The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-02-22 00:00:00

THE TWENTY-FOURTH REGIMENT.

The Times publishes the following letter :
Sir,—While the public mind is still deeply stirred
by the news of the disastrous loss just experienced by
the Ist Battalion of her Majesty's 24th Regiment on
the borders of Zululand, will you grant a small space
in The Times to one who knew all its officers well to
bear a word of testimony to the irreparable loss the
country has sustained by the almost annihilation of
that gallant battalion?
I had the honour for six months of last winter,
1877-8, to be honorary member of the regimental mess
at King William's Town, during the first campaign
against the Gaika and Galeka Caffres, and thus I had
many opportunities of witnessing, not only in the
camp, but also in the field, the splendid soldierlike
qualities, the excellent discipline, and the cheerful
devotion to the most harassing duties which distin-
guished the whole of that gallant body of men from
the highest to the lowest. During the early part of
the winter of 1877, until the arrival of that distin-
guished regiment the Connaught Rangers, nearly the
entire burden of the defence of the old colony rested on
this battalion of the 24th Regiment.

Only those who were out on the frontier during those
trying times can know what both officers and men had
to undergo from constant exposure, from lonely duty
on detachment, and from forced marches; while only
those also who were there can bear witness to the
patient gallantry, the unfailing cheerfulness, and the
ceaseless devotion with which all such difficulties and
discouragements, some of the hardest and most
trying duties of a soldier's life, were met and overcome
by both.

A more devoted, gallant, courteous band of English
gentlemen than were the officers of this battalion
never left these shores to uphold abroad their country's
honour. Nobly have they done so • for what can
more become a soldier's fame than fearlessly to meet a
soldier's death, fighting gallantly to the bitter end
against overwhelming odds?
All honour to their memory; and though, alas!
their loss must be irreparable to those who loved
them, as it is to those who, like myself, were proud
to claim their friendship, still a nation may rejoice to
see the ancient warrior spirit of its sons still burning
. . . . . .

brightly, nor need it fear the final issue that awaits
its avenging arm, while it can count among its armies
gallant souls like those who have so nobly maintained
the valour of their race in Zululand.—l remain, Sir,

your obedient servant, .
2il Grosvenor-square, Feb. 14.

CECIL ASHLEY.

On the subject of the Colours of the 24th Regiment,
The Times publishes the following letter :
Sir,—l beg that you will grant me space in your columns
to contradict a statement that has been published in the
newspapers since the late distresting news arrived from
south Africa.—The statement to which I refer is that "the
24th Foot lost their colours at the battle of Chillianwallah,"
which is not true. Both officers (Ensigns William Phillips
and H. Collis) carrying the colours in that action were killed,
but the Queen's colour was preserved by a soldier, who sur-
vived, and was rewarded with promotion and a gratuity or
annuity, and this colour was retained in the regiment till
new colours were presented 16 years after by Lady Kimber-
ley. The regimental colour was taken by another aoldier,
who was killed, and was thus lost, but from inquiries insti-
tuted at the time we knew the' enemy never got ft.—G. F.
BERRY, late Lieutenant Light Company, 24th Foot. Liver-
pool, Feb.l7.