Wednesday, January 7, 2009

36th Foot (2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment) - Short History in India

The flag of the 2nd Battalion colours in 1930.
The WR Badge


The 36th Regiment Belt plate.


Lord William, Viscount Charlemont.


Officer of the 36th Foot (1792)
36th John Bryant grave.
Whiting Hip Flask Thumb.
ww1 postcard Thumb.
Rawalpindi India in 1939. x-mas menu in India 1943.
7th battalion c company visit at x-mas in India (1943).
C company x-mas dinner in India 1943.
Sialkot 1940 lieut col Deakin India.
Waziristan 1940 lieut peter roose.
The 36th Regiment

When I came across for search British forces on India and especially searching about old news of kgf, I came across to this “The 36th Regiment” I felt very interesting about this so I started to collect information about The 36th Regiment in India, They have ruled the whole World by I want to publish some incident which took placed in India.

The History begins now.

The 36th Regiment bore on the Regimental Colour and appointments The word "Firm" also the word "Hindoostan" (Hindustan) in commemoration of its distinguished services in the several actions in which it was engaged in India from 1790 to 1798, and The words "ROLEIA," "VIMIERA," "CORUNNA," "SALAMANCA," "PYRENEES, "NIVELLE," "NIVE," "ORTHES," "TOULOUSE" and "PENINSULA" in testimony of its gallantry in the several actions fought during the war in Portugal, Spain and the South of France from 1808 to 1814.

Towards the end of his troubled reign William of Orange was forced to raise more regiments to support the cause of his Dutch subjects. War was brought nearer when on the death of James II in France, Louis immediately proclaimed his son, James III. War was on the eve of being declared when " the little gentleman in black velvet " brought about the accident that led to the death of William on 8th March, 1702.In the previous year a Royal Warrant had been issued to William, Viscount Charlemont to raise a regiment in Ireland. Charlemont's original service was in The Earl of Kingston's Foot, a regiment raised in March, 1689, in Warwickshire though most of the officers were Irish. It served throughout the Irish Campaign and lost heavily at the Siege of Limerick, and was disbanded at the Peace of Ryswick. The only definite record we have of Charlemont's service is from a List of Infantry reviewed at Dundalk Camp, 18/28 October, 1689. Charlemont, Captain of the 13th Company, is shown as absent—no doubt with leave.For his services on behalf of William, Charlemont was appointed Colonel of a newly raised regiment of foot in Ireland, 23rd April, 1694. The regiment was disbanded in 1697 and Charlemont and his officers were placed on half pay. When he was given a Royal Warrant to raise another regiment he soon gathered his officers from those who had been placed on half pay at the same time in his own regiment and others. The men mostly came from the Northern Irish counties of Armagh and Tyrone, in which counties he was well known and respected.


INDIA

The regiment embarked in three freight ships at Queenstown in August. Two ships arrived in Calcutta in November and the third a month later. The regiment was to relieve the 48th in Lucknow where they arrived, after several stops, in January, 1864. An epidemic of cholera attacked the regiment during the hot weather and 28 men died. The number would no doubt have been greater but for the care taken to isolate and move the companies as and when they were attacked. In consequence of this epidemic the regiment moved by wings to Moradabad and Shahjehanpore. In 1867 cholera again broke out in both places. The wings marched out into camp, frequently moving the sites and the epidemic subsided. When the 36th left Shahjehanpore for Peshawar in October some friends presented a silver cup to the Officers' Mess. In 1948 this cup was handed over on loan to the Herefordshire Regiment T.A. until such time as the 36th should be raised again.The regiment arrived at Meean Meer on 22nd December where they were inspected by the Commander of the Lahore Division. He commented very favourably on the smart appearance of the regiment after nearly two months marching. Christmas was spent on the march and the regiment arrived at Peshawar on January 23rd, 1868. The regiment remained here throughout the year. During this year the Colonel, General Scott died and was succeeded by Major General Basil Brooke. General Brooke died after only one month as Colonel and was succeeded by Major General A. A. T. Cunynghame, C.B. who had been A.Q.M.G. to the 1st Division in the Crimea. He was now commanding a Brigade in Dublin. In 1896 a detachment of 200 men under Lt. Colonel Hunter took part in an expedition towards Kohat Pass to punish some troublesome tribes who disappeared into the hills and the expedition returned. However, the tribesmen were driven into the arms of another force advancing from Kohat and severely handled. In September cholera again broke out seriously. The regiment moved into camp but it was some time before the scourge abated. To the great sorrow of the regiment Surgeon Hill was among the victims, along with one sergeant and 115 rank and file. In November the 36th moved to Rawalpindi

