The 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot was a British Army infantry regiment, raised in 1823. Under the Childers Reforms, it amalgamated with the 45th (Nottinghamshire) (Sherwood Foresters) Regiment of Foot to form the Sherwood Foresters in 1881.

History

Formation

The regiment was raised on 1 December 1823 by General Sir Colin Halkett as the 95th Regiment of Foot, in response to the threat posed by the French intervention in Spain. It embarked for Malta in March 1824Wylly, p. 375 and was given a territorial designation as the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot in December 1825. It then sailed on to the Ionian Islands in January 1830;Wylly, p. 386 the headquarters was initially established in CorfuWylly, p. 388 but moved to Vido in December 1831.Wylly, p. 390 The headquarters went back to Corfu in May 1832, to Cephalonia in April 1833 and back to Corfu again in June 1834.Wylly, p. 392 The regiment embarked for home in December 1834.Wylly, p. 395

The regiment embarked for Ceylon in October 1838;Wylly, p. 398 the headquarters was initially established at Colombo but moved to Kandy in September 1841Wylly, p. 399 and reverted to Colombo in January 1844.Wylly, p. 400 While in Colombo the regiment suffered from a serious epidemic of cholera: at least 63 soldiers died. The regiment transferred to Hong Kong in March 1847.Wylly, p. 402 In autumn 1848 the regiment lost nearly 40% of its strength to fever: representatives of Jardine Matheson provided extensive support in the form of the loan of boats and trips for convalescents.Wylly, p. 406 The regiment embarked for home in March 1850.Wylly, p. 409

Crimea

The regiment embarked for Turkey in March 1854 for service in the Crimean War.Wylly, p. 414 It sailed on to Kalamita Bay in September 1854Wylly, p. 420 and advanced under heavy Russian fire at the Battle of Alma later that month.Wylly, p. 426 Due to the heavy casualties suffered in this attack the Regimental colours, normally carried by an ensign, were seized by Private James Keenan: he planted them triumphantly on the earthwork of the Great Redoubt.Wylly, p. 429 The regiment lost some 20 officers and some 180 other ranks in the battle. The regiment sustained further losses at the Battle of Inkerman in November 1854 and Major John Champion, who commanded the regiment during the battle, was killed in action.Wylly, p. 461 The regiment was also present at the Sevastopol in winter 1854: the regiment continued to sustain losses caused by the extreme cold and rampant disease. This led to the comment that: "there may be few of the 95th left but those few are as hard as nails."Wylly, p. 473 The regiment embarked for home in June 1856.Wylly, p. 477

Indian Rebellion

The regiment embarked for the Cape of Good Hope in June 1857Wylly, p. 486 but, within days of arriving in September 1857, it was sent on to India to help suppress the Indian Rebellion.Wylly, p. 487 The regiment took part in the capture of the entrenched town of Rowa in January 1858:Wylly, p. 491 Private Bernard McQuirt was awarded the Victoria Cross for his part in the action. It went on to take part in a skirmish at Kotah-ke-Serai in June 1858 during which the rebel leader, Rani of Jhansi, was killed.Wylly, p. 511 It also took part in the recapture of Gwalior later that monthWylly, p. 518 as well as several other actions during the Central Indian campaign.Wylly, p. 536 The regiment remained in India until October 1870 when it sailed for England.Wylly, p. 543

As part of the Cardwell Reforms of the 1870s, where single-battalion regiments were linked together to share a single depot and recruiting district in the United Kingdom, the 95th was linked with the 54th (West Norfolk) Regiment of Foot, and assigned to district no. 26 at Normanton Barracks in Derbyshire. On 1 July 1881 the Childers Reforms came into effect and the regiment amalgamated with the 45th (Nottinghamshire) (Sherwood Foresters) Regiment of Foot to form the Sherwood Foresters.

Battle honours The regiment's battle honours were as follows: Alma, Inkerman, Sevastopol, Central India

Victoria Cross Private Bernard McQuirt Indian Mutiny (6 January 1858)

Colonels of the Regiment Colonels of the Regiment were:

The 95th Regiment of Foot

1823–1829: Gen. Sir Colin Halkett

The 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot - (1825)

1829–1834: Lt-Gen. Sir Archibald Campbell, 1st Baronet GCB (of Ava) 1834–1838: Lt-Gen. Sir Charles Pratt, KCB

The 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment - (1838)

1838–1843: Lt-Gen. Sir John Buchan, KCB 1843–1848: Lt-Gen. George Guy Carleton L'Estrange, CB 1848–1850: Lt-Gen. Sir Richard Armstrong KCB 1850–1853: Gen. Sir John Bell GCB 1853–1868: Gen. Sir Francis Cockburn 1868–1869: Gen. John ffolliott Crofton 1869–1871: Maj-Gen. Frederick Holt Robe, CB 1871–1876: Gen. James Pattoun Sparks, CB 1876–1881: Gen. John Studholme Brownrigg, CB

Notes

References

Sources

External links