William Kingdom Reins was born in
1789, in Milford, in Pembrokeshire in Wales.
At the time of his birth the town was only known as Milford, later it
was renamed Milford Haven, which was how then the online records were
transcribed.
From online resources, not a very
nice picture emerges of William Kingdom
Reins. It was so out of character, and
there must be a lot more to the story than can be uncovered?
In today's society he would no
doubt wear a "label" for his behaviour, and that is so far removed
from his family background. What made
him follow the path he did? His mother
died in 1853, and left him £15 in her will.
She left her son James, not a penny, and it follow that she would have
made the same reasoning about William, if he was aware of his life.
There
are two options - accept what has previously been written
or to seek to
find the facts, not innuendos.
William Kingdom Reins, was an
Army Officer. He served in the 55th
Foot of the Royal Artillery, and he was quite a brave man. He was in the thick of battle in the battles
of the Napoleonic Wars, including the Battle of Waterloo, various battles in
all parts of Europe, and the precursors to 1815.
He was awarded the Waterloo
Medal, at the conclusion of the war.
But more importantly he was one
of a handful of British Military to be Awarded the Austrian Imperial Order of Leopold.
Whitehall,
Oct. 9, 1815.
London Gazette
No doubt his family would have been quite proud of his achievements.
A Military Timeline of William Kingdom Rains
Reference is made to the book written of his life, as to military records. The researcher, Mr Bayless records from entries in the Muster Roll of the Earl of Chatham's Company of Gentlemen Cadets, of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, which shows that he was admitted on October 18, 1803 as No 137 of 140 cadets. Six months later he was No 91, and joined the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich. After graduation in June 1805, he ranked No 34 in the class of 245 cadets. On June 14, 1805 he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Regiment of Artillery. He was 15 years and nine months of age; and at the age of sixteen, he was in charge of a battery. (Bayliss 88 - 9
That was confirmed in an article in the Caledonian Mercury of 25th July 1805:
Gentleman Cadet William K. Rains to be Second Lieutenant, vice Woolcombe promoted, 16th June 1805.
A list of Promotions appeared in the London Gazette 3rd June 1806.
2nd Lieut William K. Rains to be first Lieut vice - Cowley
The Morning Post of 7th June 1813, printed a Supplement to the Gazette, from Lord W. Bentinck to Lord Bathurst from Palermo, dated April 9th, informing him of the surrender of the islands of Lagosia and Curzola to Lieut. Colonel Robertson, Commandant of the Island of Lissa, and enclosed Col. Robertson's letter to his Lordship on the subject, which is dated February 23, 1813.
In the letter, he made honourable mention of Lieut Rains of the Artillery and the troops in general.
The Kentish Gazette of 14th December 1813 Reports
Of the British land troops, the Calabrassa had the most opportunity to distinguish themselves, Captain Ronca, a brave officer, was wounded after which the command devolved upon Lieutenant Butler, who showed bravery and activity. Col Robertson was destined for the right of the attack if it had been continued. Lieut Rains of the Royal Artillery, directed the fire of the mortars with great effect and intelligence. Captain Angelo of the 21st Regiment, who with me during the operations that preceded the siege, had rendered very essential service.
Belfast Commercial Chronicle 24 January 1825 reported
The Office of Ordnance Jan 17 1825
Royal Regiment of Artillery - Second Captain William Kingdom Rains, from half-pay to be 2d Captain vice Atkinsons, dismissed the Service. (vice = following)
8th December 1825 Enniskillen Chronicle and Erne Packet announced that Captain William Kingdom Rains of the 51st Foot to be a Major.
Enniskillen Chronicle and Erne Packet 22nd June 1826 reported he was permitted to come off half pay in the 88th Foot . The regiment was deployed to the Ionian Islands in late 1825 and returned in July 1836
14th June 1830, he was allowed to retire as he sold his commission. Notice that Major William Kingdom Rains Downing St., had been permitted to sell his half pay and to settle in British North
April 25.
The Army regularly reorganised the troops, and often placed them on half-pay when the need for strength numbers was not required. It should also be noted that his father paid for his commission into the Army, and he was only permitted to retire, after he sold that commission.
William Kingdom Raines Regiment - The 51st Regiment
The 51st Foot was raised in the West Riding of York, in December 1755, at the start of the Seven Years War. It was renumbered 51st in 1757, after two intervening regiments were disbanded.
