The Royal Sussex Regiment

The Royal Sussex Regiment-Regimental District No.35-consists of the old 35^th and 107^th Regiments.  The 35^th was raised in Ireland in 1701, and in the following year placed on the British establishment as a “Regiment of Foot for sea service.”  Before long Lord Donegal’s Regiment, as the 35^th were then styled, had plenty of active work at Cadiz and the West Indies, and in the defence of Gibraltar in 1704.  The following year they served “with Peterborough in Spain,” and at the capture of Barcelona-“one of the most gallant actions performed by that little army in Spain”-and it subsequent defence suffered severely, losing their Colonel in one of the stubbornly contested engagements.  The disastrous battle of Almanza ended for a long time their career of Foreign Service, the next forty years or so being passed in Ireland.  In 1758 the 35^th formed part of General Amherst’s expedition against Louisburg, where they acquitted themselves in such wise as to gain the first distinction on their colours.  At Quebec, the following year, they won the distinctive badge of the Feather for their heroic conduct in defeating the Royal Roussillon Grenadiers of France.  Throughout the war, which resulted in the subjugation of Canada to the British Crown the 35^th were engaged, remaining in the Dominion till 1761, when they were ordered to Martinique, and rendered good service there and at the Havana.  After a short sojourn at home they ordered to America, and took part in many of the engagements between the Royal troops and the colonists.  They fought at Bunker’s Hill, Brooklyn, New York, and other places, the flank companies being with General Burgovne in the expedition to Ticonderoga in the spring of 1777.  For sixteen years or thereabouts they were quartered in the West Indies, which they were represented-by two battalions in the fighting in Holland in 1799.  Passing over a few years we find the Sussex Regiment-as they were called in 1805-gaining for themselves a lasting reputation at Maida, where a hundred and fifty picked men of the regiment, under Major Robinson, were in that famous right wing Colonel Kemp led against the French Light Infantry with the result that “the enemy became appalled; they broke and endeavoured to fly, but were overtaken with much dreadful slaughter.”  Some of the regiment, too, formed part of the little band of two hundred, which, under Colonel Robertson, held the castle of Seylla against the overwhelming forces of the Regnier.  On one side was the sea, whose terrors were attested by fact and fable alike; on the other a force of six thousand French, “ with five 24-pounders, four battering mortars, and many field pieces.”  Yet, when after three days and nights of desperate fighting the heroic garrison was embarked by the war-ship Electra’ cries of derision and mockery from the retreating boats greeted the ears of the engaged enemy, who “purchased only a pile of ruins at the expense of several hundred lives, while the loss of the British was only eleven killed and thirty-one wounded.”  The following year they fought in Egypt, where they lost more than half their numbers.  Under Stuart and Oswald they marched against Rosetta, and when the attacking force, having lost two fifths of its number, had to fall back, a company of the Sussex were with Colonel McLeod, of the 78^th, when the Albanians surrounded him.  For the following seven years the 1^st battalion of the 35^th were busily employed in various duties on the Continent, distinguishing themselves in the capture of Santa Maura in the Ionian Isles, the conquest of Lissa, and numerous other engagements, which, owing to the Titanic struggle waging in the Peninsula, are apt to be lost sight of.  A second battalion, which had been raised on the renewal of the war, took part in the Walcheren expedition, and, after serving in Holland, were in reserve at Huy during the battle of Waterloo, after which they joined the army of occupation.  For many years the record of the 35^th, though indicative of plenty of hard work, does not present any very noteworthy incident.  From Waterloo till just before the Mutiny in India their duties were divided between Italy, the West Indies, Corfu, and the Mauritius.  In 1854 they were ordered to Burmah, and during the latter half of 1857 were in garrison at Calcutta, subsequently taking part in the sundry engagements incident to the final suppression of the Mutiny.  The years that intervened between the Mutiny and the recent Egyptian war were passed by the Royal Sussex at home, in our West Indian and European dominions.  When military operations in Egypt were resolved upon, the 35^th were assigned to the second division, under Sir Evelyn Wood, and occupied the Antoniades estate at Alexandria, which they transformed into a most effective and strong position.  It will be noted coincidence the Royal Sussex of our days found themselves, under Colonel Vandeleur, Major Grattam, and other officers, quartered not far from the spot where, three-quarters of a century ago, their predecessors had fought and died under the brave Macleod.  After Kafrdowar they remained in garrison at Ramleh, and when the first phase of the war terminated were amongst the troops left to occupy Cairo.  When hostilities again broke out they were ready to hand and proved themselves worthy successors of the heroes of Maida.  Under Major Sunderland they were on the right flank of Stewarts square at Abu Klea, where there was need, if ever there was, for British soldiers to heed well the counsel of the valiant Philistine of old-to be strong and quit themselves like men.”  After the battle a hundred and fifty men of the regiment were left to guard the wells of Abu Klea.  Again at Abu Kru they fought, and throughout the remainder of the war rendered Stirling service, returning home on its termination. The second battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment, the 107^th, was originally the 3^rd Bengal European Infantry in the employ of the East India Company, and dates from 1854.  Needless to say that there matriculation in the stern school of war was provided by the Mutiny, during which they were widely employed.  At Agra, in October 1857, the 107^th were in the garrison when the enemy, ignorant of the fact that Greathead’s column had arrived, attempted a surprise.  “As soon as the firing was heard in the fort of Agra, the 3^rd Bengal Infantry rushed forward to the assistance of their comrades (of Greathead’s force) and eagerly joined in the pursuit, which lasted for twelve miles.”  Throughout the Mutiny they were of the utmost service, and in 1861 were incorporated into the Imperial army.  It was not, however, till 1875 that they came to England.  The subsequent services of the 107^th have been confined to garrison duty at Malta and Cairo.  Extracted from 'Her Majesty’s Army' 

Tulips by Darren Baker. (P)