Colonel W. Payn, C.B., rejoined from leave of absence on the 12th of March, and resumed command of the regiment.
In April, their Royal Highnesses the Prince and the Princess of Wales visited Dublin; and on the 18th, the installation of His Royal Highness as a Knight of the Order of St Patrick took place at a special chapter of the order, held in St Patrick’s Cathedral, His Excellency the Duke of Abercorn, Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, presiding as Grand-Master. The regiment, under Colonel Payn, C.B., was on that day on duty in York Street.
On the 20th of April the whole of the troops in Dublin were paraded in the Phœnix Park, in review order, in presence of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, the Princess of Wales, and H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge, Field-Marshal, commanding-in-chief.
On September 16th the 72nd was ordered to Limerick, where it remained till the end of October 1869. On the 21st the headquarters and three companies, under the command of Major Beresford, proceeded by rail to Buttevant in county Cork. On the 22nd, five companies proceeded by rail to the Cove of Cork, viz., three companies under command of Captain Sherlock to Cambden Fort, and two companies under the command of Captain Tanner to Carlisle Fort. On the 25th, “F” (Captain Guinness’s) company proceeded from Clare Castle to Tipperary to join “A” (Captain Fordyce’s) company at the latter place.
On June 27th, 1870, orders were received for the embarkation of the regiment for India on or about February 19th, 1871. In the months of June and July 276 volunteers were received from various corps on the home establishment, and 191 recruits joined in June, July, and August. On October 4th, orders were received for the regiment to proceed to Cork.
On the transfer of General Sir John Aitchison, G.C.B., to the Colonelcy of the Scots Fusilier Guards, General Charles G. J. Arbuthnot, from the 91st Foot, was appointed colonel of the regiment, under date August 27, 1870. On the decease of General C. G. J. Arbuthnot in 1870, Lieutenant-General Charles Gascoyne was appointed colonel of the regiment, under date October 22, 1870.
On January 16th, 1871, the depot of the regiment was formed at Cork, and on the 21st the headquarters and the various companies, with the whole of the women, and children, and heavy baggage of the regiment, under the command of Captain Payn, sailed from Queenstown on board H.M. troop-ship “Crocodile” for India, where the 72nd had so recently won high and well-deserved honours. The regiment arrived at Alexandria on March 7th, and proceeded overland, to Suez, from which, on the 9th, it sailed in the “Jumna” for Bombay. The regiment arrived at Bombay on March 24th, embarked next morning, and proceeded in three divisions by rail to Deoleca, where it remained till the 28th. On that and the two following days the regiment proceeded in detachments to Umballah, where it was to be stationed, and where it arrived in the beginning of April.
On May 3rd the regiment paraded for inspection by H.E. the Commander-in-Chief, Lord Napier of Magdala, but owing to the lamentable death of Lieutenant and Adjutant James Thomson—who, it will be remembered, was promoted from the rank of sergeant-major in 1858, for distinguished service in India—who was killed by a fall from his horse on parade, the regiment was dismissed to its quarters. On the evening of that date the remains of the late Lieutenant Thomson were interred in the cemetery, his Excellency the Commander-in-Chief and staff-officers of the garrison, and all the officers and men of the regiment off duty, attending the funeral.
The following regimental mourning order was published by Colonel Payn, C.B., on the occasion of this melancholy occurrence:—“A good and gallant soldier has passed from amongst us, and Colonel Payn is assured that there is no officer, non-commissioned officer, or soldier in the 72nd Highlanders, but feels that in the death of Lieutenant and Adjutant Thomson the regiment has suffered an irretrievable loss. He was endeared to every one from the highest to the lowest for his many estimable qualities, and nobody appreciated his worth and value more than Colonel Payn himself. He had served thirty years as soldier and officer in the 72nd, and was the oldest soldier in it; and the welfare of the regiment was invariably his first thought, his chief desire. He was just and impartial in carrying out every duty connected with the regiment. His zeal and abilities as an officer were unequalled, and he was killed in the actual performance of his duties on parade, in front of the regiment that he dearly loved, and it will be long before he is forgotten by those whose interests were his chief study.”
On December 20th and 21st, the regiment proceeded to the camp of exercise, Delhi, under command of Major Beresford. It was attached to the 1st Brigade 3rd Division, which was commanded by Colonel Payn, the division being under the orders of Major-General Sir Henry Tombs, K.C.B., V.C.