The Hampshire Regiment
The
Hampshire Regiment (Regimental District No. 37) consists of the 37th
and 67th Regiments. The
former were raised in 1702, in Ireland, and forthwith departed to
?seek the bubble reputation? in the wars under Marlborough. They fought at Schellenberg and famous Blenheim, at Neer
Hespen and Ramillies, at Oudernarde and Marlplaquet.
As ?Ponsonby?s Regiment? they fought at Dettingen, soon
after returning to Scotland on the occasion of the rebellion, during
which they fought at Culloden, where they were hotly engaged.
On the suppression of the rebellion the regiment returned to
Flanders, and several throughout the whole of the subsequent campaign,
notably at their battle of Val, where they sustained serious losses.
The next name on their colours-Minden-recalls
the share they had in the important campaign in Germany.
At Minden the 37th were the first to advance, which
they did with great boldness and rapidity.
Their attack was directed against the French left, where were
posted the flower of the enemy?s cavalry.
Undoubtedly the regiment was one of those on which the heaviest
of the fighting fell, and which may be said to have won the victory, a
victory so decisive that, ?after five hours incessant firing, the
whole French army literally fled in the greatest disorder, with the loss
of forty-three pieces of cannon, ten stand of colours, and seven
standards.? Under
the Hon. J. Stuart they took part in the expedition, commanded by
General Studholm Hodgson, against Belle Isle, in which they evinced
great courage and sustained considerable loss.
They then served in America, fighting at Brooklyn and in other
early affairs, during the latter part of the war being stationed at New
York. After a short sojourn
at home, the 37th went to Flanders at the commencement of the
war with France, speedily distinguishing themselves at Dunkirk, and
particularly in the disastrous conflicts near Tournay on May 18th
and 22nd, 1794, and in the capture of the village of
Pontichon. Later in the
same year the 37th again won deserved credit at Druiten, on
the Maes, a credit nobly sustained throughout that terrible winter, with
its engagements at Nimeuguen and Guildermalsen, and especially in the
fearful retreat to Bremen, where ?the high keen wind carried the
drifted snow and sand with such violence that the human frame could
scarcely resist its power; where the cold was intense; the water which
collected in the hollow eyes of the men congealed as it fell, and hung
in icicles from their eyelashes; the breath froze, and hung in icy
incrustations about their haggard faces, and on the blankets and coats
which they wrapped about them.? From
that time for many years the service that fell to the lot of the 37th
was more solidly useful than exciting.
They assisted in various ways to cause of their country in the
War then raging, but did not till early in 1814 join Lord Wellington?s
army; earning however, the distinction of ?Peninsula? on their
colours.
After the peace of 1814 they went to
Canada, and remained there until 1826, a second battalion-which had been
raised in 1811, and was disbanded four years later being stationed in
Holland, and forming part of the garrison of Antwerp during the battle
of Waterloo. They served in
Malta, the Ionian Islands, Jamaica, and North America.
After a short stay at home they went, in 1846, to Ceylon,
remaining there ten years. In
1857 the regiment served in India, and undoubtedly contributed not a
little to the safety of Calcutta, surrounding the palace of the ex-king
of Oude, whom rumour-subsequently confirmed-asserted to be in the league
with the mutineers. They
were present at the first relief of Azemghur and in the night attack on
Arrah, subsequently earning considerable praise for the effective and
arduous service of clearing the Judgespore jungles.
No further important services of a warlike nature have been
required of the gallant 37th, who, with short intervals at
home, have been chiefly stationed for the last thirty years in India.
The second battalion of the Hampshire
Regiment is the 67th, which was originally constituted in
1756 as the second battalion of the 20th Foot, acquiring its
present numerical position in 1758, and having James Wolfe, of Quebec
fame, for its first colonel. The
first service of the regiment was at Belle Isles in 1761, and
subsequently in the short campaign of 1762 against the Spaniards.
Service in the West Indies decimated their ranks by the deadly
climate as fatally as a series of the fiercest engagements, and a
considerable period was necessary for recruiting both the corporate and
individual strength of the regiment.
In 1805, however, when they were ordered to India, they had their
full complement of 1,200, exclusive of officers.
In India the regiment remained for more than twenty years, during
which had its full share of arduous and valuable, if not widely known,
services. Dinapore, Benares,
Ghazeepore, Cawnpore, Meerut-such were some of the places whither they
were despatched, and when often enough sharp fighting awaited them.
They formed part of the army of reserve under Major-General Sir
David Ochterlony. Subsequently
they were engaged in the siege and capture of Ryghur, and at Surat,
Nunderbar, Cokermundaye, Tonloda, and Kopriel.
