in the 42nd Highlanders through the Crimea, the Mutiny, and the two Ashantee wars of 1874 and 1890. It was necessitated by the conduct of the Egbas and Jebus, two tribes who were blocking all the trade-routes from Lagos into the interior.

West Africa, 1893.

The campaign of 1893 was under the command of Colonel Ellis, of the West India Regiment, and was undertaken for the punishment of the Sofas, a tribe which had been giving much trouble on our own and on the French frontier. The expedition was marred by an unfortunate contretemps between our forces and the French Senegalese troops, in which we lost three officers killed, the subaltern in command of the French detachment falling a victim to the mistake of his men.

West Africa, 1894.

This year was marked by two expeditions—the one from Bathurst, under Captain Gamble, of the Royal Navy, accompanied by a detachment of the West India Regiment. In this the navy were roughly handled, losing 3 officers and 14 men killed, 6 officers and 32 men wounded. In the following month Major Fairtlough, of the Royal Artillery, took up the threads of the affair, and brought it to a successful conclusion. The recalcitrant chief, Foda Silah, took refuge in French territory, and was handed over to us for deportation.

In the month of September, 1894, the attitude of the ruler of Benin compelled us to destroy the armed towns on his frontier. Admiral Bedford, commanding the Cape of Good Hope Station, was entrusted with the chief command. The bulk of the forces were drawn from the ships on the Cape Station, but a detachment of the West India Regiment well and worthily upheld the fame of that corps. Our trophies included 106 guns of all calibres, a large number of small arms, 14 tons of gunpowder, and 8,300 dozens of gin!

British East Africa, 1896-1899, 1901.

This battle honour has been conferred on the

104th Wellesley's Rifles.
116th Mahrattas.
124th D.C.O. Baluchistan Infantry.
127th P.W.O. Baluch Light Infantry.

It commemorates arduous work, of which little is heard in England, in tropical regions of East Africa and the fever-haunted hinterland of Zanzibar. Split up into a number of small detachments, these regiments have showed themselves worthy successors to the old Bombay army, which more than a century ago broke the power of the Mahrattas and set the stamp of civilization on the coast of Malabar. The list of casualties shows that sickness was not the only foe these distinguished regiments had to face.

Casualties during the Operations in East Africa.

This distinction has been conferred on the West African Regiment, in commemoration of its services in the campaign undertaken for the relief of the Residency of Coomassie during the rebellion in Ashantee in the year 1900. The practical annexation of the kingdom of Ashantee after the campaign of 1890, for which no battle honour was granted, though a bronze decoration was awarded to the troops, had not been accepted with any degree of heartfelt loyalty by the people, and, though peace had been maintained, it was known that this was due to the personal ascendancy of successive Residents rather than to the acquiescence of the people in the new state of affairs. During the absence of the permanent Resident it was determined to obtain possession of the Golden Stool, the emblem of royalty. To effect this, a small expedition was despatched from Kumassi, the capital and seat of the Residency. This expedition was repulsed, and the repulse was followed by a general upheaval of the tribes. The Residency was closely besieged, and there were no troops on the coast to despatch to its relief.

Brigadier-General Willcocks, an officer who to youth added experience, was selected to command an expeditionary force; but, in consequence of the war in South Africa, it was found inexpedient to employ British troops. The General set out on his mission with a mixed force, made up of detachments from the various corps in West Africa. The West India Regiment furnished its quota, as did the West African Frontier Force, the Central African Frontier Regiment, and the West African Regiment, of which the greater part was engaged. The country was an exceedingly difficult one, but its difficulties were known. Although the rising commenced in the month of April, it was not until July that Sir William James Willcocks was ready to move forward. His force numbered, all told, 152 whites and 2,800 natives, the former including a number of invaluable non-commissioned officers. It was fiercely opposed the whole way from the coast to Kumassi, and the severity of the fighting may be gauged from the fact that the total losses amounted to 9 Englishmen and 113 natives killed, and 53 English and 680 natives wounded.

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