12Th Regiment History
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12th REGIMENT OF FOOT (EAST SUFFOLK) 1ST BATTALION IN AUSTRALASIA 1854 - 1867 GERALD J. ELLOTT MNZM RDP FRPSL FRPSNZ August 2017 12 th REGIMENT (EAST SUFFOLK) 1 ST BATTALION History – 12 th Regiment The Regiment was first raised on 20 June 1685, as the Duke of Norfolk’s Regiment of Foot, at Norwich, some of the Companies on formation being quartered ay Yarmouth & Lynn. The Regiment became known as the 12 th Regiment of Foot, in 1751, and a second Battalion was established in 1757. In 1758, the second Battalion was constituted as the 65th Regiment. A new second Battalion was added to the establishment in 1812, and in 1818 was reduced and incorporated into the 1 st Battalion. In 1856 a second Battalion was established from the reserve Battalion, and returned from Australia back to England in 1858. AUSTRALASIA The 12 th Regiment’s involvement in Australasia started in 1854, when one Company sailed from Cork on 20 January 1854, for Van Dieman’s Land (Tasmania). On 1 July 1854, Headquarters and three Companies under the control of Major Kempt embarked on the Camperdown for Australia, arriving at Melbourne on 18 October 1854. On 28 July 1854, two further Companies under the command of Captain Atkinson, left Cork aboard the Empress Eugene , arriving at Melbourne on 6 November 1854. 2 AUSTRALIA With the arrival of Headquarters, at Melbourne, the Company which had arrived at Van Dieman’s Land were stationed at Castlemaine & Sandhurst in Victoria and on 21 October 1854, one Company had proceeded to the Goldfields at Ballarat, with a further Company leaving on the 27 October 1854 at “Full Speed” to reinforce the Detachments of both the 12 th and 40 th Regiments. Eureka Stockade On 1 December 1854 Headquarters of both the 12 th & 49 th Regiments, proceeded to Ballarat, and on 2 December, two Companies of the 12 th and one Company of the 40 th Regiment, all under the command of Captain Thomas 40 th Regiment, attacked and destroyed the Stockade at Eureka. Two Companies of the 12 th Regiment and One Company of the 40 th Regiment attacking and destroying the Stockade at Eureka 3 4 NEW ZEALAND In response to a request in 1860 by the Governor of New Zealand Colonel Thomas Gore Browne CB to the Governor of New South Wales, it was decided that two Companies of the 12 th Regiment and a half a Battery of Artillery should go to assist, this being the maximum number of men available in view of the trouble being given by the Gold Diggers. Under the command of Captain Miller, they embarked on the City of Sydney , left Sydney 10 April 1860, arriving at New Plymouth on 16 April 1860. Puke-ta-kauere On 27 June 1860, there was very heavy fighting where both the 40 th Regiment and the local Militia suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the Maoris, losing 30 killed and 34 wounded, being nearly 20% of the force engaged. It does not appear that the 12 th Regiment were involved in this particular action. This defeat gave the Maoris more confidence and made it far more dangerous for the inhabitants of New Plymouth to venture outside the Township. Arrangements were therefore mad to evacuate the women and Children from the Town, most of them being evacuated to Nelson. Further reinforcements being required, another Detachment of the 12 th Regiment, consisting of six Officers, four sergeants, one Drummer, and 100 Rank & File, under the command of Major Hutchins, on 16 July 1860, embarked on HMS Fawn , arriving at New Plymouth on 23 July 1860. The Detachment of the 12 th marched to Waireka to construct a Redoubt, which due to virtually continuous fire from the Maoris, was not completed until 23 August 1860 5 Huirangi – Mahoetahi The 12 th were part of a composite Force of over 1000 men who were involved during September 1860, in clearing the area south of New Plymouth at Huirangi, and again in October 1860, when a part of the Force of over 1400 men were given the task of removing the Maori Fortifications along the Kaihihi River, fortunately losses were restricted to one killed and one wounded. On 6 November 1860, a Force of 1500 men composed of the 12 th , 40 th , & 65 th Regiments, engaged the Maoris at Mahoetahi, where casualties again were high on both sides. The Maoris had 50 killed and 60 wounded, with the British losses of four killed and 17 wounded, which included two killed and four wounded from the Rifle Volunteers. Mata-rikoriko This was the next engagement, when the 12th under the command of Captain Miller, together with the Naval Brigade, and the 40 th & 65 th Regiments, cleared the Maoris from their Pa, so that a Stockade and Redoubt could be constructed as part of a line of redoubts protecting the area. During this operation