Provided by: Alan Rowland Two points: at that time there were 2 regular Battalions: 1st Battalion (originally 45th Foot Nottinghamshire Regt) 2nd Battalion (originally 95th Foot Derbyshire Regt). 1st Battalion 1881 left Aldershot for Chatham on 9th August 20 officers and 551 other ranks to Ireland stationed at Castlebar with detachments at Westport, Headfort, Ballinrobe, Ballina, Swineford. Sept 1883 HQ moved from Castlebar to Athlone. 28th Sept 1885 moved from Athlone to Kilkenny with detachments at Camden Fort, Waterford, Duncannon, Wexford and later New Roos and Clare Cstle. 28th Sept from Kilkenny to Limerick with detachments at Tralee. "Since the arrival in Ireland in August 1882, the companies of the Battalion had been move no fewer than 96 tiems" On 29th April 1889 the battalion embarked on the HMS Assistance at Queenstown to Devonport then marched to Plymouth which was reached on 1st May. HQ, B, E, G Companies at the Citadel, the remaining 5 companies at Millbay Barracks. Early in 1890, they moved again (within Plymouth) occupying quarters at Fort Tregantle, Bull Point and Fort Scrasdon with the married families in Raglan Barracks Devonport. On 12th December 1891, the Battalion moved from the Western District embarking at Devonport on HMS Assistance for Harwich, thence to Colchester where it remained unti 17th July 1893 when they moved to Aldersot. In May 1894 they went again for another tour of service in Ireland. They were in Ireland as a force of occupation being used to put down unrest. The tour in Plymouth would be as a rest from this on garrison duties in the port. It was in 1881 when the 45th and 95th Foot were combined into the Sherwood Foresters Notts and Derbyshire Regiment. They were given county titles to encourage them to have a local base, for recruiting purposes, but as today, they could and did serve all over the country and overseas. You could try the Sherwood Foresters museum. www.wfrmuseum.org.uk.sf_museum.htm There are museums at Derby and Nottingham, plus the HQ at Beeston. Usually Regiments would have a couple of regular battalions of troops. One normally in India (or other Empire countries) and one at home. Ireland counted as Home. Regular troops were based in Ireland as at the time all of Ireland was part of UK. Troops were based in Devon because Devonport was (is) a large naval base. Troops could be moved easily overseas when needed from there. There were many various Campaigns on at the time. The British Army was usually fighting someone. Soldiers at the time were tough, nasty people disliked by most unless some mug was needed to die for his country. The Sherwood Foresters did not get their name until 1902. The 45th Nottinghamshire Regiment and the 95th Derbyshire Regiment amalgamated. The Derbyshire Regiment was formed in 1823 as 95th Foot and in 1825 named 95th, or Derbyshire Foot. The Nottinghamshire Regt started much earlier: - 1741 Houghton's Regiment of Foot (56th) - 1748 Warburton's Regiment of Foot (45th) - 1751 45th Foot - 1782 45th (1st Nottinghamshire) Foot - 1866 45th (Nottinghamshire Regiment) Sherwood Foresters. - 1881 (May) amalgamated to become The Derbyshire Regiment (Sherwood Foresters) - 1881 (July) The Sherwood Foresters ( Derbyshire Regiment) - 1902 redesignated The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) - 1970 amalgamated with The Worcestershire Regiment to form The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/24th Foot.) From 1902 it was normally termed as The Notts & Derby Regiment. Basically the Sherwood Foresters (1891) and The Derbyshire Infantry Regiment (1901) are one and the same. ---------------------------------- *** Last revised: 2-July-2005 ***