The 51st Regiment became a Light Infantry Corps in 1809 when it was designated the 51st (2nd Yorkshire West Riding Light Infantry) Regiment.
In 1821, it added the title The King's Own to its name to become The 51st (2nd Yorkshire West Riding The King's Own Light Infantry) Regiment. It did go to Malta.
Regiments of the Malta Garrison The King's Own Light Infantry (South Yorkshire Regiment)
The records of the Regiment are available, and excerpts of those records are included here in order to provide a timeline of events in the military life of William Rains.
"A RECORD OF THE SERVICES OF THE FIFTY-FIRST (SECOND WEST YORK,)
THE II KING'S OWN LIGHT INFANTRY" REGIMENT BY W. WHEATER.
" The Regiment has not forgot that it shared in the glories of Minden."
Printed in LONDON: LONGMANS, GREEN AND CO. 1870.
While these excerpts are only a snapshot of the soldier's life, they are of interest, particularly in relation to the conditions in which they served. This begins in 1808.
In the early part of 1808 it was stationed at Gosport, and about April went to Guernsey, where it continued until the 26th of July, when it landed at Portsmouth. On the 1st of August it returned to Chichester, marched to Portsmouth on the 18th, and embarked in three transports to join the army assembling under Sir David Baird at Falmouth for Corunna. At the head of a division of eleven thousand men, Baird sailed from Falmouth October 8th, and after a favourable passage anchored at Corunna on the 13th. Instead of being welcomed with the enthusiasm expected from a people whose freedom and national honour they came to fight for and maintain, the British were received with coldness amounting almost to aversion ; their presence it was urged was not necessary, and the Junta of Galicia positively refused to sanction their disembarkation without orders from the central Junta established at Madrid. They were therefore compelled to remain in their transports until an extraordinary courier should return from Madrid with the necessary order.
This courier returned on the 22nd with an order permitting the British to land at Corunna in the event
of it being found impracticable for them to go by sea to Santander; and should they land under these
circumstances, it was only to be in detachments of two or three hundred men, who were to be immediately sent on to Castillo without waiting for their baggage.
By the 28th of October the whole army was landed, and the light brigade under Craufurd on its march towards Astorga, where the 51st, six hundred rank and file under Lieutenant-Colonel Darling,* arrived about the 20th November, confused and reckless multitude, the 51st embarked on board several transports during the night of the 16th and morning of the 17th, and disembarked at different ports in England between the 20th and 25th. Early in February most of the men had assembled at
head-quarters, Sandown barracks, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Mainwaring.
It appears by a return that at this time the regiment consisted of upwards of eight hundred rank and file, including nearly one hundred men missing during the retreat. On the 2nd April it left Sandown Barracks under Colonel Mainwaring and marched into Devonshire, continuing in Kingsbridge Barracks from the 2nd May until 19th June, when it moved to the barracks at Berryhead.
By a general order, obtained by Lieutenant- Colonel Darling, and dated in May, 1809, the regiment was made a light infantry regiment, and first reviewed as such by Major-General Browne at Berryhead............................
On the 2nd of July the 51st, six hundred and twenty-five strong, after leaving behind the men unfit for duty, embarked at Berryhead in several small vessels and sailed for Portsmouth. At Spithead it sailed for the Downs where the fleet of warships and transports for Walcheren was assembled, and on the 29th arrived off the island, disembarking on the following day. On the morning of the 1st August the troops advanced to invest Flushing, an operation resolutely opposed by the French who were, however, compelled to retire. The left column under Brigadier- General Houston, consisting of the 51st and first battalion 82nd regiment, had been ordered to march through Middleburg to East Zouburg to communicate with Lieutenant-General Lord Paget at West Zouburg, and to observe Ramakins on the left. Houston found the enemy in the village of Abeylen, about a mile and a half from Middleburg, protected by a breastwork and abattis armed with three six-pounders, the enclosure on each side of the road being also lined with chasseurs. The village was immediately attacked and carried with great gallantry by the advanced guard, consisting of the 51st regiment and a battalion company of the 82nd. Three pieces of cannon were captured. The column then proceeded to Bast Zouburg, when the French again made a stand, but Houston having prepared to turn the village, pressed vigorously forward at the same time along the road and forced them to retire with the further loss of one six-pounder, and many killed, wounded and prisoners. ..................