which lasted from the 28 – 30 December 1860, losses were three killed and 20 wounded. Additional redoubts were built at Huirangi, and fierce fighting took place at No.3 Redoubt site (Headquarters 40 th Regiment under Colonel Leslie) on 23 January 1861 and at No. 7 Redoubt on 10 February 1861. During these actions, the British losses were (23 January 1861) five killed and 11 wounded, and on (10 February 1861) two killed and 28 wounded. One Company of the 12 th Regiment and two Companies of the 65 th Regiment who were at the No. 1 Redoubt went to the assistance of the 40 th Regiment. The whole of the Detachment of the 12th under Captain Miller (who was wounded) were involved on 10 February 1861 at the No. 7 Redoubt, together with men from the 14 th , 40 th , 57 th & 65 th Regiments and the Royal Artillery. Te Arei During the fighting at “Pratts Long Sap” at Te Arei, the 12 th Regiment were involved in the transportation of supplies and baggage, and took no part in the action. 6 Waitara The fighting at the Waitara ended on the 19 March 1861, and General Cameron had decided that his Headquarters should be in Auckland, the 12 th Regiment was transferred to Auckland, together with the 14 th , 40 th , 65 th , & 70 th Regiments, leaving only the 57 th Regiment at New Plymouth under the command of Colonel Were. A Detachment under the command of Captain Leeson with two Officers, three Sergeants, one Drummer, & 100 Rank & File, re-joined Headquarters at Sydney in October 1861. Camp Waitara 7 This is the only 12 th Regiment 1d. Concession Rate Soldiers Letter, recorded from the First Taranaki War Gerald J. Ellott Collection Te Papa National Museum 8 9 Auckland - Military Road to Queen’s Redoubt The 12 th Regiment returned to Auckland and together with the 14 th Regiment under Colonel Sir James Alexandra, helped in the construction of the Military Road to the Waikato River at Pokeno. The camp at Otahuhu was to be the home of the 12 th Regiment for the next six months. The work at this stage was mainly felling trees, clearing on both sides of the route of the road and constructing a Stockade at Havelock, known as the “Bluff’ on the Waikato River, as well as providing picquet duty along the road. Colonel Mair, in his Memoirs of New Zealand wrote “We worked backwards towards Auckland”. Both the 12 th & 14 th Regiments worked from Pokeno towards Drury (see also under 40 th Regiment). Men of the 12 th and 14 th Regiments digging a cutting down Pokeno Hill, on the Military road to the Waikato Photographed between 1861 and 1864 by William Temple . Inscribed - beneath image: Road to Waikato - Cutting down Pokeno Hill – 12 th & 14 th men at work. Date: between 1861-1864 By: Temple, William (Lieutenant-Colonel), 10 a Selby's Farm, Pokeno, Waikato, circa 1861, with an Imperial Forces camp. Shows tents of the 2nd Battalion, 14 th & the 1st Battalion 12 th Regiment Map of the Country between Auckland and the Waikato River The Illustrated London News 11 THE WAIKATO WAR Mangatawhiri On the 9 July 1863, Sir George Grey issued an order requiring all natives in the Manukau District and on the frontier north of the Mangatawhiri Stream, to take the oath of allegiance to the Queen. A Detachment of the 12 th Regiment joined General Cameron’s forces at Drury on the 9 July 1863, and marched to the Queen’s Redoubt. General Cameron with the Headquarters of the 14 th Regiment and Detachments of the 12 th & 70 th Regiments, about 80 men left the Queen’s Redoubt at daybreak on the 12 July 1863, crossing the Mangatawhiri (The stated boundary line) and advanced into the Waikato. Mangatawhiri Creek (Stream) – Looking south towards the Maori Rifle Pits at Kaheroa Royal Navy - Naval Brigade Camp Koheroa Three redoubts were constructed in the Koheroa Range, to protect the lines of communication back to the Queen’s Redoubt. The first engagement with the Maoris on the Koheroa, took place on the 17 July 1863, when Lieutenant Austin and 11 privates of the 14 th Regiment were wounded and William Smith of the 14 th Regiment was killed. 12 12 th REGIMENT HEADQUARTERS Headquarters of the 12 th Regiment consisted of 14 Officers, 20 Sergeants, nine Drummers, & 22 Rank & File, under the command of Colonel Hamilton, embarked at Sydney aboard HMS Curacoa , arriving at Auckland on 2nd October 1863, dis-embarking on the 3rd October 1863 , to join the rest of the Regiment. HMS Curacoa Built at Pembroke Dockyard, South Wales, launched 13 April 1854, BU 1869 On the 9 October 1863, the Headquarters staff under Lieutenants Crawhall, Lacy & Morris, Surgeon Bartley and Quarter Master Robert Laver , marched from Auckland to the advanced post at Koheroa where the Detachment of the 12 th under Major Miller were stationed, arriving there on 12 October 1863.