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The Inniskilling Fusiliers in regimental
military art prints by military artists Brian Palmer, Richard Simkin and Harry Payne of
the Inniskilling Fusiliers from the Battle of Waterloo to the reign of Queen Victoria. Military
prints published by Cranston Fine Arts. |
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The regiment is composed of two battalions
with very different histories. The 1st, the old 27th Foot, dates from
1689; the 2nd, the late 108th, was the 3rd Madras Europeans before it was
amalgamated with the home army, and was third of its name, two other
"108th" having existed between 1761 and 1763, and from 1797 to
1798.
The 27th Inniskillings was the result of a
combination of three battalions of Foot raised for the defence of the town
of Inniskilling in the Irish war, and took part also in the battles of
Aughrim, the Boyne, and Limerick. It was transferred to Scotland in
1715 to meet the Jacobite rising, and embarked for the West Indies and
Carthagena in 1741, when it lost 591 men out of 600. By this time
its direct connection with Ireland had ceased. Its name had already
, as far back as 1702, been the 27th Inniskillings, and in 1744 it was
ordered to recruit from Yorkshire. A greater change can hardly be
imagined.
From 1756 to 1757 it served in America and
the West Indies, being present at the affair of Ticonderoga and Crown
Point, in Canada, in Nova Scotia, Martinique, Grenada, and Havannah; but
after a short return home it took part in the greater War of Independence,
and shared in the battles of Brooklyn, White Plains, and Germanstown.
During the rest of its service in the West up to 1785 it was present at
the capture of St Lucia, the first name in the regimental battle roll, at
Granada, and St Eustatia.
Under the Duke of York in 1792 it formed
part of the army of Flanders, saw service at Nieuwport, Nimeguen, and
Guildermalsen, was transferred to the West Indies under Abercromby, and
again distinguished itself at St Lucia. In 1796, when the place
fell, the victorious general, in appreciation of the valour of the
Inniskillings, ordered that the French garrison "should lay down
their arms to the 27th, and that their king's colour should fly from the
flagstaff of Fort Morne Fortunee (the citadel of St Lucia) for one hour
before the Union Jack was hoisted in its place. Returning home in
1787 it again came under the Duke of York's command in Holland, at Bergen,
Egmont-op-Zee, and Alkmaar; after which it served at Quiberon, Ferrol, and
Cadiz. Later on it was at the siege of Alexandria (earning the badge
of "Egypt" with the Sphinx, the second name on the colours), in
Naples, Sicily, and Calabria (where it did good work at Maida, the third
name on the colours), on the east coast of Spain in 1811, and at Bordeaux
in 1814.
Transferred to Canada, it took part in the
expedition to Plattsburgh, and then reinforced the army at New Orleans;
returning to Europe in time to add "Waterloo" to the list of
honours. For its services in the Kaffir War of 1835 (its gallant and
arduous defence of its camp in Natal against the insurgent Boers) was also
added "South Africa, 1835", and for the Second Kaffir War
"South Africa, 1841 - 47" to its battle-roll. Lastly, for
its work in India (during the Mutiny), on its way to which country it was
wrecked in the Charlotte off Port Elizabeth, with the loss of ninety-eight
souls - men, women, and children - it added the last of its titles,
"Central India", to a most honourable record. But the
"Old Inniskillings" records the work of other battalions than
the 1st, which the previous brief story marks. a 2nd battalion was
formed in 1800, and served at Quiberon, Ferrol, and Cadiz, and also at
Aboukir Bay and Alexandria; but it disappeared after the Peace of
Amiens. Another 2nd battalion was formed on the outbreak of
hostilities, did duty in Naples and Calabria, and finally served in
Spain. It was disbanded in 1816. A 3rd battalion was raised in
1805 in Ireland; but, curiously enough, was embodied in Scotland. It
embarked for the Peninsula in 1808, joined Wellington the next year, and
distinguished itself at Albuhera, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, St
Sebastian, the Bidassoa, the Pyrenees, the Nivelle, Orthes, and
Toulouse. It also shared in the campaign of Canada, and was
disbanded in 1816.
The present 2nd battalion served under the
East India Company as the "3rd Madras Europeans", which did good
service in Central India during the Mutiny. The regiment is the only
one in service that carries the "old Irish warpipes". The
badges are "Egypt" with the Sphinx, the Castle of Innsikilling
with St George's colour flying, and the word "Inniskilling", and
the white horse of Hanover with "Nec aspera terrent".
The affiliated militia battalions are the
Fermanagh, which formerly had the motto "Ut prodie", and has
headquarters at Enniskillen; the Royal Tyrone, the oldest Fusilier Militia
battalion, with headquarters at Omagh; and the Donegal (Lifford).
