Irish Regiments of the Indian Mutiny

The history and foundation of this old and famous Regiment is bound up and found in India. The two Regiments which in 1881 were to become the 1st and 2nd Battalions The Royal Dublin Fusiliers, can proudly trace their individual and unique histories back as far as 1661 ( The 2nd Battalion ) and 1741- the 1st Battalion. The Regiment would be awarded a total of Seven Victoria Crosses during its long and proud service. Both were built up as East India Company Battalions, and lThe European regiments of the East India Company formed the elite of the Company’s forces; taken into the British army after the Mutiny, the regiment illustrated ultimately became the 1^st Bn Royal Dublin Fusiliers. The regiment wore a uniform like that of current British regulations, with facings successively French grey, white, and on becoming Fusiliers in 1843, dark blue. Another distinguishing feature peculiar to the regiment was the red ball-tuft on the shako. The figure illustrated , however (based on a sketch by Captain Ryves) shows the modified uniform worn on campaign, the shako being enclosed in a white linen cover, the tail-less undress jacket worn with collar turned down (note the unusual blue wings bearing white grenade badge), and the issue boots replaced by more comfortable, light native sandals. Capt. Ryves showed the troops carrying their leather stocks on the end of their muskets! The same artist portrayed the drum-major wearing a fur fusilier cap with white plume, gold lace and epaulettes on the jacket, and the more usual white trousers. The fact that the subject of Capt. Ryves’ picture was shown fording a stream explains the rolled-up trousers and bare feet!
 ater as numbered regiments of the British Line.
One to serve its early years as Madras Europeans and the other as Bombay Europeans. The Madras Europeans were formed about 1748 and claim to have taken part in 72 battles against native forces and the French by 1758.By 1760 it was increased to a three battlion regiment and a 4th Battalion was added in 1774. In the sixteen years between 1758 and 1774 it had fought further actions and was engaged at Goojerat in 1780 and received the ' Royal Tiger ' badge in 1791. By 1841 other engagements had been fought and won, and the motto ' Spectamur Agendo ' - ' We are judged by our deeds ' was granted. Up to about 1830 the regiment was known as the Honourable East India Company's European Regiment, when ' Madras ' was added to the title and in 1839 it then became the 1st Madras European Regiment, the addition of ' Fusiliers ' was added in 1843, and then finally it was called the 1st Madras Fusiliers. In 1860-1861 it became a numbered regiment of the Crown, and was then known as the 102nd ( Royal Madras ) Fusiliers.Four previous regiments had carried the number 102 during the period 1760 to 1818, but only one of them was Irish, a corps that existed between 1793 and 1794 and was known as The 102nd ( Irish ) Regiment of Foot. The 102nd ( Royal Madras ) Fusiliers were in India just after the Mutiny broke out at Delhi and Meerut, and was engaged at Benares and Allahabad in May and June 1857 and in September in the desperate fighting for the relief of Lucknow. It was during this campaign and the bitter fighting that the Regiment earned its famous nickname  ' Neill's Blue Caps ' relating to the warning given by the rebel leader Nana Sahib to his men, in that they should ' kill all the men in blue caps and dirty shirts ' a compliment to the Madras and Bengal Fusiliers whose fighting reputations were renowned and feared throughout India. Neill, the gallant Colonel of the Fusiliers, was killed at Lucknow. He not only left his name to the Regiment, but was also an historian who recorded the complex history of the corps. It was during the Indian Mutiny that four members of the Regiments were awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry. Three of the recipients were Irish. These were Sergeant Patrick Mahoney,Private John Ryan, Private Thomas Duffy and Private John Smith. The Battle-Honours earned by the Regiment up to the Mutiny were: Arcot, Plassey, Wyndewash, Condore, Sholinghur, Amboyna, Ternate, Banda, Pondicherry, Mahipoor, Ava, Pegu, Lucknow. In the reorganisation of 1860-1861, the 1st Madras Fusiliers were designated the 102nd ( Royal Madras Fusiliers ) and were therefore no longer a company Regiment.Patrick Mahoney was born in Waterford, Ireland. He was 30 years old and a Sergeant in the 1st Madras European Fusiliers, during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross:

On the 21st September 1857 - Whilst on cavalry duty at Mungulwar, near Cawnpore, he was prominent in capturing the colours of the 1st Regiment of Native Infantry who had mutinied.

He was killed in action at Kucknow, India, on the 30th October 1857.