In February, two companies were sent on detachment to Sattara.
In September, as the regiment was about to proceed to England, volunteers to the number of 82 rank and file were transferred to other corps.
The detachment from Sattara returned to head-quarters in December.
1881.
Instructions had been received in November that the regiment would proceed to England in H.M.S. Jumna on 25th January, 1881, but on 3rd January of that year, a telegram was received ordering the regiment to Natal on field service owing to the outbreak of hostilities with the Boers.
The regiment left Belgaum on 7th January, marched to Vingorla, and on the 15th embarked on H.M.S. Crocodile (on which were also the Gordon Highlanders) for Durban; 46 invalids with the women and children proceeded to Bombay en route to England.
On 30th January the regiment, consisting of 20 officers, 574 rank and file, landed at Durban, and proceeded by rail to standing camp at Fillie Fontein; there it only remained for two weeks and then marched to Pietermaritzburg, thence to the base of operations, Newcastle, where it arrived on 9th March—a march rendered extremely difficult owing to heavy rains.
During March, April, and May the regiment was variously encamped at Signal Hill, Bennett’s Drift, and elsewhere, and employed wood-cutting, coal-mining, etc.
On 1st July, the following changes took effect (General Order No. 41 of 1881):—
The regiment (83rd Foot) became the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles.