British Regiments at the Front, The Story of Their Battle HonoursHodder, Reginald
History
British Regiments at the Front, The Story of Their Battle Honours
Hodder, Reginald
Great Britain -- History, Military; Great Britain. Army
heard the bugle call 'Cease fire!' and, wondering slightly at such
an order at such a time, we began to retire. But we were soon met
by a boy bugler rushing forward, who, in reply to our remarks about
the order, yelled, 'Cease fire be damned!' And then we discovered
that the Boers, who had learnt our bugle calls, had blown the
blast. On this, we turned about, charged again, and so made good
the battle of Elandslaagte."
* * * * *
THEIR BADGE AND BATTLE HONOURS, ETC.
BADGE.--The Sphinx, superscribed Egypt.
BATTLE HONOURS.--Egmont-op-Zee, Martinique, Guadaloupe, Peninsula,
Alma, Inkerman, Sevastopol, New Zealand, Afghanistan 1879-80, Egypt
1882, S. Africa 1899-1902, Defence of Ladysmith.
UNIFORM.--Regular and Reserve Battn., scarlet with white facings.
[1st Battn. raised in 1685, 2nd Battn. in 1801. The 1st Battn. was
formerly a Battn. of the 8th Foot, and became the 63rd Regiment in
1758. It served as Mounted Infantry during the war of American
Independence, and won great distinction. The 2nd Battn. was
formerly the Minorca Regiment, and became part of the line in 1804
as the 97th (Queen's German) Regiment. In 1816 it became the 96th
(Queen's Own), and was disbanded in 1818. Raised again in 1824. The
1st Battn. displayed great courage and steadiness during the Siege
of Ladysmith (1899).]
THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS
("SCOTLAND FOR EVER")
"You have saved the day, Highlanders, but you must return to your
position. There is more work to be done."--_Sir Denis Pack at
Waterloo._
Sir Denis Pack's words at Waterloo are as true to-day as they were
then. The Gordons have always saved the day, and now they must return
to their position. There is more work to be done and the Gordons are
there to do it, as before.
The following is an extract from a letter to Sir Walter Scott from
Viscount Vanderfosse, first Advocate of the Superior Court of Justice
of Brussels, dated January 5th, 1816:
"Since the arrival of the British troops on the Continent, their
discipline was remarked by all those who had any communication with
them. Among these respectable warriors the Scotch deserve to be
particularly commemorated, and this honourable mention is due to
their discipline, their patience, their humanity, and their bravery
almost without example. Constant and unheard of proofs were given
of devotion to their country quite extraordinary and sublime; nor
must we forget that these men, so terrible in the field of battle,
were mild and tranquil out of it."
Such a testimonial from so high an authority is a treasured document in
the hands of the Gordons, and many are the accounts received to-day
from the front, which go to show that their cheery optimism has not
been dimmed by the passage of a century.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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