65th (2nd Yorkshire North Riding) Regiment of Foot
65th (2nd Yorkshire North Riding) Regiment of Foot |
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Here is a potted history of the 65th in New Zealand. Also included is a summary written by New Zealand historian and collector, Tim Ryan. For in-depth histories of the New Zealand Wars, check out the books listed in my bibliography.
The 65th Regiment had the distinction of being the longest serving British infantry regiment serving in New Zealand, stationed here from 1846 to 1865.
Nicknames
The regiment's
official nickname was the "Royal Tigers", earned from
their service in India, and the regimental badge. The Maori
called the regiment the "hickety pips" after the Maori
pronunciation of 65th -"hikete piwhete".
Bugle Call
This bugle call I found in Trumpet and Bugle Sounds for the Army, 1927. It is the call for the 1st Battalion, York & Lancaster Regiment. As this is the direct descendent of the 65th Regiment, I would guess that this is the call used during the 1860s.
Click on the score to hear a synthecised version of the call (on a trumpet, as the composer program had no bugle).
Colours
I have done some research into what the Royal (designated Queen's after 1878) and Regimental Colours looked like at this time. Below are drawings of
what I believe them to have been. The regiment had gained the honours 'India'
and 'Arabia'. They had also done service in Guadaloupe during the Seven Years'
War, but this honour was not awarded till 1909. (Click on each flag for detailed
view)
Arrival in New Zealand
The Regiment, during August 1845 to May 1846, provided convict guards on six ships from England to Hobart Town in Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) and two to Norfolk Island, delivering the convicts before continuing to Sydney. When disturbances broke out in the Wellington area, most of these men from the 65th and the 58th Regiments were shipped to Wellington on the Levant, arriving on 22 July 1846 (65th - 5 officers, 58th - 1 officer.
8 sgts, 7 cpls, 162 rank & file of both regiments).
During the period August 1845 to May 1846 the Regiment departed Woolwich and was shipped to Sydney, via Hobart on the following ships - Samuel Boddington, Pestonjee Bomanjee, Joseph Semes, Palmyra, Lord Auckland, Maitland, John Calvin, China, and Java.
The Java was rechartered to carry the Regiment to New Zealand, departed Sydney 8 November 1846, disembarked 2 companies (200 men) in the Bay of Islands 19 November 1846, before continuing to Auckland with the remainder, arriving on 22 November 1846.
Owing to an outbreak of measles amongst the children at the Chatham depot, no married officers or soldiers were allowed to embark on the Java. They (including commanding officer Lieut. Colonel Gold) followed on the Sir Robert Peel, which departed on 19 September 1846 and arrived in Auckland 14 January 1847.
During the period 1847 to 1864 reinforcements were shipped to New Zealand on the following ships - HMS Calliope, Egmont, Euphrates, Lanchashire Witch, Spirit of Trade, Sir George Pollock, Chariot of Fame, Nelson.
Refer to Ships carrying Regiment to Australia & New Zealand for details.
Dispositions
The Regiment spent much of its
time split up by companies around the North Island.
See Dispositions of the 65th Regiment in New Zealand for the annual returns, as listed in the regimental diary.
The Grenadier Company was dispatched to Wanganui from Auckland, arriving 24 May 1847.
The Headquarters re-located to Wellington from Auckland in 1847, arriving 7 August on the Pestonjee Bonmanjee, an advance party detachment having arrived on the Thomas Lowry on 23 July.
In 1850 the Regiment was in the Wellington area, about half in Wellington and the rest in nearby Porirua.
In 1858, in response to inter-tribal fighting, a detachment, commanded by Brevet Lieut. Col. Wyatt, was dispatched to Napier from Auckland, arriving 7 February on board the Eastfield, followed by three detachments from Wellington on the Wonga Wonga, arriving 26 February, 18 March and 25 March.
Also in this year, the regimental Headquarters moved from Wellington to Auckland, arriving on 4 October on the ships: Moa, Sarah, and City of Melborne, followed on 21 October by the the Emily Allison from Wellington and the Henry from Napier.