In 1870 a Regimental Dinner Club was established with Captain Carr, commanding the Depot, as honorary secretary. Sixty-four retired officers joined and at the first dinner held on the Wednesday of Ascot Week, twenty-four Officers attended. In December, 1872 the regiment left Rawalpindi for a camp of exercise at Hassan Abdul. After the manoeuvres the regiment returned to Rawalpindi until relieved in 1875, when they marched to Meean Meer. They left behind in the churchyard the graves of one officer, Quarter Master John Bryant, and 28 other ranks. The Q.M.'s tombstone and those of five other ranks were still standing and recognisable in 1938. In October, 1875 the regiment marched for Bombay where on November 13th they sailed for home in H.M.S. Euphrates. They landed at Devonport, after trans-shipping at Portsmouth, in December

The Worcestershire Regiment dates back to 1694 when Colonel Thomas Farrington, an officer of the Coldstream Guards raised a new regiment in London. It was then the custom for Regiments to be named after their Colonels, and this new Regiment was named Farrington’s Regiment of Foot. This method of naming regiments led to confusion, as regiments were re-named with each Colonel, and it was possible for more than one Colonel, and therefore more than one regiment, to have the same name. Until 1751, the Regiment had eight different Colonels, and therefore eight different names. In 1751 regiments were given numbers, and the Regiment was numbered 29.

EAST INDIES. "MYSORE", "HINDOSTAN." (Hindustan)

The 36th now had their first taste of service in India. Their first campaign was against Tippoo (Tippu), the Muslim King of Mysore, who was put in order and made to stop imprisoning British subjects. From 1785 to 1788 the 36th occupied cantonments keeping the peace much as their descendants did in later years. In 1789 Tippoo (Tippu) again started to make trouble trying to expand his boundaries at the expense of his neighbours who were under British protection. In March, 1799 a large force, including the 36th, assembled at Trichinoply (Trichinapally) and in May proceeded to advance into enemy territory. The 36th had the privilege of serving under that great soldier Colonel Floyd of the 19th Light Dragoons. Several skirmishes took place between the opposing cavalry. The 36th came under fire at Sattimungulum and played a decisive part in breaking through Tippoo's (Tippu’s) forces. It is recorded that the 36th, which bore the brunt of the battle, were without food for two days "excepting a supply of tobacco found by one of the officers in a native tent." It was said that the enemy excused their defeat by saying that they could not stand up to a regiment wearing the colour of the Prophet, green, that being the facings of the 36th. No doubt it was a good excuse and saved them being dealt with harshly. The army chased the enemy who were a little too swift for them.In March, 1791 the fortress of Bangalore was stormed. The 36th led the way and received a number of casualties. It was after the taking of the fort that Lord Cornwallis referred in a general order to the firmness of the 36th. Some people have thought this to be the origin of the regimental motto but from other evidence it seems to have been merely a reference to the motto already held. His Lordship spoke very highly of 36th and the troops who led the assault. Tippoo was now forced back on his fortress of Seringapatam. It was too near the rains in the year to start a siege so the Army returned to Bangalore. In August the army marched again. The flank companies of the 36th and 71st (H.L.I.) were detached for the siege of Nundydroog, which having been accomplished, not without loss, they rejoined the main body.

SERINGAPATAM

In January, 1792 the army commenced its advance against Setingapatam which was assaulted on February 6th and 7th. The 36th took a leading part in this rather bloody assault. The final victory did not come until February when peace was signed. Tippoo (Tippu) had to hand over his two young sons to Cornwallis as hostages for his good behavior.In 1793 the Revolutionary element in France had declared war on Great Britain, and so in June the 36th took part in the siege of the French possession of Pond cherry. The fort surrendered after the French troops had shown strong republican sentiments, rioting and threatening to hang the Governor, who sent for help to the British. From 1794 to 1798 the 36th were in cantonment in the neighborhood of Trichinopoly (Trichinapally). Towards the end of 1798 the fit men were drafted into the 74th and 76th regiments and the rest sailed for home from Madras. So the 36th missed the final, and more famous, assault on Seringapatam in 1799 when Tippoo (Tippu) was killed.



The Details of photographs


The 1st photo is The flag of the 2nd Battalion colours in 1930.
The 2nd photo is the WR Badge
The 3rd photo is The 36th Regiment Belt plate.
The 4th photo is Lord William, Viscount Charlemont.
The 5th photo is Officer of the 36th Foot (1792)
The 6th photo is 36th John Bryant grave.
The 7th photo is Whiting Hip Flask Thumb.
The 8th photo is ww1 postcard Thumb.
The 9th photo is Rawalpindi India in 1939.
The 10th photo is x-mas menu in India 1943.
The 11th photo is 7th battalion c company visit at x-mas in India (1943).
The 12th photo is C company x-mas dinner in India 1943.
The 13th photo is Sialkot 1940 lieut col Deakin India.
The 14th photo is Waziristan 1940 lieut peter roose.


By
Santhosh P Kumar




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