Post by anansi on Apr 26, 2011 22:52:53 GMT -5
This series of videos will fill most with disgust but also informative a tale of manipulation, Uncle Tomism and bravery combined, these are the West India regiment particularly galling is the part they played in the Morant Bay rebellion and the defeat of the Ashanti empire.
Regimental Colours of the 1st Battalion West India Regiment.
Born in Jamaica, Sergeant William Gordon enlisted in the West India Regiment on 9th July 1885. In March 1892 he won the Victoria Cross in Sierra Leone after throwing himself into the line of fire to save his commanding officer. In 1902 he was discharged from the Army.
The Regiment paraded for the last time on the 31st January 1927 at Up Park Camp, Jamaica. The Regimental Colours were trooped for the last time and then crated to be shipped back to the England.
Able Seaman William Hall was born in Nova Scotia, Canada. In 1852, he joined the Royal Navy and was the first black recipient of the Victoria Cross. He earned his VC whilst serving as part of the Naval Brigade from ‘HMS Shannon’. The Brigade helped to relieve the British Residency in Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny of 1857. In 1876, Hall left the Royal Navy and spent the rest of his life living on a farm in Nova Scotia with his sister.
At 10:30 a.m. on Friday the 18th February 1927 the colours were taken to Buckingham Palace and presented to King George V. They were later transferred to St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, where they still hang on display with other colours of the British Army.
The colours display 132 years of loyal service with the battle honours of:
"Dominica 1805"
"Martinique 1809"
"Guadeloupe 1810"
"Ashantee 1873-74".
"West Africa 1887"
"Sierra Leone 1898-99"
"Cameroons 1914-16"
"East Africa 1914-18"
"Palestine 1917-18
www.cariwave.com/regimental_colours.htm
Valour" ranks higher than all other British Orders and Decorations. Queen Victoria, as the name implies, started the Award in 1856. The recipient of this prestigious award is cited for outstanding acts of bravery in an operational setting, campaign or battle.
The following extracts taken from the “History of the Victoria Cross” by Philip A Wilkins published in 1904 and believed to be the Citations for Sergeant William Gordon and Private Samuel Hodge.
Sergeant William Gordon
“On 13 March 1892, an attack was made on the town of Toniataba in West Africa. Major G C Madden, who commanded the troops, was superintending a party of twelve (12) men, who were trying to break down a gate of the town with a huge beam which they were using as a battering ram. The Major’s back was, for a moment, turned to the gate, when suddenly several musket barrels, not more than two or three yards from him, were pushed through two rows of loopholes which up to that moment had been masked. In an instant Gordon called to his Officer, “Look out sir,” and pushing him aside, flung himself between him and the muskets which were at the moment fired, the contents of one of them entering Gordon’s lung. His quick act of heroic devotion undoubtedly saved the life of Major Madden.
Private Samuel Hodge
“On the 30 June 1866 at the storming of the town of Jubabecolong in the Kingdom of Barra, River Gambia, West Africa, this Private soldier behaved with great bravery. Colonel D’Arcy having called for volunteers to hew down the stockade with axes, Hodge and another soldier (afterwards killed) sprang forward and commenced to work. On our troops gaining entrance, Hodge followed his Officer through the town, opening two gates from the inside, which were barricaded, and thereby allowing support to enter, upon which the enemy cleared out at the point of the Bayonet. The Colonel in the presence of the men, acknowledged Hodge as the bravest soldier in the Regiment.”
(Hodge died in Belize Honduras in July 1867).
www.jdfmil.org/JamaicaLegion/vet_extra1.php
www.defenceimagedatabase.mod.uk/fotoweb/wewerethere/preww/asia_wi.html
Regimental Colours of the 1st Battalion West India Regiment.
Born in Jamaica, Sergeant William Gordon enlisted in the West India Regiment on 9th July 1885. In March 1892 he won the Victoria Cross in Sierra Leone after throwing himself into the line of fire to save his commanding officer. In 1902 he was discharged from the Army.
The Regiment paraded for the last time on the 31st January 1927 at Up Park Camp, Jamaica. The Regimental Colours were trooped for the last time and then crated to be shipped back to the England.
Able Seaman William Hall was born in Nova Scotia, Canada. In 1852, he joined the Royal Navy and was the first black recipient of the Victoria Cross. He earned his VC whilst serving as part of the Naval Brigade from ‘HMS Shannon’. The Brigade helped to relieve the British Residency in Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny of 1857. In 1876, Hall left the Royal Navy and spent the rest of his life living on a farm in Nova Scotia with his sister.
At 10:30 a.m. on Friday the 18th February 1927 the colours were taken to Buckingham Palace and presented to King George V. They were later transferred to St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, where they still hang on display with other colours of the British Army.
The colours display 132 years of loyal service with the battle honours of:
"Dominica 1805"
"Martinique 1809"
"Guadeloupe 1810"
"Ashantee 1873-74".
"West Africa 1887"
"Sierra Leone 1898-99"
"Cameroons 1914-16"
"East Africa 1914-18"
"Palestine 1917-18
www.cariwave.com/regimental_colours.htm
Valour" ranks higher than all other British Orders and Decorations. Queen Victoria, as the name implies, started the Award in 1856. The recipient of this prestigious award is cited for outstanding acts of bravery in an operational setting, campaign or battle.
The following extracts taken from the “History of the Victoria Cross” by Philip A Wilkins published in 1904 and believed to be the Citations for Sergeant William Gordon and Private Samuel Hodge.
Sergeant William Gordon
“On 13 March 1892, an attack was made on the town of Toniataba in West Africa. Major G C Madden, who commanded the troops, was superintending a party of twelve (12) men, who were trying to break down a gate of the town with a huge beam which they were using as a battering ram. The Major’s back was, for a moment, turned to the gate, when suddenly several musket barrels, not more than two or three yards from him, were pushed through two rows of loopholes which up to that moment had been masked. In an instant Gordon called to his Officer, “Look out sir,” and pushing him aside, flung himself between him and the muskets which were at the moment fired, the contents of one of them entering Gordon’s lung. His quick act of heroic devotion undoubtedly saved the life of Major Madden.
Private Samuel Hodge
“On the 30 June 1866 at the storming of the town of Jubabecolong in the Kingdom of Barra, River Gambia, West Africa, this Private soldier behaved with great bravery. Colonel D’Arcy having called for volunteers to hew down the stockade with axes, Hodge and another soldier (afterwards killed) sprang forward and commenced to work. On our troops gaining entrance, Hodge followed his Officer through the town, opening two gates from the inside, which were barricaded, and thereby allowing support to enter, upon which the enemy cleared out at the point of the Bayonet. The Colonel in the presence of the men, acknowledged Hodge as the bravest soldier in the Regiment.”
(Hodge died in Belize Honduras in July 1867).
www.jdfmil.org/JamaicaLegion/vet_extra1.php
www.defenceimagedatabase.mod.uk/fotoweb/wewerethere/preww/asia_wi.html