In March, 1819, the flank companies of the regiment joined the
force detailed for the attack on Azeer, and particularly distinguished
themselves for their hardihood in the face of tremendous odds;
proceeding, in February, 1819, to Asseeghur to join the force under
Generar Daveton. Throughout
the latter part of the campaign under General Doveton they were actively
engaged, and remained in Bombay until 1826, returning to England later
in the same year, having earned by their long and loyal service in the
Peninsula the distinction of the ?Royal Tiger? and ?India.?
Meanwhile a 2nd battalion, which
had been raised in 1803, had been participating in the warfare that
raged almost incessantly on the continent of Europe.
Under Sir Thomas Graham they were present at the defence of
Cadiz, where, though our forces were not strong enough to raise the
siege, yet the loss and annoyance they inflicted on the enemy was so
great as occasionally to suggest to the latter that ?they were
besieged, rather than besieging Cadiz.?
The name ?Barossa? on the colours of the regiment testifies
to their participation in one of the most brilliant victories of the
war. Subsequently they were
engaged in the operations against Tarragona and Barcelona, and were thus
prevented from sharing in the later battles of the war, though their
distinguished service was recognised by the granting of ?Peninsula?
as a distinction. The 2nd
battalion was disbanded in 1817, and the first battalion remained in
England until 1833, subsequently being stationed at Gibraltar, in the
West Indies, and Canada. During
the Russian War the regiment was stationed in Jamaica, afterwards coming
in for the latter part of the Indian Mutiny.
The North China campaign of 1860 brought them once more within
the welcome sphere of active service, which was the first to land at the
Taku Forts, and worked, splendidly in the hard work of road making which
proceeded the assault. On the occasion of the assault itself, the 67th,
under Colonel Knox, particularly distinguished them, forcing their way
through the narrow breach and planting the colours of the regiment on
the cavalier. The credit of
this piece of esprit de corps must be given to Lieutenant Burslem,
Ensign Chapman, and Private Lane. On
the occasion of the capture of Pekin a wing of the 67th was
told off to storm the breach when made, a necessity which the timely
yielding of the Chinese obviated. They
were the British troops to enter, and on the termination of the war were
left for a time to garrison the Taku Forts.
Two years later we find them in China, on the occasion of the
Taeping rebellion, and a few years afterwards doing duty at the Cape and
Natal. After a short
sojourn in England, the 67th went to Burmah in 1872, and six
years later took part in the Afghan campaigns of 1878-80.
On the occasion of the third Afghan
campaign of 1879 the 67th formed part of the column under
General Roberts. At
Charasiah the main body of the regiment was not present, though they
shortly after joined the troops under General Baker.
At Cabul the narrowly escaped severe loss from the explosion at
Bala Hissar, their quarters being in the adjacent garden. In the November following, a company of the regiment under
Captain Poole and Lieutenant Carneige, had a sharp affair with a large
body of Afghans. The force
of the Hampshire consisted only of twenty-eight men, and ?overwhelmed
by numbers, the slender company had to retreat, leaving three of their
force behind. One who was
wounded in the hip had to be abandoned, and was dreadfully mutilated
before death. His companion seeing this, flung himself into the Cabul River
to avoid a similar fate, and perished miserably, despite the efforts of
Captain Poole and others to save him.?
In this skirmish Captain Poole was himself wounded, as well as
five privates. Throughout
the campaign till, on the 12th of August 1880, they found
themselves in the third brigade (Brigadier Baunt) of General Stewart?s
division, preparing to retire from Kabul, the 67th availed of
all the opportunities that offered-and these were not few-to add still
more to the high reputation they already possessed.
Since then, if we expect the expedition into Burmah in 1885, and
those now pending, in which they have done splendid work, no active
service of importance has fallen to the lot of the Hampshire Regiment. Extracted
from 'Her
Majesty?s Army'
EDMUND HENRY LENON (Lieutenant,
afterwards Major) 67th (South)
Hampshire Regiment
On august 21st 1860, the Taku Fort was attacked and
captured-about 500 of our men being killed and wounded.
When the moment of assault came, Lieutenant Lenon, with some
others, sprang into the ditch, which was filled with water, and swam
across, entering through the embrasures.
He was the third to gain a footing on the walls.
NATHANIEL BURSLEM (Lieutenant,
afterwards Captain) 67th (South)
Hampshire Regiment
Associated on August 21st 1860, with Thomas Lane (V.C.),
in a most gallant act during the storming of the North Taku Forts in
China. These two men swarm
the ditch, and before the entrance of the fort had been effected by any
one, preserved in their endeavours to enlarge an opening in the wall,
through which they eventually forced their way, both being severely
wounded. Afterwards,
on obtaining his company, he exchanged into the 60th Rifles. |