IV.

1825–1856.—SIKH WAR—SOUTH AFRICA.

[Sidenote: 1830, 60th THE DUKE OF YORK’S OWN RIFLE CORPS becomes 60th THE KING’S ROYAL RIFLE CORPS.]

In 1827 took place the death of Field-Marshal H.R.H. the Duke of York,[25] who had been Colonel-in-Chief for thirty years, and had given his name to the Regiment. He was succeeded by his brother, Field-Marshal H.R.H. Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge.[26] In 1830 the title of the Regiment, by order of William IV, was again changed to The King’s Royal Rifle Corps.

A long peace followed the great wars of the Napoleonic period, and from Toulouse in 1814 until the Sikh War in 1848 the Regiment was not engaged on active service. But from 1848 onwards the British Army entered upon a famous series of campaigns, in nearly all of which the Regiment has taken a memorable share. Its success may be said to be largely due to the excellence and the example of the 1st Battalion, which—directly inheriting the Peninsular honours and traditions of the 5th Battalion as Riflemen—had maintained, in spite of the long peace, its reputation for smartness, discipline, and warlike efficiency.

[Illustration:

MAP II

SPAIN, PORTUGAL, AND SOUTH-WEST FRANCE.

Illustrating the area of Operations referred to in Part I, Section 3.

_Stanford’s Geog^l. Estab^t., London._ ]

Fortunate at this period in many officers of great experience, the Regiment owed much to Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. Henry Richard Molyneux,[27] who commanded the 1st Battalion (then quartered in the Mediterranean) from 1836 until his untimely death in 1841. The high efficiency of the Battalion and its strong _esprit de corps_ when it sailed for India in 1845, under his successor Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. Henry Dundas,[28] were largely due to his strong personality and to his powers of organisation. Dundas commanded the Battalion from 1845 to 1854 with conspicuous success. In the Sikh War, both as Colonel and as Brigadier-General, he showed the highest qualities of leadership and courage, and throughout the nine years of his command the Battalion held a foremost place in the British Army in India.

[Sidenote: 1848–49, PUNJAUB.]

[Sidenote: Jan. 22nd, 1849, MOOLTAN.]

It was thus under these favourable circumstances that the Regiment began its career in the East, and under Dundas played a prominent part in the Sikh War. Employed in covering the advance, it rendered conspicuous service at the storming of the city of MOOLTAN. “Nothing could exceed the gallantry and discipline of the 60th Royal Rifles” are the words of the _Gazette_, 7th of March, 1849.

[Sidenote: Feb. 21st, 1849, GOOJERAT.]

Subsequently, by forced marches, the Battalion joined the army under Lord Gough[29] in time to share in the final battle of GOOJERAT, a victory over a combined force of 60,000 Sikhs and Afghans. The result of this triumph of British arms was the annexation of the Punjaub, and the retreat of the Ameer Dost Mahomed Khan with the Afghan army beyond the Khyber Pass.

Upon the 8th of July, 1850, H.R.H. Adolphus Duke of Cambridge died, and was succeeded as Colonel-in-Chief by Field-Marshal H.R.H. Prince Albert, Consort of Her late Majesty Queen Victoria.

[Sidenote: 1851–2–3, SOUTH AFRICA.]

In 1851 the 2nd Battalion, which had been on home service since 1847, embarked for South Africa, and was employed in the Kaffir War during that and the two following years. It took part under Lieut.-Colonel Nesbitt in many actions with the enemy, including the passage of the Great Kei, the operations for clearing the Water Kloof, and the attack on the Iron Mountain.

[Sidenote: Feb. 26th, 1852, WRECK OF THE ‘BIRKENHEAD.’]

A detachment of the 2nd Battalion (forty-one all ranks, with seven women and thirteen children) formed a portion of the troops on board the ill-fated troopship _Birkenhead_, which, on the night of February the 26th, 1852, was wrecked on the South African coast under conditions which evoked from the troops on board a memorable display of steady discipline and serene courage in the face of danger. The men fell in and stood calmly on parade awaiting death while the ship was sinking “without a cry or murmur among them.” The whole ship’s company with few exceptions perished.

On September the 23rd, 1852, General Viscount Beresford became Colonel-in-Chief, _vice_ H.R.H. Prince Albert, and was upon his death on the 28th of January, 1854, succeeded by Field-Marshal Viscount Gough.

In 1855 and 1857 the 3rd and 4th Battalions were raised at Dublin and at Winchester respectively. Thus in 1857 the Regiment again consisted of four Battalions.

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Footnote 25:

His Royal Highness’s sword and belts were presented to the officers of the 1st Battalion by H.M. King George IV, and are now in the Officers’ Mess.

Footnote 26:

The seventh son of George III and the Father of the late Field-Marshal H.R.H. George Duke of Cambridge, Colonel-in-Chief, 1869–1904.

Footnote 27:

3rd son of 2nd Earl of Sefton. Born 27th August, 1800; died 1841.

Footnote 28:

Afterwards General Viscount Melville, G.C.B., Colonel Commandant 1864–1875.

Footnote 29:

Afterwards Field-Marshal Viscount Gough, K.P., G.C.B., Colonel-in-Chief 1854–1869.