| 102nd Regiment of Foot (Royal Madras Fusiliers) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1742–1881 |
| Country | .svg) East India Company (1742–1858) United Kingdom (1858–1881) |
| Branch | Madras Army (1742–1862) British Army (1862–1881) |
| Type | Line Infantry |
| Role | Light Infantry |
| Size | One battalion (two battalions 1774–1799 and 1824–1830) |
| Garrison/HQ | Naas Barracks,County Kildare |
| Colors | Blue Facings, |
| March | Quick:Slow: |
| Engagements | Second Carnatic War Seven Years' War Third Carnatic War Third Anglo-Mysore War Third Anglo-Maratha War First Anglo-Burmese War Second Anglo-Burmese War Indian Rebellion |
The102nd Regiment of Foot (Royal Madras Fusiliers) was aregiment of theBritish Army raised by theHonourable East India Company in 1742. It transferred to the command of theBritish Army in 1862. Under theChilders Reforms it amalgamated with the103rd Regiment of Foot in 1881 to form theRoyal Dublin Fusiliers.
The regiment was raised by theHonourable East India Company as theMadras Europeans from independent companies in 1742 – "European" indicating it was composed of British soldiers, not Indiansepoys.[1] It saw action at thesiege of Arcot in autumn 1751 during theSecond Carnatic War and went on to fight at theBattle of Plassey in June 1757, theBattle of Condore in December 1758 and theBattle of Wandiwash in January 1760 during theSeven Years' War.[2] It also fought at thesiege of Pondicherry in September 1760 during theThird Carnatic War.[2] It became the1st Madras Europeans, on formation of the2nd and3rd Madras Europeans, in 1766.[1] It went on to become the1st Madras European Regiment in 1774.[1] After that it took part in thesiege of Nundydroog in October 1791 and thesiege of Seringapatam in February 1792 during theThird Anglo-Mysore War.[2]
The regiment next took part in expedition to theDutch East Indies seeing action at the capture ofAmboyna in February 1796 and its recapture in February 1810, the capture ofTernate in April 1801 and its recapture in August 1810 and the capture ofBanda in March 1796 and its recapture in August 1810.[2]
The regiment returned to India in 1816 and took part in theBattle of Mahidpur in December 1817 during theThird Anglo-Maratha War.[2] It was deployed toBurma in 1824 for service in theFirst Anglo-Burmese War: it formed part of an army which advanced up theRiver Irrawaddy to theKingdom of Ava.[2] It returned to India arriving inMadras in 1826.[2] It transferred toMalacca in 1835[2] and became the1st Madras (European) Fusiliers in 1843.[1] After returning to India in early 1852 it was deployed to the Province ofPegu in April 1852 during theSecond Anglo-Burmese War.[2]
The regiment fought at thesiege and relief of Lucknow in November 1857 during theIndian Rebellion.[2] Three members of the regiment were awarded theVictoria Cross for their actions during the siege.[3][4] After the Crown took control of thePresidency armies in the aftermath of the Rebellion, the regiment became the1st Madras Fusiliers in July 1858 and then the1st Royal Madras Fusiliers in May 1861.[1] It was then renumbered as the102nd Regiment of Foot (Royal Madras Fusiliers) on transfer to theBritish Army in September 1862.[1][Note 1] The regiment embarked for England in 1870 and was then deployed toGibraltar in April 1876 and toCeylon in 1879.[2]
As part of theCardwell Reforms of the 1870s, where single-battalion regiments were linked together to share a single depot and recruiting district in the United Kingdom, the 102nd was linked with the103rd Regiment of Foot (Royal Bombay Fusiliers), and assigned to district no. 66 atNaas Barracks inCounty Kildare.[6] On 1 July 1881 theChilders Reforms came into effect and the regiment amalgamated with the 103rd Regiment of Foot (Royal Bombay Fusiliers) to form theRoyal Dublin Fusiliers.[1]
The 102nd kept a tiger, named Plassey, during their deployments in India and the regiment's garrison atDover. Named after the Battle of Plassey, theBengal tiger cub was among a pair captured by Captain Frank Thackwell of the5th Royal Irish Lancers, and later gifted to the 102nd. Plassey was among the other mascots of the 102nd, that being a dog and an antelope. Plassey came to be such a symbol of the regiment that thecap badge showed him. After the regiment was shipped back to Europe, Plassey stayed with the Dover garrison, where he lived alongside a pair ofleopards. However, after having "alarmed" residents, Plassey was sent to theLondon Zoo, where he died in 1877.[7][8]
Battle honours won by the regiment were:[1]
Colonels of the Regiment included:[1]
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