The martial history of the regiment finds no illustration in this woeful campaign, where the baffled mind of a general whose incompetency almost rendered him criminal in retaining the command, allowed forty thousand British troops to fret in inaction during the period they should have been employed with vigour, and whose love of health and ease caused him to desert them when their camp was converted into a monstrous hospital by the pestiferous air of the marshes in which they were quartered. The 51st was more fortunate than some of the regiments in leaving Walcheren on the 7th September : it arrived at Portsmouth on the 16th, and during the remainder of the year was stationed at Horsham and Steyning barracks, except a detachment under Major Dunkin* which marched to Portsmouth on the 4th November, and a second time entered the Scheldt but rejoined at Horsham before the expiration of 1809.........................
The regiment remained in Steyning barracks during the whole of 1810.
On the 26th January, 1811, it marched from Steyning to Portsmouth, and on the 28th embarked for
Lisbon on board H.M.S. " Danemark," " Vengeur " and " Revenge." The " Danemark " with three companies under Major Rice separated from the fleet in a gale of wind; she reached Lisbon on the 19th February, where by the 29th, the whole regiment, six hundred and fifty strong, was assembled in barracks under Lieutenant-Colonel Mainwaring. Early in March the 51st left Lisbon to join Wellington's army then in pursuit of Massena, and passing through Leyria while the flames that consumed it still raged and presented a frightful picture of ruin and desolation, the young soldiers continued their march to the army along a path broadly marked by the putrifying carcases of dead French soldiers stretched beside the wreck accumulated by their wanton, shameful outrages.
The regiment joined Wellington at the village of Carripinar, and first bivouacked on the heights
beyond it. " Here," says Major Mainwaring in his sketch of the regiment's services in the Peninsula, " we suffered most dreadfully from want of food. We were nearly a week without either bread or spirits,
having but the lean and tough ration of beef killed and served out instanter to the troops, popped half
alive into the pot ; and happy was the individual who could add thereto an onion, or the slightest vegetable .....................
The 51st was next called into action at Fuentes d'Onor on the 3rd May. This was the first occasion on which the regiment was assembled with the rest of the army. During the night it had been on outpost
duty, and throughout the day, when the French attacked the village it remained under arms in reserve,
but was not engaged. Next night it moved to the right with the rest of the division. The 7th division,
occupying the hill of Nava d'Aver, supported Julian Sanchez the partisan chief. At this point, Wellington's position was peculiarly open to an attack from Rodrigo, and was here first assailed.
The left wing of the division was driven from Velho with loss, when the riflemen of the light division being sent to Houston's assistance, restored the fight. After defeating Sanchez, General Montbrun attacked and turned the right of the 7th division, and having defeated by his superior squadrons the British cavalry sent to its relief, then hurled his victorious horsemen upon the 7th division with such impetuosity that a portion of it was surprised and suffered accordingly. An immense column of cavalry burst upon the 51st while in line, but the regiment, though mostly composed of young soldiers, " stood like a solid rock," and giving a withering volley, repulsed them with great loss, then retired from the right by companies through a small wood and reformed its line beneath a heavy cannonade on some rising ground......................
The 51st was distinguished for judicious skirmishing, as well as for its able retreat in the presence of a large force of cavalry and infantry, eager for its destruction. In his dispatch, Wellington remarks that " the movement of the troops upon this occasion was well conducted, although under very critical circumstances." Having crossed the river, the regiment was ordered to occupy the village of Frenada, and defend the ford below the bridge to the last extremity.
This failure compelled Wellington to convert the siege of Badajoz into a blockade, and turn his attention to Soult, who having collected nearly the whole of his force was now menacing the British. On the 13th June, Wellington retired to Albuera staying there until the 17th, when he crossed the Guadiana and took up a strong position between Aronches, Elv's and Campo Mayor, where the 7th division bivouacked until the 1 8th July, when the French having broken up from their position on the Guadiana and occupied Truxillo, the British were quartered in the healthy towns along the frontiers, their right at Estremoz, their left across the Tagus at Castello Branco.
