| 104th Regiment of Foot (Bengal Fusiliers) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1765–1803 1822–1830 1839–1881 |
| Country | .svg) East India Company (1765–1858) United Kingdom (1858–1881) |
| Branch | Bengal Army (1765–1862) British Army (1862–1881) |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | One battalion |
| Garrison/HQ | Ballymullen Barracks,Tralee |
| Engagements | First Rohilla War Second Anglo-Sikh War Second Anglo-Burmese War Indian Rebellion |
The104th Regiment of Foot (Bengal Fusiliers) was aregiment of theBritish Army, raised by theHonourable East India Company in 1765. Under theChilders Reforms it amalgamated with the101st Regiment of Foot (Royal Bengal Fusiliers) to form theRoyal Munster Fusiliers.
The regiment as first raised by theHonourable East India Company as the2nd Bengal European Regiment when it was formed from the1st Bengal European Regiment in 1765.[1] It went to take part in an action atRohilkhand in April 1774 during theFirst Rohilla War[2] before being absorbed by the Marine Battalion in 1803.[1] It was re-raised as the2nd Bengal (European) Regiment in 1822 and took part in a deployment toBurma in 1825 before being disbanded in 1830.[1]
The regiment was re-raised as the2nd Bengal (European) Light Infantry from a nucleus of 1st Bengal (European) Regiment in 1839.[1] It saw action at theBattle of Chillianwala in January 1849 and theBattle of Gujrat in February 1849 in thePunjab during theSecond Anglo-Sikh War.[2] The regiment became the2nd Bengal (European) Fusiliers in 1850 was deployed to Burma again in 1853 during theSecond Anglo-Burmese War and then served at theSiege of Delhi in autumn 1857 during theIndian Rebellion.[2] After the Crown took control of thePresidency armies in the aftermath of the Indian Rebellion, the regiment became the2nd Bengal Fusiliers in November 1859 and then the2nd Royal Bengal Fusiliers in May 1861.[1] It was then renumbered as the104th Regiment of Foot (Bengal Fusiliers) on transfer to theBritish Army in September 1862.[1] Although a new commanding officer was appointed on transfer to the British Army, both majors and six of the twelve captains had prior service in the regiment.[3]
During thecholera epidemic of 1869, the regiment left its barracks atPeshawar on the North West Frontier for the countryside, to try to alleviate the impact of the disease. After the regiment had returned to barracks with the end of the epidemic, the commanding officer's wife,Elizabeth Webber Harris, was presented with a gold replica Victoria Cross, by the officers of the regiment, for her tireless endeavours tending the sick men.[4] The presentation had the approval ofQueen Victoria and was made by General SirSam Browne, commander of the Peshawar garrison. The regiment embarked for England in 1871.[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 104th was linked with the101st Regiment of Foot (Royal Bengal Fusiliers), and assigned to district no. 70 atBallymullen Barracks inTralee.[5] On 1 July 1881 theChilders Reforms came into effect and the regiment amalgamated with the 101st Regiment of Foot (Royal Bengal Fusiliers) to form theRoyal Munster Fusiliers.[1]
Battle honours won by the regiment were:[1]
Colonels of the Regiment were:[1]
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