Regiments
Of the Malta Garrison
74th (Highlanders)

The 74th (Highlanders) Regiment

71st Highland Light Infantry
The Star of the Order of the Thistle superimposed with the cross of St Andrew, thereon a bugle horn; in the twist of the horn the monogram HLI; above the horn a crown; below it an Elephant superscribed Assaye on a scroll awarded to the 74th for its service at the Battle of Assaye (23 Sept 1803) (Main Guard Valletta).

The 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot was raised in Argyll in 1787 as the 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot.

On 1 July 1881, the 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot merged with the 71st (Highland) Light Infantry to form The 1st Battalion The Highland Light Infantry.

On 23 September 1948, the 1st and 2nd Battalions united in Glasgow as the 1st Battalion Highland Light Infantry (71st/74th Foot).

In 1959, the Highland Light Infantry amalgamated with the Royal Scots Fusiliers to form The Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's Own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment).

The 74th (Highlanders) Regiment

1841 &8211; 74th (Highlanders)

Burials in 1841:

1872 74th (Highlanders)

17 Feb 1872 The 74th embarked at Gibraltar and disembarked in Malta on 22 February.
It had an average strength of 587 men. The men were quartered at Fort Verdala Barracks.

It had 508 admissions (865/1000 mean strength) into hospital with 6 deaths in hospital (10.22/1000 mean strength).

In 1872, the regiment had 167 cases of simple continued fever, with 3 deaths. The regimental surgeon attributed much of the sickness at Verdala Barracks to the very bad drainage and filth of the neighbourhood.

1873 74th (Highlanders)

In 1873, the 74th had an average strength of 674 men. It had 525 admissions (778.9/1000 mean strength) into hospital with 9 deaths (13.35/1000 mean strength).

A soldier of the 74th shot himself.

The men occupied Verdala Barracks.

1874 74th (Highlanders)

The 74th Regiment had an average strength of 644 men. It had 510 admissions (792/1000 mean strength) into hospital with 6 deaths (9.32 deaths/1000 mean strength). It had 13 invalids returned to England.

The men were at Fort Ricasoli but moved to Floriana Barracks on 1 Dec 1874.

1875 74th (Highlanders)

Hardy Simeon John
Simeon John Hardy son of Capt Hardy died 20 Mar 1874 aged one day.
(Ta' Braxia Cemetery Pieta)

The 74th Foot had an average strength of 642 men. It had 444 admissions (691.5/1000 mean strength) into hospital with 4 deaths including 4 among the invalids (6.23 deaths/1000 mean strength). It had 15 invalids returned to England. Its average daily sick was 26.91 (41.92/1000 mean strength). The average sick time to each soldier was 15.30 days. The average duration of cases of sickness was 22.12 days.

The battalion was at Floriana Barracks.

1876 74th (Highlanders)

Francis Augustus Hare
Lt Francis Augustus Hare aged 27 yrs died suddenly at sea on 2 Feb 1876 while returning from Egypt. (Ta' Braxia Cemetery Pieta)

The 74th Regiment had an average strength of 583 men. It had 379 admissions (650.1/1000 mean strength) into hospital with 3 deaths including 1 invalid (5.14 deaths/1000 mean strength).

9 invalids were returned to England. Its average daily sick was 23.42 (44.18/1000 mean strength). The average sick time to each soldier was 16.13 days. The average duration of cases of sickness was 24.81 days.

2 Dec 1876 The 74th (Highlanders) embarked for Singapore where it disembarked on 11 January 1877.

Bibliography