During the Taranaki War of 1860-61, there were about 700 of the Regiment, including the Headquarters, in Taranaki
The 65th on parade, New Plymouth,
Taranaki, March 1861
Alexander Turnbull Library - PA1-q-250-04
By 30 April, 1861, the entire Regiment was concentrated in the Albert Barracks, Auckland, except for 84 men in Taranaki. The Taranaki detachment finally rejoined the Regiment in Auckland in June, 1863.
During 1861 and 1862 the regiment was engaged in road building, along with the other regiments in the country, building the Great South Road south from Auckland, in preparation for the invasion of the Waikato.
The Regiment took part in the invasion of the Waikato in July 1863.
Click on the link for a list of details of Officers of the 65th in New Zealand I have begun compiling.
Battles
The first two
companies to arrive in New Zealand took part in the last
engagement of the 1st New Zealand War at Horokiri, north of
Wellington, in August, 1846.
The Grenadier Company took part in the Battle of St. John's Wood, near Wanganui, 20 July, 1847.
Various companies of the regiment took part in nearly every battle and numerous skirmishes in Taranaki 1860-61 (2nd New Zealand War), notably:
On 4 May 1863, a detached company was involved in the assault of Katikara Pa, Taranaki.
The Regiment was heavily engaged in the invasion of the Waikato 1863 - 64 (3rd New Zealand War), notably:
Hauhau Wars:
I have compiled a detailed list of 65th Regiment officers and men involved in battles in New Zealand.
Click on the map of the North Island showing the principal engagements in the New Zealand wars 1845-1872.
Respect between
Enemies
There was reportedly
a strong respect and chivalrous, almost friendly behaviour
between the 65th Regiment and the Maori. No such respect existed
for some other units, e.g. the 70th being taunted to "Go
back to India". The Forest Rangers were particularly
disliked, probably due to their use of guerilla tactics, which
offended the Maori warrior code.
For example, as described in The York and Lancaster Regiment, Vol 1, p 112, when pickets from the 65th went into the bush at night, they would identify themselves to the Maori and ask them if there would be fighting that night. If the reply was something like "Not tonight - too wet and cold; we’d better get some sleep. Good night, Hickety Pip." both sides would honour the agreement. If there was going to be an attack, they would be given warning, then be expected to fight like any other regiment.
On other occasions, during a lull in fighting, there would be a temporary truce and the Maori and men would exchange food and tobacco and the Maori would point out where they had carefully buried and neatly fenced off, the bodies of 65th men.
On another occassion, when the 65th led an assault on a pa, a Maori shouted out for the Regiment to lie down, because they wanted to fire at the following regiments. The request was ignored.
The respect of the regiment for their enemies was such that a memorial plaque, with the following inscription, was placed in St John's church, Te Awamutu:
THIS TABLET I SAY UNTO YOU, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES. |
Return to England
The Regiment embarked
for England from Auckland in two ships - the Rob Roy on 7 October,1865, carrying 3 officers, 199 other ranks, 12 women, 21
children; the John Temperley on 24 October,1865, carrying 13 officers,
170 other ranks, 14 women, 32 children. Interestingly, this
comprises a total of less than half the nominal strength of the
Regiment. However, by 1 January 1865 the actual strength of the regiment in New Zealand was 779, all ranks, further reinforced by the arrival of 2 officers and 65 men on the Nelson.
Over the time the regiment served, over 1100 men retired from the ranks and settled here. Many then served in the Colonial militia and volunteer units. One such officer, Captain George Buck, commanded the Wellington Rangers and was killed at Te Ngutu O te Manu in 1868. Ensign Edward McKenna VC, served briefly in the famed Forest Rangers in Taranaki until its disbandment in 1867. Quartermaster Edward Withers, after his retirement, eventually became a Major in the New Zealand Militia, commanding the Auckland district. For more information, see the list of details of Officers of the 65th in New Zealand.
British Units that served in New Zealand
Colonial Forces of the Period 1840 - 1865
Militia Units were conscripted for local defence within 25 miles of their homes, whereas volunteers generally received higher rates of pay and often confiscated land.
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Updated 20 June 2008