The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-07-05 00:00:00

ROYAL VISIT TO SHORNCLIFFE.

A brilliant spectacle was witnessed at Sborncliffe
on Friday in last week, the Prince and Princess of
Wales visiting the camp for the purpose of inspecting
the 10th Hussars, and presenting the officers and
men with the medals awarded to them for their ser-
vice in the recent campaign in the Soudan. Their
Royal Highnesses arrived by special train, which
reached the station at 12.30. '

At the railway station a guard of honour of the
Bedfordshire Regiment was in attendance, and the
Prince and Princess, preceded by a mounted escort,
left in a carriage and four driven by gunners of the
Royal Artillery. The Royal party, accompanied by
the Staff, went by way of Newington-road direct
to the camp, where they were received with great
enthusiasm by the many thousands of people who
were assembled there. A Royal salute was fired,
and without any preliminaries the Prince at once
began the work of inspecting the troops, who had been
drawn up in three companies on the drill ground.
During the inspection the Princess remained seated
with Lady Suffield close to the saluting post. The
Prince made a minute inspection of the men who had
taken part in the recent campaign, and also of the
recruits of the regiment, and then returned to the
saluting post. The regiment, headed by the band,
was marched past in squadron, and in slow and quick
time. The men, most of whom were decorated with
the Afganistan medal, were in excellent condition,
and the regiment was complimented by his Royal
Highness on its appearance. At the request of the
Prince the regiment was formed up in three sides of a
square, the officers forming in line in the centre.
His Royal Highness, stepping forward a few paces,
then addressed the troops as follows: Colonel Wood,
officers, and non-commissioned officers and privates of
the 10th Royal Hussars,—l am glad to have the
opportunity of welcoming you home to England again,
after an absence of upwards of eleven years. I was
glad eight years ago to have the pleasure of seeing you
in India. Since then you have been through two
campaigns in Afghanistan, and you have only lately
returned from an arduous campaign in the East. I
congratulate you,Colonel Wood, and the officers and men
under your command, not only on the very high state of
efficiency in which I now find the regiment, but upon
the admirable manner in which all ranks conducted
themselves during the whole time they were in India,
and upon the great gallantry displayed by them on all
occasions on which they have been called upon to take
the field. It is twenty-one years since her Majesty
the Queen conferred upon me the high honour of
colonel of the regiment, and I feel proud to be asso-
ciated with it. Once more let me welcome you home.
The Royal party then came back to the saluting
post, and the ceremony of presenting the men with
the medal for the Egyptian campaign was performed.
The first recipient was Colonel E. A. Wood, C. 8.,
who was handed the decoration by the Princess and
the other officers were then called forward in the
following order: Lieutenant-Colonel R. S. Liddell,
Lieutenant-Colonel H. S. Gough, Captain P. F.
Durham, Captain and Adjutant Lord Airlie, Captain
R. H. F. Wilson, Lieutenant Lord A. Compton,
Lieutenant H. T. Allsopp, Lieutenant C. B. Harvey,
Lieutenant the Hon. A. Lawley, Lieutenant A.
Hughes Onslow, Lieutenant the Hon. J. H. Byng,
Major A. Brett (paymaster), Captain H. M'Gee
(riding instructor), and Quartermaster A. E.
Poole. The whole of the men then followed,
and their decorations were handed to them by the
Princess. After the medals had been disposed of
four men belonging to the regiment—two sergeants
and two troopers, who are still in hospital, not having
recovered from ill ess contracted in the Soudan—
were driven on to the ground in an ambulance, and
were presented with their decorations, an incident
which created much interest. The regiment then
re-formed in square, and the Royal salute was given,
the band playing the National Anthem, and the spec-
tators heartily cheering. The regiment was then
marched off the ground by squadrons, and the officers
were introduced by Colonel Wood to the Prince and
Princess. At the conclusion of the proceedings the
Princess drove off the ground, accompanied by Mrs.
Wood, and the Prince was entertained at luncheon by
the officers. The Royal party left for London by
special train at 4.10.