The 51st proceeded from Campo Mayor to Sabugal, Alfayates and Villa Mayor, where- it arrived on the 9th August and remained until the 22nd September. Wellington had intended to invest Ciudad Rodrigo, and for that purpose caused the 7th division to occupy Guinaldo, a town only three leagues from the fortress ; but learning that the place had been reinforced his intentions were abandoned.....
The division then went into winter quarters ; the 51st being stationed at Pena Macor where it remained during the rest of the year.*
1812.
On the 10th January the regiments of the 7th division assembled at Pena Macor, its head-quarters, and the division having proceeded to Sabugal and Alfayates, on the 13th reached Guinaldo whence it started for Rodrigo. Sent to cover the siege of Rodrigo by occupying the passes of the Sierra de Gaeta, the division had no opportunity of taking an active part in the actual struggle. The regiment was cantoned in the village Pajo in Spain, whence it sent four officers' pickets to the front; the two most advanced being posted on the top of mountain passes, which were covered with snow, several feet deep, were especially exposed to very harassing service. " We suffered most dreadfully from cold, having to dig deep into the snow to make our fire, and then sitting crowded round it with our toes burning and our backs freezing; these picket nights were most dismal....
The 7th division being ordered into cantonments at Castello Branco, the 51st left Borba, a pretty Portuguese town on the frontier, and passing the Tagus at Villavelha, it crossed the Spanish
frontier on the 4th June.
On the 6th it marched to Pedrogos, on the 6th to Sabugal halting until the 8th, when it marched to Albergeria. The heat of the weather rendered these marches so exhaustive that many men fell out from fatigue. On the 10th, Wellington, attended by the Prince of Orange, Marshal Beresford, General Hope, and numbers of inferior officers reviewed the 7th division. The 51st formed the right, the German brigade the left of the infantry line, and on the right of the whole were the brigades of cavalry and artillery. The line extended more than three miles.
Taking post in the centre of the division his lordship received a general salute, all the officers remaining uncovered while the bands of the different regiments were playing " God save the King."
While encamped near Rodrigo, the division was joined on the 12th June by the remainder of the British Army, which, early in the morning of the 13 th crossed the Agueda and marched upon Salamanca. On the 16th, the French were discovered drawn up on the heights in front of the town...
On the 16th we moved off, it being a fine morning, and soon had to encounter the worst road I ever saw : the whole of our baggage and part of our army having passed along, had made it like a quagmire. I have known some of our men sink in to the mud and stick as fast as possible, others have gone to their assistance and have stuck fast also ! This was frequently the case : hundreds of the men lost their shoes, and were obliged to walk barefoot the remainder of the retreat. I had a strap buckled tightly over each instep and under each shoe, so that I did not lose mine ; but I stuck fast in the mud.
1813.
This retreat concluded the campaign of 1812. The 51st took up its winter quarters at Meno, Miemento
and the neighbouring villages under the command of Colonel Mitchell. Lieutenant- General Lord Dalhousie had his head-quarters at Miemento.* In December, 1812, and in the early part of 1813 the regiment suffered considerably from sickness. From February to April there were frequent division and brigade field days, for Wellington was anxiously bent upon restoring the health and discipline of the Army before taking the field. In April the men were ordered to send their great-coats into store ; on the 29th the tents and field equipage arrived from Celerico ; and next day Lord Dalhousie inspected the principal part of his division. The Hussar brigade, the 1st division of Infantry and various other troops had been for some time preparing to take the field in advance. On the 14th May, the 51st marched with its brigade from cantonments, and crossed the Douro on the 18th near
Villa Nova...
The health of the division at this time was excellent, although provisions were scarce, and the rapid pursuit of the enemy would not admit of the shortest rest. Of the 6,000 men composing it, after marching 250 miles, there were only 120 sick, and they were able to follow their regiments. On the 16th it crossed the Ebro and marched towards Vittoria, On the evening of the 20th it encamped about sixteen miles from that place, and next morning was hurried forward at the top of its speed, for Lord Dalhousie was anxious to take the lead in the attack ; but despite a most fatiguing double quick march of three miles, it did not arrive at Vittoria until the action had commenced
St. Sebastian having fallen, the 51st returned to its former encampment on the Pyrenees close to
Santa Barbara, whence it removed early in October to the Puerto de Bchallar, to relieve Giron's Andalusians. In the afternoon of the 8th October, a detachment of the regiment with other detachments of the division descended from the Puerto upon the fort of St. Barbe and the other outworks covering the advanced camp of Sarre. The attack was successful and the French, afraid of being cut off from their main camp abandoned their position on the impregnable works of the Hermitage and returned in the night to the Smaller Rhine......
