On 13th March the regiment, under Colonel Brown, embarked on the I.G.S.’s _Tenasserim_ and _Czarewitch_, and proceeded to Vingorla, where the party from Ahmednagar joined it, and marched by easy marches to Belgaum. One company was quartered in the fort and the remainder in barracks. On 29th September, Colonel Brown was appointed to the Brigade Staff to command Sind District, and was succeeded in the command by Lieutenant-Colonel E. Meurant. [Sidenote: 1880.] In February, two companies were sent on detachment to Sattara. In September, as the regiment was about to proceed to England, volunteers to the number of 82 rank and file were transferred to other corps. The detachment from Sattara returned to head-quarters in December. [Sidenote: 1881.] Instructions had been received in November that the regiment would proceed to England in H.M.S. _Jumna_ on 25th January, 1881, but on 3rd January of that year, a telegram was received ordering the regiment to Natal on field service owing to the outbreak of hostilities with the Boers. The regiment left Belgaum on 7th January, marched to Vingorla, and on the 15th embarked on H.M.S. _Crocodile_ (on which were also the Gordon Highlanders) for Durban; 46 invalids with the women and children proceeded to Bombay _en route_ to England. On 30th January the regiment, consisting of 20 officers, 574 rank and file, landed at Durban, and proceeded by rail to standing camp at Fillie Fontein; there it only remained for two weeks and then marched to Pietermaritzburg, thence to the base of operations, Newcastle, where it arrived on 9th March--a march rendered extremely difficult owing to heavy rains. During March, April, and May the regiment was variously encamped at Signal Hill, Bennett’s Drift, and elsewhere, and employed wood-cutting, coal-mining, etc. On 1st July, the following changes took effect (General Order No. 41 of 1881):-- The regiment (83rd Foot) became the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. The regiment (86th Foot) became the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. The Royal North Down Militia became the 3rd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. The Antrim Militia became the 4th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. The Royal South Down Militia became the 5th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. And by General Order No. 70 of 1881:-- The Louth Militia became the 6th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. The No. 83 was assigned to the Regimental District. The uniform was changed to “green with light green facings,” and the following badges and devices were added:-- “The Sphinx,” “The Harp and Crown.” Motto--“Quis Separabit.” Distinctions--“Egypt,” “India,” “Bourbon.” In November, hostilities came to an end, and the force about Newcastle was broken up. The regiment marched from Bennett’s Drift on 7th November, arrived at Pietermaritzburg on the 19th, and proceeded by train to Durban, arriving on 21st November. On 23rd November it embarked on H.M.S. _Tamar_ for England. [Sidenote: 1882.]