Boer War

[Blondie1]

I am researching my grandfather RIchard Watts born in Fermoy Ireland in 1872c  he was in the Dublin Fusiliers and discharge 1st March 1903  can any find out for me if he was in the Boer War please.

[liverpool annie]

Hi grumpyblondie and welcome to RootsChat !!

I can't answer your question I'm afraid but if you don't have it already ... here's some background !! 

The regiment was created on 1 July 1881 due to Childers reforms by the amalgamation of the 102nd Regiment of Foot (Royal Madras Fusiliers) and the 103rd Regiment of Foot (Royal Bombay Fusiliers) who had been in the service of the East India Company until they were transferred to the British Army in 1862  to form the 1st and 2nd Battalions, The Royal Dublin Fusiliers. It became the county regiment of Dublin and Kildare in Ireland.

1st Battalion

The 102nd was based in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) when it became the 1st Battalion. It moved back to the UK in 1886, being based in England, before moving to the Curragh in Ireland. It returned to England in 1893, remaining there until the Second Boer War began in South Africa in 1899. It arrived in South Africa in November 1899.

After the Boer War the Battalion was based in Crete and Malta, both in the Mediterranean. It was posted to Egypt in 1906, where it later received its Colours at Alexandria by the Regiment's Colonel-in-Chief, HRH Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn. The 1st Dublins later joined the British garrison in Indiathe then overseas 'home' of the British Army remaining there until the outbreak of war in 1914.

2nd Battalion

When the 103rd became the 2nd Battalion, it was based in England before moving to sunnier climes in 1884, when it was posted to Gibraltar. The following year it arrived in Egypt and then moved to India in 1889, being located in a variety of places there. In 1897 the 2nd Dublins was based in Natal Colony, where it would still be when the Boer War began in 1899.

Upon the conclusion of the war, the 2nd Battalion returned to the UK, being based in Buttevant, Cork, Ireland. It left for Aldershot, England in 1910, where it received its new Colours from the Regiment's Colonel-in-Chief the following year. It remained in England until war began in 1914.

The Dublin Fusiliers actively took part in the efforts to lift the Siege of Ladysmith, which lasted from 30 October 1899 to 28 February 1900. On 15 December the 2nd Dublins took part in the Battle of Colenso. The Dublins were part of the 5th Brigade (known as the Irish Brigade) who crossed the wrong part of the Tugela river and suffered heavy casualties in the process. The battle was a defeat for the British forces and became part of a notorious time period for the British in the war, known as "Black Week". The defeat, however, did not discourage further attempts being made. The Dublins did not participate in any more attempts until January 1900 when they took part in the Tugela campaign, collectively known as the Battle of the Tugela Heights. February saw the Dublins take part in heavy fighting before, on 27 February, they supported the Royal Irish Fusiliers in their final charge on Pieter's Hill, suffering heavy casualties though taking the position. This victory led to the siege of Ladysmith being lifted the following day by cavalry, with the main force of infantry arriving on 3 March. For their bravery, Queen Victoria decreed that a sprig of shamrock be adorned on the headress of Irish units on St Patrick's Day to commemorate their actions in South Africa. This tradition remains in existence.

The Dublins suffered nearly 700 casualties (killed, wounded, missing) during the conflict, many of whom died of disease, indeed the vast majority of British Army casualties were from disease. As a side-note, the distinguished service of the Irish regiments compelled an Irish Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons to request the establishment of an Irish regiment of Foot Guards; this happened, and the Irish Guards were formed on 1 April 1900.

And this too !

http://www.boer-war.com/Military/British/RoyalDublinFusiliers.html

[Blondie1]

Thank you so much or all the information you sent me.   Reading his discharge document it was signed by 'cpmdg 102 R dist and the place was Nads.   So I understand from the information that the 102 became 1st Battalion.    he  survived all that and then died in ww1 in France in 1918.