In addition to the war medal, a special bronze star was given for the march from Kabul to Kandahar. It is worthy of note that khaki was worn, and that this was the first campaign in which the Regiment, since it had become Rifles, had fought in any colour but green.
1879–1884, 3rd BATTALION.
Special reference must here be made to the 3rd Battalion, whose good fortune led it to take part in no less than four campaigns in six years, and thus to justify a claim to being called “the fighting Battalion.” Raised in 1855 in Ireland, this Battalion had been moved to Madras at the close of the Mutiny in 1857, to Burma in 1862, back to Madras in 1865, and to Aden in 1871, and thence to England in 1872. It had not unnaturally suffered much disadvantage from its long exile of fifteen years in the East, unrelieved by the experience of active service. It was, therefore, in a condition particularly to profit by the example of Hawley and the 4th Battalion, which had begun to be generally felt, and there can be no doubt that it derived at this period an immense benefit in efficiency and interior economy, not only from the influence of Hawley and his system, but also from the traditions and example of the 1st Battalion. Its new commanding officer, Pemberton,[[45]] and its second in command, Northey,[[46]] had both been trained under Hawley, and many of its captains and junior officers, as well as N.C.O.’s, had been promoted or transferred from the 1st and 4th Battalions to the 3rd on its return from India. These officers and men brought with them into the Battalion the vigorous spirit of the Regiment, its flexible drill and tactics, its ideals of rapidity and elasticity of movement, rendered possible by the most careful attention to detail; its extreme steadiness in close formations; and, above all, that assiduous care for the comfort and well-being of the rank and file, which is its great feature. In consequence, the rapidity and smartness of manœuvre, the strong self-reliance and individuality of the Riflemen, and the excellent feeling existing between officers and men were conspicuously the attributes of the rejuvenated 3rd Battalion. The Battalion, therefore, not only won for itself a great reputation as a fighting unit, but conveyed later the same spirit to the Mounted Infantry, for the inception and success of which its officers and Riflemen were largely responsible.
1879, SOUTH AFRICA ZULU WAR.
April 2nd, 1879, GINGIHLOVO.
Having been quartered for several years at Aldershot, where it gained much credit, the Battalion was at Colchester in January, 1879, when it received sudden orders to embark for South Africa in consequence of the defeat of Lord Chelmsford’s troops by Cetewayo, the Zulu King, at the battle of Insandlwana. It landed at Durban, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Leigh-Pemberton, and marched direct to the Tugela, where, under Lord Chelmsford himself, it formed part of the column to relieve Fort Pierson. Leaving the Tugela on the 25th of March, it took a distinguished part in the battle of Gingihlovo on the 2nd of April, when the Zulu impis with a splendid gallantry charged up to the muzzles of the men’s rifles, and severely tried the young soldiers of whom the ranks were largely composed. After a short half hour’s hard fighting the Zulu army reluctantly withdrew, leaving an immense number of killed and wounded behind them. The casualties were light, but the Battalion sustained a great loss in the death of Major and Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel Frank Northey, who was mortally wounded early in the action.
In June the Battalion was engaged in the second advance to Ulundi under Sir Garnet Wolseley; and in the subsequent pursuit and capture of Cetewayo, which brought the Zulu War to a close, two companies of the Battalion, under Captain Astley Terry,[[47]] had a prominent share.
1881, BOER WAR.
Jan. 28th, 1881, LAING’S NEK.