The Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment)
The Royal Scots was constituted as a regiment in the British Army on 28 March 1633. The regiment was used in the service of the king of France though it officially remained a regiment of the Crown. It returned to Britain in 1660 on the restoration of the monarchy and was ranked as the 1st Regiment of Foot.
In 1684, Colonel the Earl of Dumbarton's Regiment of Foot became His Majesty's The Royal Regiment of Foot. From 1751 to 1812, its title was the 1st or The Royal Regiment of Foot. The Prince Edward, Duke of Kent became the Regimental Colonel in August 1790.
From 1812 to 1821, it was known as the 1st or The Royal Scots Regiment of Foot.
From 1871 to 1881 the regimental name was The 1st, The Royal Scots.
On 1 July 1881, the infantry were given a geographical connection with an appropriate territorial title in place of the regimental number. The 1st Regiment became The 1st Battalion The Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment), as the county regiment for Mid East and West Lothian.
In 1920, the name changed to The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment).
The 1st Foot/The Royal Regiment of Foot
1854 1st Foot/The Royal Regiment of Foot
1854 – 55 From 1821 to 1871 the regimental name was The 1st or The Royal Regiment of Foot. It deployed in the Eastern Campaign against Russia. The regiment fought at Alma, Inkerman and in the trenches before Sebastopol.
Baptisms in 1854:
- 18 Dec William John Witter Legatt born on 28 October 1854, son of Mary Anne and Ensign James Legatt 1st Regiment (The Royals).
Burials in 1854:
- 27 Nov Pte Lucas 1st Regiment.
1855 1st/The Royal Scots
Baptisms in 1855:
- 4 Nov Henry Faulkner born 18 Oct 1855, son of Catherine and Sgt Thomas Faulkner 1st Regiment (The Royals).
Burials in 1855:
- 14 Feb Sgt William Knowles aged 27 years.
- 11 May Cpl William Halliday aged 18 years.
The 1st/Royal Scots
1878 1st/The Royal Scots
27 Jan 1878 The 1st/The Royal Scots embarked at Portsmouth on 27 January and arrived in Malta in February 1878.
It had an average strength of 747 men. It had 1220 admissions (1633/1000 mean strength) into hospital with 23 deaths (30.79 deaths/1000 mean strength). 59 invalids were returned to England. Its average constantly sick was 66.05 (88.42/1000 mean strength). The average sick time to each soldier was 32.27 days. The average duration of cases of sickness was 19.76 days.
14 deaths in the 1st/1st Regiment were from enteric fever. The disease struck during the last eight months of the year. The 1st/1st Regiment occupied Floriana Barracks until October, when it moved to the Cottonera District, with detachments at Pembroke Camp. In the Valletta District, it lost one man in May from enteric fever, two in July, three in August, one in October, and one in November; two men died at Pembroke Camp in December.
1879 1st/The Royal Scots
The 1st/1st Regiment had an average strength of 742 men. It had 805 admissions (1084.9/1000 mean strength) into hospital with 4 deaths (5.39/1000 mean strength). 21 invalids were returned to England. Its average daily sick was 46.48 (62.64/1000 mean strength). The average sick time to each soldier was 22.86 days. The average duration of cases of sickness was 21.07 days.
1880 1st/The Royal Scots
The 1st/the Royal Scots had an average strength of 691 men. It had 520 admissions (752.5/1000 mean strength) into hospital with 4 deaths (5.79 deaths/1000 mean strength). 13 invalids returned to England. Its average constantly sick was 35.92 (51.98/1000 mean strength). The average sick time to each soldier was 19.03 days. The average duration of cases of sickness was 25.28 days.
1881 1st/The Royal Scots (Lothian)
From 1881, The 1st, the Royal Scots became The Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment). The regiment had an average strength of 615 men. It had 595 admissions (967.4/1000 mean strength) into hospital with 11 deaths (17.88 deaths/1000 mean strength). 24 invalids returned to England. Its average constantly sick was 42.53 (69.15/1000 mean strength). The average sick time to each soldier was 25.24 days. The average duration of cases of sickness was 26.08 days.
