On September 30, 1840, the Governor of Madras in Council conferred the above distinction on the 17th Madras Infantry (the predecessors of the 93rd Burmah Infantry), for their gallant conduct at the defence of the Residency of Cochin during the rebellion in Travancore in the year 1809. Under the terms of various treaties the Maharajah of Travancore was bound to maintain a Subsidiary Force of native troops, officered by Englishmen of our own army, such force to be at the disposal of the East India Company, under certain conditions. Differences arose with the Maharajah, and an attempt to murder the British Resident unmasked a plot for the expulsion of the British garrisons in Southern India. The General commanding the Malabar coast, on learning of the threatening condition of affairs, at once ordered the 12th (Suffolks) and the 17th Madras Infantry to reinforce the troops of the subsidiary force at Cochin, these were permeated with discontent, having been seduced from their allegiance by the Prime Minister of the State. A very determined attack on the Residency at Cochin was repulsed by the small garrison, which consisted of a detachment of the Suffolks and a wing of the 17th Madras Infantry. Further operations became necessary, and a general movement of troops from all the stations in Southern India was ordered. The 19th (Yorkshires), 59th (East Lancashires), 69th (Welsh), and 80th (North Staffords), with a certain number of regiments of Madras sepoys, advanced on Travancore. At Palamcottah the 69th (Welsh) and the 3rd Regiment of Madras Infantry had a sharp brush with the Travancoreans, in which the Madras regiment showed considerable dash, and earned for itself the title, which its successor now bears, of Palamcottah Light Infantry. The 12th (Suffolks) and the 17th Madras Infantry were on another occasion compelled to submit to an attack on the part of the misguided Travancoreans, but the advent of such a large force had a sobering influence on the Maharajah: the obnoxious Prime Minister was removed and disgraced, the arrears of subsidy paid, and the independence of the Maharajah became a mere figment. The distinction "India" on their colours serves to remind the Suffolks that in their long tour of service in the early years of the last century they had some sharp fighting, irrespective of the campaign in Mysore. The casualties in Cochin show that it was not a mere summer picnic. +---------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |_Officers._| _Men._ | | _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +---------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |Suffolks | 0 | 4 | 9 | 67 | |93rd Burmah Infantry | - | 1 | 10 | 45 | +---------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+