The allies started in the invasion of France on the 14th February, 1814. Hill's corps forming the advance was relieved in front of the Adour by the 7th division. On the 16th a skirmish occurred while Wellington was repairing the broken bridges of St. Palais, after which the 4th and 7th divisions occupied the Bastile de Olerence, where they remained until ordered to advance upon the Adour.
The 7th was at Came on the 22nd ; on the 23rd, Marshal Beresford at the head of the two divisions, and Colonel Vivian's brigade attacked the enemy in his fortified posts at Hastingues and Oyergave on the left of the Gave de Pau, and obliged them to retire within the tete-de-pont at Peyrehorade. The 51st assisted in carrying the village of Hastingues ; its losses were one rank and file killed;
In this advance, the 51st was engaged in several trifling skirmishes with small bodies of retiring French, and in a more serious affair at Etauliers on the '4th April, where it assisted in defeating L'Huillier and capturing and dispersing his band. Later in the same month the regiment returned to Bordeaux, and remained in barracks until the abdication of Bonaparte and the embarkation of the army for England, where the 51st arrived in July in H.M.S. "Zealous," and was landed at Plymouth.
In August it marched from Plymouth to Portsmouth and continued doing garrison duty there until the 23rd March, 1815.
1815.
Bonaparte's escape from Elba called the 51st again into active service; it and the 23rd Royal Welsh
Fusiliers being suddenly embarked at Portsmouth for Belgium, and landed at Ostend on the 30th March. In the evening of that day it was conveyed in canal barges to Bruges, where it halted all the next day, and at night being again embarked in canal boats was sent forward to Ghent. In this grand old city, then the residence of the King of France, it remained two or three days and marched thence to Brussels where it halted for a week. It was afterwards ordered into cantonments at Grammont, under Lieutenant-Colonel Rice;
Colonel Mitchell being in command of the 4th brigade of the army consisting of the 3rd battalion 14th, 23rd, and 51st regiments. Whilst at Grammont Lord Wellington reviewed the three regiments of the brigade, and in riding through the ranks of the 51st, he gratified the regiment by observing that " he well remembered the faces of his old Peninsula friends."
On the 16th June the regiment consisting of 539 men,* was suddenly ordered to march with its brigade from Grammont to Braine le Comte, where it encamped in the evening. Early on the 17th it marched for Nivelles, and upon its arrival about nine a.m., the brigades there assembled were ordered to the front ; but in consequence of the army having been obliged to fall back, Wellington ordered those brigades of the 4th division at Braine le Comte, as well as those on the road to Nivelles, to collect and halt at Braine le Comte. At noon the 61st was marched back by the Brussels road to Braine le Lend ; and in the evening, Colonel Mitchell led his brigade into position near the scene of action. The confusion of this day's retreat is beyond description, on account of the sudden flight of the Belgian cavalry, galloping furiously towards Brussels, intermixed with artillery, baggage waggons, columns of infantry and the debris of a broken army ; and the miserable condition of the troops was increased by a violent storm of thunder, lightning and rain in the afternoon.
On the 22nd the regiment arrived at Cateau, and on the 24th the brigade was ordered to Cambray, with the remainder of Sir Colville's division, to attack the works of that town. The 51st and 23rd regiments were among the first to assault and take possession of Cambray. They entered by first forcing the outer gate of the Couvre Port, and after failing in their attempt at the main Paris gate, by carrying a breach on that side, which was in a state of reparation. The citadel still remained in the hands of the French, but surrendered on the evening of the 26th. The loss of the 61st on this occasion was two killed and ten wounded. Colville's division joined the main body of the army on the 26th...
The chief part of the 51st remained in bivouac until the capitulation of Paris had been signed ; the army then moved to St. Denis and in advance of that town. On the 5th, Montmartre being occupied by the British troops, on the 7th great part of the British army was encamped in the Bois de Boulogne. The 51st remained in this encampment until the whole of the army went into cantonments, the order for which was issued on the 28th October. On the 30th, the regiment marched from the Bois de Boulogne to the village of Verrieres, Colonel Mitchell's head-quarters, about ten miles from Paris near the road to Orleans, in the neighbourhood of which the whole of Colville's division was quartered.
