E-text prepared by Jonathan Ingram, Christine P. Travers,
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Transcriber's note:
Obvious printer's errors have been corrected.All other inconsistencies are as in the original. The author's spelling has beenmaintained.
W. & D. Downey.
H.R.H. THE DUKE OF CONNAUGHT AND STRATHEARN, K.G.,
Commander-in-Chief of The Mediterranean Forces, and Colonel-in-Chiefof The Royal Dublin Fusiliers.
THE SECOND BATTALION
ROYAL DUBLIN FUSILIERS
IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR
WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE OPERATIONS
IN THE ADEN HINTERLAND
By Majors C. F. ROMER & A. E. MAINWARING
LONDON: A. L. HUMPHREYS, 187 PICCADILLY, W.
1908
(p. v) PREFACE
The 2nd Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers is one of the oldestregiments in the service. It was raised in February and March, 1661,to form the garrison of Bombay, which had been ceded to the Crown aspart of the dowry of the Infanta of Portugal, on her marriage withKing Charles II. It then consisted of four companies, theestablishment of each being one captain, one lieutenant, one ensign,two sergeants, three corporals, two drummers, and 100 privates, andarrived at Bombay on September 18th, 1662, under the command of SirAbraham Shipman. Under various titles it took part in nearly all thecontinuous fighting of which the history of India of those days isprincipally composed, being generally known as the Bombay EuropeanRegiment, until in March, 1843, it was granted the title of 1st BombayFusiliers. In 1862 the regiment was transferred to the Crown, when theword 'Royal' was added to its title, and it became known as the 103rdRegiment, The Royal Bombay Fusiliers. In 1873 the regiment was linkedto the Royal Madras Fusiliers, whose history up to that time had beenvery similar to its own. By General Order 41, of 1881, the titles ofthe two regiments underwent yet another change, when they became knownby their present names, the 1st and 2nd Battalions Royal DublinFusiliers.
The 2nd Battalion first left India for home service on January 2nd,1871, when it embarked on H.M.S. Malabar, arriving at PortsmouthHarbour about 8 a.m. on February 4th, and was stationed at Parkhurst.Its home service lasted until 1884, when it embarked for Gibraltar. In1885 it (p. vi) moved to Egypt, and in 1886 to India, where it wasquartered until 1897, when it was suddenly ordered to South Africa, onaccount of our strained relations with the Transvaal Republic. Onarrival at Durban, however, the difficulties had been settled for thetime being, and the regiment was quartered at Pietermaritzburg untilit moved up to Dundee in 1899, just previous to the outbreak of war.
The late Major-General Penn-Symons assumed command of the Natal forcein 1897, and from that date commenced the firm friendship and mutualregard between him and the regiment, which lasted without a breakuntil the day when he met his death at Talana. The interest he took inthe battalion and his z