THE PRINCE OF WALES'S (North Staffordshire Regiment)
The 1st Battalion (64th Foot) was raised in 1756, the facings being black. It took part in the hardest fighting in the West Indies and America, being engaged there off and on till 1815, reaching home just too late to take part in the battle of Waterloo. The regiment was on board the "Alert," when she was wrecked near Halifax, N.S., all ranks remaining below silent and under perfect discipline, while the vessel was run ashore. Had the men attempted to reach the deck the vessel would have foundered. By their discipline everyone aboard was saved, and the Duke of Wellington ordered that the details should be published throughout the Army as an example of discipline. The 2nd Battalion (98th Foot) was raised in 1824 and served in the Crimean War. The 98th was honoured with the title of "Prince of Wales's" in recognition of the duties performed by the Corps during the Prince of Wales's visit to Malta.
Nicknamed: "The Black Knots" as distinct from "The Staffordshire Knots" of the South Staffordshire Regiment.
(Depot, Pontefract.)
(Record Office, York.)
The Royal Tiger, superscribed "India."
"Guadaloupe, 1759," "Martinique, 1794," "India, 1796-1819," "Nive," "Peninsula," "Arabia," "New Zealand," "Lucknow," "Tel-el-Kebir," "Egypt, 1882, 1884," "Relief of Ladysmith," "South Africa, 1899-1902."
Uniform, Scarlet.
Facings, White.
Head-dress, Helmet.
Cap, Blue.
Regimental March, "The York and Lancaster."
Allied Regiment: 5th (Wellington) Regiment of New Zealand.
YORK & LANCASTER REGIMENT
Raised in 1756 and was present at the capture of Guadaloupe. Active service in the West Indies reduced the ranks to such an extent that on its return it had to take large drafts of "parish boys." In 1801 the "boy" regiment was sent to the Cape to get acclimatised for service in India, where it arrived two years later, and where it stayed for over twenty years earning a high reputation for bravery and discipline. Later, another long spell of foreign service was put in, serving for no fewer than twenty years in Australia and New Zealand, a unique experience. The 2nd Battalion was raised as the 84th Foot in 1793 at York, and saw a great deal of foreign and active service, part being among the small garrison of Lucknow during the Mutiny, the rest of the 84th being massacred at Cawnpore. The brilliant record of service of the regiment has been added to since those days.
Nickname: "The Royal Tigers" and "The Twin Roses."
(Depot, Newcastle.)
(Record Office, York.)
"Salamanca," "Vittoria," "Pyrenees," "Nivelle," "Orthes," "Peninsula," "Alma," "Inkerman," "Sevastopol," "Reshire," "Bushire," "Koosh-ab," "Persia," "New Zealand," "Relief of Ladysmith," "South Africa, 1899-1902."
Uniform, Scarlet.
Facings, Dark green.
Head-dress, Helmet.
Cap, Green with green band.
Regimental March, "The Light Barque."
Allied Regiments, 106th Regiment (Winnipeg Light Infantry) of Canada; 2nd (South Canterbury) Regiment of New Zealand.