It recognizes the services of those regiments at the battle with Holkar's troops on November 13, and the subsequent siege operations, which ended with the capture of that city by assault on December 23 following. The attitude of Holkar during Lord Lake's campaign in the year 1803 had given us good cause to doubt his loyalty. Why he did not throw in his lot with Scindia in 1803 can only be ascribed to the immemorial jealousy between the two Princes. No sooner was a truce patched up between Scindia and ourselves than Holkar embarked on a series of operations which were evidently intended to provoke hostilities. Lord Lake spent the hot weather of 1803 on the frontier, and in September he took up the challenge. Lord Lake's army was massed in the vicinity of Agra, and consisted of an infantry division of three brigades, commanded by Major-General Fraser, a cavalry division under Brigadier Macan, and a reserve infantry division of two brigades under Brigadier Don. The infantry division included the 76th (West Riding Regiment), the 1st Bengal European Regiment (now the 1st Munster Fusiliers), and six regiments of Bengal infantry, of which only the 2nd Queen's Own Rajput Light Infantry now remains. The cavalry division included the 8th and 27th regiments of Light Dragoons, and four regiments of native cavalry. Brigadier-General Don's brigade consisted of four battalions of Bengal infantry. On October 14, 1803, Holkar, throwing off the mask, made a sudden attack upon Delhi, which was held by a garrison of Bengal troops under Colonel Ochterlony. He was beaten off, with heavy loss, and on learning that Lord Lake was moving on Delhi, Holkar precipitately retreated. His infantry retired on Deig, he himself towards Furracakabad. Lake ordered Fraser, with his division, to march at once to Deig, whilst he, with the cavalry and Don's brigade, followed up the Mahratta Prince. On November 13 Fraser found the Mahratta army drawn up outside the fortress of Deig. They held a very strong position, with one flank resting on a morass and the other on a large tank. After a sharp fight, in which our little force lost 148 killed and 479 wounded, the Mahrattas broke, and took refuge behind the walls of the fortress. In the engagement General Fraser lost his leg from a round shot, and he sank beneath the effects of the wound. Lake, following up the Maharajah, overtook him, and cut up his army, with a loss to the 8th Hussars of but 2 killed and 13 wounded, those of the enemy being estimated at 2,000. Lake now made his way to Deig, ordering up the siege-train from Agra, and he also called up reinforcements in the shape of a column from Bombay, and the flank companies of the 22nd (Cheshires) from Cuttack. On the morning of December 23 the breach was declared practicable, and the orders for the assault given. Three columns were told off, under Colonel Macrae, of the West Riding Regiment. The centre or main column was led by Macrae in person. It consisted of two companies of the 76th (West Riding), two of the 22nd (Cheshires), and two of the 1st Bengal European Regiment.[14] The right and left columns were each composed of two companies of the Bengal European Regiment, and five of the 12th Bengal Infantry, a regiment no longer with us. Considerable opposition was experienced, especially from a body of Afghan mercenaries in Holkar's pay; but Christmas morning found the British flag flying over the walls of Holkar's stronghold, our total loss amounting to no more than 43 killed and 184 wounded.

The Regimental History of the 22nd (Cheshires) gives the casualties of the regiment as 2 men killed and 4 wounded; but as Lord Lake's despatch gives the names of four officers of that regiment as among the wounded, I conclude the History is wrong. I have compared the names of the wounded officers with the official Army List for the year in question, and as these stand in the official records it would appear that the Gazette is right, and the Regimental History wrong. Three out of the four officers were again wounded in the attacks on Bhurtpore in the following month, when Sergeant Shipp of the 22nd covered himself with glory, and obtained a commission in the 65th for repeated acts of gallantry.

Casualties at the Battle of Deig.
Regiments.Officers.Men.
K.W.K.W.
76th W. Ridings1331120
2nd Batt. N.I.112566
4th Batt. N.I.222228
Royal Dublins-51252
8th Batt. N.I.--42
2nd Q.O. Light Infantry1619143
Royal Artillery--1647
Casualties at the Siege and Assault.
Regiments.Officers.Men.
K.W.K.W.
8th Hussars--212
Royal Artillery-1--
22nd Cheshires-4213
76th W. Ridings-2517
Royal Dublins-1??
8th Bom. N.I.14??
12th Bom. N.I.1-??
Pioneers-2??

Cochin, 1809.

On September 30, 1840, the Governor of Madras in Council conferred the above distinction on the 17th Madras Infantry (the predecessors of the 93rd Burmah Infantry), for their gallant conduct at the defence of the Residency of Cochin during the rebellion in Travancore in the year 1809.

Under the terms of various treaties the Maharajah of Travancore was bound to maintain a Subsidiary Force of native troops, officered by Englishmen of our own army, such force to be at the disposal of the East India Company, under certain conditions. Differences arose with the Maharajah, and an attempt to murder the British Resident unmasked a plot for the expulsion of the British garrisons in Southern India. The General commanding the Malabar coast, on learning of the threatening condition of affairs, at once ordered the 12th (Suffolks) and the 17th Madras Infantry to reinforce the troops of the subsidiary force at Cochin, these were permeated with discontent, having been seduced from their allegiance by the Prime Minister of the State. A very determined attack on the Residency at Cochin was repulsed by the small garrison, which consisted of a detachment of the Suffolks and a wing of the 17th Madras Infantry. Further operations became necessary, and a general movement of troops from all the stations in Southern India was ordered. The 19th (Yorkshires), 59th (East Lancashires), 69th (Welsh), and 80th (North Staffords), with a certain number of regiments of Madras sepoys, advanced on Travancore. At Palamcottah the 69th (Welsh) and the 3rd Regiment of Madras Infantry had a sharp brush with the Travancoreans, in which the Madras regiment showed considerable dash, and earned for itself the title, which its successor now bears, of Palamcottah Light Infantry. The 12th (Suffolks) and the 17th Madras Infantry were on another occasion compelled to submit to an attack on the part of the misguided Travancoreans, but the advent of such a large force had a sobering influence on the Maharajah: the obnoxious Prime Minister was removed and disgraced, the arrears of subsidy paid, and the independence of the Maharajah became a mere figment. The distinction "India" on their colours serves to remind the Suffolks that in their long tour of service in the early years of the last century they had some sharp fighting, irrespective of the campaign in Mysore. The casualties in Cochin show that it was not a mere summer picnic.

Regiments.Officers.Men.
K.W.K.W.
Suffolks04967
93rd Burmah Infantry-11045

Note.—On the renumbering of the regiments of the Indian Army in 1903, the 93rd Infantry renounced their claim to these battle honours, to which, as the direct representation of the old 17th Madras Infantry, they are legitimately entitled.