by scully » Sat Apr 26, 2008 10:23 am
Hi Kerrie,
Below is an extract from the 36th Regiment history for the period 1879 and 1880 which you may find of interest:
On the 15th of January 1879, one hundred and twenty-eight privates were transferred to the Twenty-ninth regiment on its embarkation for Bombay, leaving the strength of the regiment three hundred and ninety rank and file.
In January, 1879, general recruiting opened for the regiment, and three hundred and seventy-six recruits joined it during the following six months.
On the 27th of March, 1879, the head-quarters and five companies embarked at Pembroke dock, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel R. E. Carr, on board Her Majesty's ship "Assistance," and disembarked at Liverpool on the 31st of March. Two companies proceeded thence by rail to Easton Barracks, Fleetwood, leaving three companies in Liverpool, two of which were quartered in the North Forts, under command of Captain H. E. Stopford, and one under command of Captain W. A. Small proceeded to Castle-town, Isle of Man.
The three companies left behind in Pembroke dock followed in Her Majesty's ship "Assistance," and, disembarking at Liverpool, detached one Company to the North Fort, while the remaining two companies went by rail to Fleetwood, where they joined the headquarters on April 15th.
The establishment of the regiment was as follows : twenty-five officers, forty-two sergeants, and 500 rank and file.
On the 14th of August the regiment was inspected by Major-General G. H. G. Willis, C.B., commanding the northern district; and on the 7th of November the following observations by His Royal Highness the Field Marshal Commanding-in-chief on the inspection were published in regimental orders:
"Taking into consideration the very large number of recruits (420) who have joined since the last inspection, the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief considers the regiment to be in very good condition. The small number of courts-martial is most coin mendable."
On the 3rd of September 'E' company, under the command of Lieutenant H. C. Cowell (in absence of Captain E. R. M. Baskerville) proceeded from the head-quarters of the regiment at Fleetwood by rail to Tynemouth, relieving a detachment of the 106 Light Infantry Regiment there; strength, two officers, three sergeants, and sixty-one rank and file.
On the 10th of December, 1879, thirty-five privates were transferred to the Twenty-ninth regiment.
In the official statistics of crime in the army for the year 1879, supplied for the information of Parliament, and published in the Times newspaper, the following notice of the regiment is given— "The THIRTY-SIXTH appears to be about the best conducted regiment on home service, although composed almost entirely of recruits."
On the 20th of February, 1880, twenty privates volunteered to the forty-eighth foot.
On the 1st of April 1880, helmets were issued to the regiment at Fleetwood, in place of the chaco hitherto worn.
On the 20th of June 1880, Glengarry caps having been sanctioned for the 'officers of the infantry, application was made to the Field Marshal Commanding-in-Chief for Her Majesty's sanction of the adoption of an officers' cap badge, combining the motto "Firm" with the numbers, as worn by the non-commissioned officers and men. On the 20th of July, 1880, His Royal Highness the Field Marshal Commanding-in-Chief conveyed, through the adjutant-general, his approval of the word "Firm" being worn on the forage caps of the officers, but owing to the pending reorganisation of the infantry into territorial regiments, the final approval of the pattern was deferred.
On the 12th of July, 1880, the head-quarters and four companies, viz., 'D', 'F', 'G', and 'H', proceeded from Fleetwood to Liverpool by rail, and were joined on arrival by A, B, C, and E companies, the latter com¬panies having furnished detachments during the past sixteen months at Liverpool, Tynemouth, and the Isle of Man. The regiment then embarked on board Her Majesty's ship "Assistance" for conveyance to Cork, arriving at Queenstown on the 14th inst., and was then transferred to river steamers and conveyed to Cork, where it disembarked and marched to barracks to be quartered.
Regards,
Louis