1882 1st/The Royal Scots (Lothian)
The 1st/Royal Scots had an average strength of 535 men. It had 381 admissions (712.1/1000 mean strength) into hospital with 2 deaths including 1 among the invalids (3.74 deaths/1000 mean strength). 16 invalids returned to England.
Its average constantly sick was 30.91 (57.77/1000 mean strength). The average sick time to each soldier was 21.08 days. The average duration of cases of sickness was 29.61 days.
11 Apr 1882 Four coys embarked for the West Indies; a draft of 262 men returned to England.
1883 1st/The Royal Scots (Lothian)
The 1st/Royal Scots had an average strength of 72 men. It had 44 admissions (611.1/1000 mean strength) into hospital. 4 invalids returned to England.
Its average constantly sick was 3.57 (49.58/1000 mean strength). The average sick time to each soldier was 18.09 days. The average duration of cases of sickness was 29.61 days.
1 Jan – 24 Feb 1883 Half of the battalion formed part of the garrison.
24 Feb 1883 The 1st/Royal Scots was ordered to Barbados, West Indies. The battalion had been in Malta for over 5 years. A few men were left behind as invalids.
2nd/The 1st Royal Scots
1800 2nd/1st (The Royal Regiment of Foot)
20 Dec 1800 The 2nd Battalion arrived from Gibraltar. On 20 December, it joined Abercrombie's Expedition to Egypt. It formed part of Major General Coote's Brigade together with the 2nd/54th and the 92nd Regiments.
1801 2nd/1st (The Royal Regiment of Foot) (Duke of Kent's Regiment)
1 Nov 1801 In Nov 1801 the regiment was withdrawn from Egypt and proceeded to Malta, where it remained for four months.
1 Nov 1801 Regimental Strength:
| Present (Offs & WOs) |
Absent (Offs & WOs) |
NCOs | Fit for Duty (R&F) |
Sick (R&F) |
Total (Offs and Men) |
Establishment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 11 | 75 | 473 | 173 | 750 | 1123 |
| Returns of His Majesty's Forces Malta: 1st November 1801. 2nd/1st (Duke of Kent's) | ||||||
1802 2nd/1st (The Royal Regiment of Foot)
1 Jan 1802 Regimental Strength:
| Present (Offs & WOs) |
Absent (Offs & WOs) |
NCOs | Fit for Duty (R&F) |
Sick (R&F) |
Total (Offs and Men) |
Establishment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 10 | 75 | 507 | 118 | 730 | 1123 |
| Returns of His Majesty's Forces Malta: 1st January 1802. 2nd/1st (Duke of Kent's) | ||||||
May 1802 The 2nd/Royal Scots left Malta for Gibraltar.
The 2nd/Royal Scots
1855 2nd/1st (The Royal Regiment of Foot)
1854 – 55 The 1st or The Royal Regiment of Foot fought at Alma, Inkerman and in the trenches before Sebastopol.
Burials in 1855:
- 30 July Pte Robert Dent 2nd/1st Royals aged 18 years.
- 11 Sep Lt Charles Howard Proby aged 21 years.
- 12 Sep Pte John Eyers aged 20 years.
- 28 Sep Cpl John Howard aged 22 years.
1856 2nd/1st (The Royal Regiment of Foot)
11 June 1856 749 men of The 2nd Battalion arrived from Turkey and the Crimea. The men were quartered at Cottonera and at St George's Bay.
Burials in 1856:
- 1 Mar Pte John Jones 2nd/1st Royals.
- 26 May Ensign William Augustus Hamilton 2nd/1st Royals.
- 30 Dec Pte Samuel Morrell aged 30 years.
1857 2nd/1st (The Royal Regiment of Foot)
1 Mar 1857 Strength 8 Coys Rank and File 787 (Effectives), 660 (Authorised Strength). Together with the 8 Coys of the 31st Regiment and 48th Foot, the 2nd/1st formed part of 3rd Brigade. The Regiment was ordered to proceed to Gibraltar.
22 May 1857 The 2nd/1st (The Royal Regiment of Foot) was at St George's Bay Barracks. It embarked for Gibraltar.
Baptisms in 1857:
- 29 Apr John Chanceller Bampfield born 26 March 1857, son of Elly Dora Mary and Pay Master William John Bampfield.
