TOPIC:

David

Do you know the nature of the misconduct committed by the West India Regiment? It must have been very serious to have justified such a blanket exclusion.

Regards
Brett

Brett,

I was quite shocked to read that yesterday and I knew the WIR regiment were present but not that they left because of something they had done. I need to do some digging.

This is what I have found so far.

Two Companies of 1st Battalion, West India Regiment were sent to St. Helena to guard Prisoners of War but were removed in disgrace in 1901 and did not receive Medals. Lord Kitchener refused to approve the grant of Medals to this detachment and wrote from Pretoria to the Adjutant-General at the War Office 10th December 1901:

"In reply to your letter of the 12th October 1901, I have the honour to inform you that I do not recommend the 2 companies of the 1st Battalion West India Regiment, for the Medal, in view of the circumstances of the removal of these 2 companies from St. Helena".

Best wishes
David

Brett,

This is proving to be very interesting.

Here is an article from a newspaper from 1st Feb 1900:

Here is an article from April 1901 containing a more full account of the mutiny;

In WO100/297, there is a handwritten list of men of men of the 1st Battalion. Possibly lists such as these were used as the basis for compiling the medal rolls?



QSAs were issued to officers of the 1st Battalion but these are for men who served with other units in South Africa and received clasps.

The 'normal' QSA rolls continue with the 3rd WIR who were awarded the QSA.

Regards
David

This is from Hansard, 7 Mar 1901:

Mr. DILLON (Mayo, E.)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether 795 on the 2nd of January last a number of West Indian troops now stationed in St. Helena raided the town with clubs and razors tied to sticks; whether a number of the people were injured, several women beaten, and some children cut with the razors, and twelve of His Majesty's sailors injured; whether the West Indian soldiers broke out of barracks, and set their officers at defiance; whether when they were ordered to leave the town they refused, and threatened to blow up the town; and, if so, will he state what punishments have been inflicted; and whether the West Indian troops have been removed from St. Helena.

MR. BRODRICK

There was a quarrel between the sailors and the West Indian detachment, some men of which created disturbances; several had razors tied to sticks, and one is said to have had a club. Some few of the inhabitants were injured, but no women are reported to have been beaten or children cut; five sailors were injured. Several West Indian soldiers broke out of barracks, though they are not reported to have set their officers at defiance. They hesitated to march next morning, but eventually did so. Nothing is known of any threat to blow up the town. In consequence of the disturbance the detachment was moved at once to Sierra Leone, where fifteen men were tried by court-martial, six men were convicted and sentenced to terms of imprisonment varying from six weeks to six months, seven were acquitted, and two are still in hospital awaiting trial.