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Isandlwana and the 24th FootBy Paul HooperBefore everyone switches off, this is not another rant about Isandlwana and has very little to do with the Zulu War. Over the years I have read a fair amount of history of the British Army and wherever the Army had a reverse or was badly mauled almost without fail the 24th Foot was present. So I decided to tackle the research from the other end and try to track the 24th across the world and history. The regiment was founded in 1689 and within five years it had taken part in the ill-fated descent on Brest. It lost nearly half its numbers. In the War of Jenkins Ear it was sent to the West Indies and was again reduced to half strength by disease. By the mid-18thC it had surpassed even it's own high standards. In 1756 it was forced to surrender to the French while stationed in Minorca. Then during the American War of Independence the entire regiment was captured. The turn of the century brought no turn of fortune. During the Peninsular War it lost 46% casualties during the Battle of Talavera - more than any other British Regiment engaged. By 1810 the 24th were on their way from South Africa to India when 400 men, nearly half the Regiment, were captured by the French while on troopships. The long peace of the 1830s and 40s brought little respite for the 24th. In 1848 during the Second Sikh War, (they had managed to miss the First Sikh War when the troopship they were on had struck a rock!) they were at full strength with 31 officers and 1065 men. During the Battle of Chilianwala they advanced across a scrubby area towards 20 Sikh Guns, which started pounding them. The 24th were supported by two native infantry regiments, but the order to charge was given too early and only to the 24th who soon outran their supports. They were also given orders not to fire but only to use the bayonet! When they took the guns the Sikh army started to melt away but the cost had been high with casualties of 515 men and only 9 of the officers came through the battle. The Queens colours were lost although the Regimental Colours were saved and can be seen hanging in today in Brecon Cathedral. If you are ever in London in the grounds of the Royal Hospital at Chelsea there is a stone obelisk which commemorates this action. Yet this infantry version of the Charge of the Light Brigade is little known in today's world. 1879 saw the Regiment at Isandlwana and the story of the 6 companies of 24th who were wiped out is too well known to be repeated here. I bet you can't guess which regiment the defenders of Rorkes Drift belonged to? Yes it was a company from the second battallion of the 24th. The turn of another century saw the 24th engaged in the First World War and the ill-fated Gallipoli Campaign were again it lost nearly half its numbers. The second battalion fought on the Western Front and on 3rd December 1917 it marched out of lines with only 2 officers, the doctor and 73 men. During the Second World War the 3rd Battalion was captured during the
capture of Tobruk. Naturally, the 1st Battalion was sent on the unfortunate
expedition to Norway in 1940 and following precedent from the Sikh War
the troopship struck a rock but this time it sank drowning many men. So if you have unit in your 18thC/AWI/Napoleonic/colonial Army that is painted as the 24th, can I suggest you repaint them before they fall down a crack in the table! By the way the regiment was known by the name of The South Wales Borders.
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