- 17 May James Alexander Toomey born 27 April 1857, son of Jane and CSgt James Toomey 2nd/1st Royals.
- 18 May Laura Emma Teale born 10 May 1857, daughter of Ensign and Adjutant Emmanuel Teale.
Burials in Floriana in 1857:
- 24 Apr Frederick Knapp 2nd/1st Royals aged 37 years.
- 25 May Pte Henry Bamhant 2nd/1st Royals aged 19 years 6 months.
The 2nd/The Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment)
1890 2nd/Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment)
19 Dec 1890 The 2nd/Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment) arrived from Aldershot via Portsmouth and relieved the 1st/Bedfordshire Regiment, which embarked for India. The battalion was quartered at Cottonera for 13 days.
It had an average strength of 16 men with 22 admissions (606.9/1000 mean strength) into hospital.
1891 2nd/Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment)
The 2nd/Royal Scots Regiment had an average strength of 977 men. It had 788 admissions (755.4/1000 mean strength) into hospital with 4 deaths (4.09/1000 mean strength). 20 invalids returned to England.
Its average constantly sick was 46.59 (47.69/1000 mean strength). The average sick time to each soldier was 17.41 days. The average duration of cases of sickness was 23.04 days.
The 2nd/Royal Scots Regiment was at Isola District for 12 months with detachments at Pembroke Camp.
Baptisms in 1891:
- 7 June Sissylt Ann Gun Munro born 14 Jan 1891, daughter of Sissylt Herbert Stewart and Lt George Mackenzie Gun Munro.
- 7 July Isabella Herbert born 15 June 1891, daughter of Ellen and Pte John Herbert.
- 4 Oct Phoebe Colleen Alexander born 13 July 1891, daughter of Sophia and Pte John Alexander.
Burials in Rinella Military Cemetery in 1891:
- 20 July Isabella Herbert aged 5 weeks, died at St Nicholas.
- 25 July Emily Bowers aged 1 year 1 month, died at St Nicholas.
- 8 Aug Pte George Carter aged 24 years, drowned.
- 13 Aug Henry Archer aged 19 years 2 months was buried in Pietà Military Cemetery.
- 14 Aug Edwin Crow aged 20 years, died at Cottonera.
- 15 Aug Victor Florentine aged 18 years, died at Cottonera.
1892 2nd/Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment)
The 2nd/Royal Scots Regiment had an average strength of 188 men. It had 140 admissions (744.7/1000 mean strength) into hospital with 1 death (5.32/1000 mean strength). 11 invalids returned to England.
Its average constantly sick was 9.97 (53.03/1000 mean strength). The average sick time to each soldier was 11.41 days. The average duration of cases of sickness was 20.03 days.
7 Mar 1892 The 2nd/Royal Scots Regiment was at Isola District for 3 months. It embarked on the Wellington for Bombay on 7 March, arriving there on 24 March.
Baptisms in 1892:
- 27 Mar Alice Melita Pitcher born 11 Mar 1892, daughter of Mary Ann and CSgt William George Pitcher of Cottonera.
Burials at Rinella Military Cemetery in 1892:
- 31 Mar A Anderson aged 20 years 8 months, died at Cottonera.
The 2nd/Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)
1946 2nd/Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)
12 Dec 1946 Arrived from Palestine (MELF). Minor difficulties were encountered in its administration owing to the absence of documents. The regiment was quartered at St Andrew's Barracks, Pembroke.
1947 2nd/Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)
June 1947 The battalion left for Trieste.
Bibliography
- Farmer J. S., 1984. The regimental records of the British Army Reprint Edition, Trowbridge, Wiltshire: Crecy Books.
- Rudolf R., 1988. Campaign histories of the Infantry Regiments of the British Army, Hayward and Sons, Polstead Suffolk.
- TNA:WO 156/113. Register of burials September 1853 to June 1862.
- TNA:WO 156/115. Register of burials in the military cemetery Rinella from January 1890 to January 1908.
- TNA:WO 379/11. Stations of Regiments 1859–1900.
- TNA:WO 17/2163, Office of the Commander–in–Chief, Monthly Returns to the Adjutant General Malta 1857.