76th (West Riding Regiment).—This regiment from its earliest days was known as the "Hindoostan Regiment," and was the first regiment to bear the word "Hindoostan" on its colours—a distinction granted to it on the petition of Lord Lake in the year 1807. Few regiments have suffered more severely in action than did the 76th at Allyghur, Delhi, Laswarree, and Deig; whilst in Lord Lake's attempt on Bhurtpore the regiment was again cut to pieces. Throughout the earlier phase of Lord Lake's campaign it was the only British infantry in his army, and, in recognition of its valour, the Commander-in-Chief bestowed upon the 76th a third colour—a distinction which has been disallowed by the War Office.
India.
This distinction is borne by the
Suffolks.
West Yorkshire.
Hampshire.
Welsh.
York and Lancaster.
Gordon Highlanders.
Royal Irish Rifles.
12th (Suffolk Regiment).—On [p. 154] I have alluded to the services of the 12th Regiment at the defence of the Residency at Cochin. It was for this and other hard work performed in the early days of the last century that the 12th earned this well-merited distinction "India." During the rising in Travancore they lost heavily. A boat containing the sergeant-major and thirty-three men was wrecked on the coast below Quilon, and every man was massacred. At Quilon itself they lost 53 officers and men in an engagement with the Travancorean troops. Prior to this the 12th had served with General Harris in the war with Tippoo Sultan, and had earned the battle honour "Seringapatam."
West Yorkshire.—The old 14th Foot were actively employed on several campaigns between 1810 and 1825. They furnished the stormers at Bhurtpore when that fortress was captured by Lord Combermere, and they had previously borne a prominent part in the operations which led to the capture of Fort Hattrass in 1817.
65th (York and Lancaster).—This regiment was unfortunate enough to be deprived of the privilege of sharing in the victories gained by the army under Sir Arthur Wellesley in 1803. With the 86th they were selected to maintain order on the line of communications. A detachment was present at the engagements outside Poonah—engagements which are borne on the colours of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers under the name "Kirkee." They were present in many hard-fought actions in Guzerat, and were employed more than once in suppressing refractory Rajahs in the Bombay Presidency. Their conduct in expeditions against the Arab pirates on the Persian Gulf earned the distinction of "Arabia." These are described on [p. 224].
67th (Hampshire Regiment).—The old 67th certainly lost more men in putting this battle honour on their colours than they did in the better-known but less arduous campaign in China in 1860. At the capture of the fort of Ryghur in 1817, and, two years later, at the storming of Asseerghur, they lost some 60 officers and men killed and wounded. Indeed, throughout their first tour of Indian service—from 1805 to 1826—they were almost continuously in the field.
69th (The Welsh Regiment).—In the early part of the nineteenth century the 69th was constantly employed on active service. It lost heavily in the suppression of the mutiny of the Madras troops at Vellore, and in the operations in Travancore in the year 1808 it defeated the rebels on more than one occasion, sharing with the 12th (Suffolks) the principal honours of that little-remembered campaign.