The regiment is the oldest of the old Indian regiments. It was raised
in India in the reign of Charles I., but in 1748 it became the Madras
European Regiment, and under Clive rendered splendid service at many
famous Indian battles which gradually won that Empire for the British
Crown. The 2nd Battalion (103rd Foot) has an equally glorious Indian
record. After 223 years of Indian service the 1st Battalion came to
England for the first time in 1868, and in 1870 the 2nd Battalion came
home for the first time after 209 years service.
Nicknames: "The Blue Caps." During the Indian Mutiny, Nana Sahib warned
his men against those "blue-capped soldiers who fought like devils."
"The Old Toughs," from the long period of hard service in India.
[Illustration]
(_Depot_, Winchester.)
(_Record Office_, Winchester.)
"Copenhagen," "Monte Video," "Roliça," "Vimiera," "Corunna,"
"Busaco," "Barrosa," "Fuentes d'Onor," "Ciudad Rodrigo," "Badajoz,"
"Salamanca," "Vittoria," "Pyrenees," "Nivelle," "Nive," "Orthes,"
"Toulouse," "Peninsula," "Waterloo," "South Africa, 1846-7,
1851-2-3," "Alma," "Inkerman," "Sevastopol," "Lucknow," "Ashantee,
1873-4," "Ali Masjid," "Afghanistan, 1878-9," "Burma, 1885-87,"
"Khartoum," "Defence of Ladysmith," "Relief of Ladysmith," "South
Africa, 1899-1902."
_Uniform_, Dark Green.
_Facings_, Black.
_Head-dress_, Black fur busby with black plume.
_Cap_, Dark Green with green band.
_Regimental March_, "I'm Ninety-five."
Allied Regiment: 6th Regiment (The Duke of Connaught's Own Rifles)
of Canada.