On the 6th December it left Verrieres, having received a route on the 4th to proceed towards the coast to embark for England. The march to Calais by Abbeville, made in continuous bad weather, was attended by many difficulties arising from the necessity of quartering the troops in various scattered villages, frequently several miles from the high road.
On the 2nd January, 1816, the 51st embarking at Calais, arrived at Dover. It disembarked on the
following morning and occupied the Castle barracks. It left Dover on the 4th for Blachington barracks ;remaining there until August, it marched to Chichester barracks whence a detachment of 200 men under Colonel Mitchell marched to Brighton on the 5th December. On the 24th December, the regiment received an order from the Horse Guards to bear the words "Vittoria" and Nivelle" on their colours, &c.
On the 27th January, 1817, the detachment which had been doing the Pavilion duty, marched from
Brighton to Sheerness under Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Keyt. It arrived on the 1st February. Shortly afterwards the remainder of the regiment moved from Chichester to Chatham barracks. Upon the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Mitchell, 20th April, Brevet Lieutenant-Rice succeeded to the command of the regiment, which continued to be divided until the beginning of May, when it marched from Chatham and Sheerness to Portsmouth, where five companies were quartered at Fort Cumberland and five in Hilsea Barracks. They continued in these quarters until the embarkation of the 36th regiment for Malta. On the 30th July the regiment marched into garrison, occupying Fore House and Culvert barracks. ...
The regiment commenced its march in four divisions from Portsmouth to Plymouth on the 4th May, 1818 ; the whole had arrived on the 19th of the same month. Major-General Browne, the lieutenants-governor, inspected the regiment on the 9th October following, when its effective strength was seven hundred and twenty- three rank and file. By an order dated "War Office, 24th October, 1818," the establishment of the regiment was reduced to four field-officers, ten captains, ten lieutenants, ten ensigns, five staff, thirty-five sergeants, twenty- two buglers, and six hundred and fifty rank and file.
The reduction took place on the 14th November, when the half-pay list of the regiment was as follows : — ......
1819.
On the 28th May Major-General Brown again inspected the regiment, six hundred and twelve rank
and file, and was pleased to express his approbation of its movements and appearance.
In the beginning of July, the regiment embarked a detachment of one hundred rank and file for Harwich, and in a few days afterwards a company for Heligoland ; the remainder of the corps proceeded at several times by transports to Chatham and Sheerness.The head-quarters landed at Chatham on the 21st, where they remained, the regiment still being detached, until March 3rd. When they proceeded to Eomford, and thence to. Brighton where they arrived on 10th, and were joined by the detachment from Sheerness, by that from Harwich on the 30th, and by the company from Heligoland on the 3rd May.
The whole regiment was now assembled at Brighton. On the 12th and 13th July, three hundred and eighty men were detached to Chichester under Major Thwaites; and on the 1st August the regiment left Brighton and Chichester (leaving one hundred rank file at Brighton) for Croydon and neighbourhood; and on the 18th left these quarters for Woolwich, Greenwich and Deptford to relieve a detachment of the Guards. The companies at Greenwich soon proceeded to Woolwich, whence three companies were sent to Bow and Stratford. On the 20th September the detachment from Brighton joined at Woolwich. On the 5th October the regiment marched from its several stations to Teddington, Twickenham and Isleworth. From these places it removed to Winchester on the 20th and 21st of November.
On the 21st February, 1821, the regiment removed from Winchester to Portsmouth to relieve the 1st
battalion 3rd Guards. ....
The following letter was received at head-quarters on the 14th April, and by it the officers were allowed to wear the oak-leaf embroidered lace upon their coatees. ......
On the 18th the following garrison order was issued for the regiment to hold itself in readiness for
embarkation :
"Garrison Order, Portsmouth, 18th April, 1821.
" The 51st Light Infantry will hold itself in readiness to embark for the Mediterranean at the shortest notice. The commanding officer is ....