Being an Irish regiment, there are no Volunteer battalions attached to
it. The names of the "Old Munster" and the
"Limps" seem to have been applied to the 2nd battalion rather
than to the 1st, which apparently has had no special nicknames. The
depot is at Omagh. Extract from "The British Army and Auxiliary Forces" Colonel
C. Cooper King, R.M.A. , 1894 |
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The 1st Royal Dragoons by G Douglas Giles (P)
Original chromolithograph published 1880. Image size 9 inches x 6 inches (23cm x 15cm). Price £70.00
ITEM CODE UN0507
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Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers by Harry Payne.
Open edition print. Image size 7 inches x 12 inches (18cm x 31cm). Price £14.00
ITEM CODE UN0025
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Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers by Richard Simkin.
Open edition print. Image size 9 inches x 12 inches (23cm x 31cm). Price £14.00
Original chromolithograph, published c.1888. Image size 10 inches x 13 inches (25cm x 33cm). Price £140.00
ITEM CODE UN0273
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Grenadier, 27th Foot 1751 by P H Smitherman
In 1751 David Morier, a Swiss artist, produced a series of paintings showing a grenadier of each infantry regiment for the Duke of Cumberland, and this series, together with the Clothing Warrant of 1751, gives us a very clear picture of the dress of the army then. The details of this image are taken from one of these paintings, showing a grenadier typical of that time. The elaborate lace is very striking, and the wings on the shoulders are peculiar to grenadiers, as is the one shoulder strap on the the left shoulder to accommodate the strap of the pouch. Wings were also worn by bandsmen - and they have retained them to the present day - as were mitre caps similar in cut to those of the grenadiers but ornamented with devices of drums and flags instead of the royal cipher or ancient badge of the regiment. The end of this mans ring bayonet is seen under the coat, mounted on a frog with his basket-hilted sword. Swords were retained by the grenadiers after they had been given up by the other privates of the regiment, but had ceased to be worn by about 1790. It will be noted that the cut of the coat is loose. It is sometimes said that the Duke of Cumberland made the clothing of the British soldier tight in imitation of Frederick the Greats Prussians. In fact he did not do so, and it is doubtful whether even Frederick made his men wear tight clothes on campaigns, although he certainly, at the end of his reign, made them wear tight clothes on parade. In the British army it was laid down that all red cloth had to be washed and shrunk before it was made up into coats. This did rather spoil the appearance of the new coats, and colonels did sometimes induce contractors to make up coats without shrinking the cloth. If they became wet they could shrink and become very tight. The personal unpopularity of the Duke of Cumberland led to considerable denigration of his work for the organisation and administration of the army, which was badly needed and well carried out. The 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot was raised in 1689, and was one of the regiments permitted, with the Six Old Corps, to display its ancient badge, on its grenadier caps. The regiment is better known as the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, and it still displays the castle an name on its appointments.
One available. Image size 14 inches x 10 inches (36cm x 25cm). Price £24.00
ITEM CODE PHS0013
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| The 27th Foot
(Inniskilling) at Waterloo by Brian
Palmer Heroically standing their ground against the French Artillery the
27th were described after the battle as lying dead in a
square.
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers by Harry Payne
Grenadier, 27th Foot 1751
by P H Smitherman In 1751 David Morier, a Swiss artist, produced a series of paintings
showing a grenadier of each infantry regiment for the Duke of Cumberland,
and this series, together with the Clothing Warrant of 1751, gives us a
very clear picture of the dress of the army then. The details of
this image are taken from one of these paintings, showing a grenadier
typical of that time. The elaborate lace is very striking, and the
wings on the shoulders are peculiar to grenadiers, as is the one
shoulder strap on the the left shoulder to accommodate the strap of the
pouch. Wings were also worn by bandsmen - and they have retained
them to the present day - as were mitre caps similar in cut to those of
the grenadiers but ornamented with devices of drums and flags instead of
the royal cipher or ancient badge of the regiment. The end of this
mans ring bayonet is seen under the coat, mounted on a frog with his
basket-hilted sword. Swords were retained by the grenadiers after
they had been given up by the other privates of the regiment, but had
ceased to be worn by about 1790. It will be noted that the cut of
the coat is loose. It is sometimes said that the Duke of Cumberland
made the clothing of the British soldier tight in imitation of Frederick
the Greats Prussians. In fact he did not do so, and it is doubtful
whether even Frederick made his men wear tight clothes on campaigns,
although he certainly, at the end of his reign, made them wear tight
clothes on parade. In the British army it was laid down that all red
cloth had to be washed and shrunk before it was made up into coats.
This did rather spoil the appearance of the new coats, and colonels did
sometimes induce contractors to make up coats without shrinking the
cloth. If they became wet they could shrink and become very
tight. The personal unpopularity of the Duke of Cumberland led to
considerable denigration of his work for the organisation and
administration of the army, which was badly needed and well carried
out. The 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot was raised in 1689,
and was one of the regiments permitted, with the Six Old Corps, to
display its ancient badge, on its grenadier caps. The regiment is
better known as the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, and it still displays
the castle an name on its appointments. |
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