The regiment was raised by General Sir Colin Halkett as the 95th Regiment of Foot,[a] in response to the threat posed by the French intervention in Spain, on 1 December 1823.[1] It embarked for Malta in March 1824[2] and was given a territorial designation as the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot in December 1825.[1] It then sailed on to the Ionian Islands in January 1830;[3] the headquarters was initially established in Corfu[4] but moved to Vido in December 1831.[5] The headquarters went back to Corfu in May 1832,[5] to Cephalonia in April 1833[5] and back to Corfu again in June 1834.[6] The regiment embarked for home in December 1834.[7]
The regiment embarked for Ceylon in October 1838;[8] the headquarters was initially established at Colombo but moved to Kandy in September 1841[9] and reverted to Colombo in January 1844.[10] While in Colombo the regiment suffered from a serious epidemic of cholera: at least 63 soldiers died.[10] The regiment transferred to Hong Kong in March 1847.[11] In autumn 1848 the regiment lost nearly 40% of its strength to fever: representatives of Jardine Matheson provided extensive support in the form of the loan of boats and trips for convalescents.[12] The regiment embarked for home in March 1850.[13]
Crimea
The regiment embarked for Turkey in March 1854 for service in the Crimean War.[14] It sailed on to Kalamita Bay in September 1854[15] and advanced under heavy Russian fire at the Battle of Alma later that month.[16] Due to the heavy casualties suffered in this attack the Regimental colours, normally carried by an ensign, were seized by Private James Keenan: he planted them triumphantly on the earthwork of the Great Redoubt.[17][b] The regiment lost some 20 officers and some 180 other ranks in the battle.[17] The regiment sustained further losses at the Battle of Inkerman in November 1854 and Major John Champion, who commanded the regiment during the battle, was killed in action.[19] The regiment was also present at the Sevastopol in winter 1854: the regiment continued to sustain losses caused by the extreme cold and rampant disease. This led to the comment that: "there may be few of the 95th left but those few are as hard as nails."[20] The regiment embarked for home in June 1856.[21]
Indian Rebellion
Gwalior Fort, recaptured by the regiment in June 1858
The regiment embarked for the Cape of Good Hope in June 1857[22] but, within days of arriving in September 1857, it was sent on to India to help suppress the Indian Rebellion.[23] The regiment took part in the capture of the entrenched town of Rowa in January 1858:[24] Private Bernard McQuirt was awarded the Victoria Cross for his part in the action.[25] It went on to take part in a skirmish at Kotah-ke-Serai in June 1858 during which the rebel leader, Rani of Jhansi, was killed.[26] It also took part in the recapture of Gwalior later that month[27] as well as several other actions during the Central Indian campaign.[28] The regiment remained in India until October 1870 when it sailed for England.[29]
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