Previous to its departure, the regiment was inspected by Major-General Sir George Cooke, K.C.B., on the 7th May, 1821, its strength being then six hundred and forty -eight rank and file. The head-quarters with four companies, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Keyt, embarked on board the transport "Star" on the 18th May, 1821, and arrived at Malta on the 14th June, and Corfu 21st ; they marched into the citadel and occupied Fort Neuf.
The remaining six companies embarked on board the " Chapman," and "Thomas and Mary," on the 24th May; they disembarked in Corfu on the 3rd July, occupying the citadel and Fort Neuf. On the 4th December the regiment was minutely inspected by Major-General Sir Frederick Adam, K.C.B., who expressed his perfect approbation of its appearance and effective state. Its strength was then six hundred and forty- nine rank and file, under Brevet Lieutenant- Colonel Keyt, during the absence on leave of Lieutenant- Colonel Rice who rejoined on the 14th February 1822.
In May, 1822, an order was issued by Major-General Sir Frederick Adam for three companies to be detached at Santa Maura, and in June another company was sent to Paxo ; small detachments were likewise sent to Fano Lazaretto, and on board the flotilla employed in the lonian Islands. In September another company was sent to reinforce the detachment at Santa Maura. Sir Frederick again inspected the regiment at Corfu on the 18th October, 1823 ; it then mustered five hundred and fifty-nine rank and file, and had been reduced in obedience to an order which fixed its establishment at one colonel, one lieutenant- colonel, two majors, eight captains, nine lieutenants, seven ensigns, five staff*, twenty-nine sergeants, twelve buglers, and five hundred and twenty-six rank and file.
The head-quarters and four companies embarked at Corfu for Cephalonia on board the " Loyal Briton," 22nd May, 1824, and disembarked on the 28th. The four companies stationed at Santa Maura, embarked on board the " Joseph Green " transport, 26th May, 1824, and disembarked at Cephalonia on the 6th June following. One company marched from Cephalonia to Ithaca on the 29th May, to be stationed there.
During the months of July, August, and September, 1824, the regiment suffered considerably from remitting fever which prevailed to a great degree in Cephalonia, as well amongst the inhabitants as the troops...
In the latter end of the year 1824, several parts of the island were alarmed by some Greeks, who had
broken quarantine, making their escape to the interior.
By an order dated 14th May, 1825, the regiment was augmented to four field officers, ten captains,
ten lieutenants, ten ensigns, six staff, forty-two sergeants, fourteen buglers, and seven hundred and
forty rank and file ; and instructions were afterwards received to send home four sergeants, four corporals, three buglers, for the purpose -of forming the depot companies. These non-commissioned officers embarked on board the " William Harris " transport, 31st October, 1825.
The head-quarters and three companies of the regiment embarked at Cephalonia on board the " Vittoria " on the 23rd,' and disembarked at Zante on the 25th January, 1826. The "Vittoria" disembarked the remaining three companies at Zante on the 1st February. A detachment consisting of one subaltern, one sergeant, three corporals, and forty-three privates, arrived at Zante on board the " Numa," from Ithaca where they had been stationed. Except detachments sent to Cerigo the regiment remained stationed in Zante, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Rice until the 31st of May, 1827, when, he having obtained leave of absence, the command devolved on Major Ross.
During its stay in the Ionian Islands, the regiment was very frequently complimented by the Inspecting and Commanding officers for its meritorious conduct in every situation where duty called it; order and regularity in cantonments were the features of its .......................
The head-quarters and two hundred men of the regiment embarked at Zante on the 5th January,
1828, for Corfu, where they disembarked on the 12th. The regiment was now being assembled for service in Corfu. The detachment from Cerigo, under Captain Elliott, arrived at Zante on board the "Joseph Green " on the 29th ; on the following morning the remainder of the battalion embarked on board the same ships and arrived at Corfu on the 4th February. On the 4th April a detachment was sent to garrison Santa Maura; and on the 8th another, comprising three sergeants, and seventy-five rank and file, proceeded to Vido to assist the Royal Engineers in constructing the fortifications.
On the 16th this party was increased by one captain, four subalterns, six sergeants two buglers, and one hundred and fifty-eight rank and file. The whole remained at Vido until the 1st of June, when they were relieved and joined headquarters at Corfu. The regiment was inspected by Major-General Woodford, C.B., in Port Raymond Barracks, Corfu, on the 25th June, 1828.
Its strength was four hundred and fifty-five rank and file, including the relief commanded by Major Ross. Various parties of the regiment continued to work at the fortifications, the last being sent on the 15th February, 1829; it was commanded by Major Ross, and consisted of two captains, six subalterns, eight sergeants, one bugler, and two hundred and sixty-seven rank and file.
The regiment was inspected by Major- General Woodford on the 1 4th December, 1828 : its strength was twenty-eight sergeants, ten buglers and four hundred and eighty-eight rank and file, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Rice.
The Major- General again inspected it on the 9th June, 1830 : its strength was thirty-one sergeants, ten buglers, and four hundred and ninety-nine rank and file commanded by Major Campbell
In early 1800 the East Indiaman Earl Cornwallis, transported the regiment to Ceylon, where it saw action in the Kandyan Wars. After returning home in 1807, it embarked for Portugal in October 1808 for service in the Peninsular War and saw action at the Battle of Corunna in January 1809 before being evacuated from the Peninsula. It became a light infantry regiment as the 51st (2nd Yorkshire West Riding) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) in May 1809. It then embarked for the Netherlands in summer 1809 and saw action in the disastrous Walcheren Campaign.
The regiment returned to the Portugal in 1811 and took part in the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro in May 1811, the Second Siege of Badajoz in summer 1811 and the Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo in January 1812. At Badajoz Ensign Joseph Dyas, a junior officer in the regiment, distinguished himself by twice leading the storming party on the San Cristobal Fort. The regiment went on to fight at the Battle of Salamanca in July 1812, the Siege of Burgos in September 1812 and the Battle of Vitoria in June 1813.
It then pursued the French Army into France and fought at the Battle of the Pyrenees in July 1813, the Battle of Nivelle in November 1813 and the Battle of the Nive in December 1813 as well as the Battle of Orthez in February 1814.[6] It then returned to England in June 1814.
Following Napoleon's escape from Elba in February 1815, it embarked for Ostend in March 1815 and fought at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815. At Waterloo the regiment prevented 100 French cuirassiers from escaping the field of battle.
However he transferred for some time to the 38th Regiment in Malta. The following notices from the Gazette confirm his movements.
Office of Ordnance, 17th January 1825 Royal Regiment of Artillery.Second Captain William Kingdom Rains, from half-pay* to be Second Captain, vice Atchison,.dismissed the Service. Dated 16th November 1824.
51st Ditto.To be Captains.Lieutenant Benjamin Buck Hawley. Dated 7th April 1825.
Captain William Kingdom Rains, from the Royal Regiment of Artillery. Dated 8th April; 1825
Brevet Major William Kingdom Rains, from 38th . Foot. Dated 1st June 1826.
38th Ditto.. Brevet Major William Kingdom Rains, from the 51st Foot, vice Woodward, who exchange Dated. 8th April. 1826.
MEMORANDUM.
The under-mentioned Officers have been allowed to retire from the Service, by the sale of unattached commissions : Major William Kingdom Rains, half-pay Unattached, Dated 11th June 1830
The 38th Regiment on Malta.
On 12 May 1826, the British Government decided that as the Maltese were subjects of the Crown, they were entitled to volunteer for military service. Those regiments stationed at Malta, the Ionian Islands, and Gibraltar were to enlist men in the proportion of 5 Maltese forever 100 men present on the regimental establishment.
Commanding officers had to apply to the Secretary at War for authority to charge from time to time the established rate of bounty for such Maltese recruits as were enlisted.
On 1 Jan 1826, work commenced on converting the Floriana Market into an Officers' Mess. The market covered an area of 145 by 105 feet, and overlooked the granaries.
The Floriana Officer's Mess was completed on 31 July 1826. The work was superintended by Col George Whitmore RE, and was completed on budget. Its estimated expense was £1300 9s 10d; its actual expense £1301 4s 6d.
The Board of Health, which had been suppressed by the first Colonial Governor Sir Thomas Maitland, was re-established on 28 Feb 1826.
On 5 Apr, the Government vested the exclusive control of the Sanitary Laws of Malta in the Board of Health, which met for the first time on 6 Apr 1826.
In 1826, the old burial ground on the Floriana Parade was broken up. It had been closed for over 20 years, and the few British tombs were taken to the lower burial ground which was then in use.
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