Regiments
Of the Malta Garrison
The 80th
(Staffordshire
Volunteers)

The 80th (Staffordshire Volunteers) Regiment

Staffordshire Regiment
The Staffordshire Regiment. The Stafford Knot with the Prince of Wales's plume, coronet, and motto Ich Dien (I Serve).
(Al Jubayl Saudi Arabia Oct 1990)

The 80th Foot was raised in 1793 on the outbreak of war with revolutionary France, as the 80th Regiment of Foot.

In 1802 Staffordshire Volunteers was incorporated in its title, when the Staffordshire Militia was absorbed into the 80th Foot.

On 1 July 1881, the 80th amalgamated with The 38th (1st Staffordshire) Regiment to become the 2nd Battalion of The South Staffordshire Regiment. The 38th Foot becoming the 1st Battalion.

On 31 January 1959, The South Staffordshire Regiment merged with The North Staffordshire Regiment, (The Prince of Wales's), to form The Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's).

The 80th (Staffordshire Volunteers) Regiment

1821 80th (Staffordshire Volunteers)

Rinaldo Sceberras
Memorial to Capt Rinaldo Sceberras 80th Regt killed on 21 Dec 1845 at the battle of Ferozeshah during the First Sikh War.
(Upper Barracca Gardens Valletta)

19 Oct 1821 The Clasman transport arrived from Gibraltar with the Division of the 80th Regiment. The battalion had been in Gibraltar for the preceding eight months. The men marched to their quarters in the outworks of Floriana.

26 Oct The Star transport arrived from Gibraltar with the remainder of the 80th Regiment.

Inspector of Hospitals John Hennen reported that the 80th Regiment was of the ordinary class of materials and least effective corps in the garrison from the prevalence of fever amongst them.1

This statement was disputed by the adjutant Captain William Henry Penny 80th Regiment who had served in Malta from 1821 to 1 January 1828. Captain W. H. Penny stated that the 80th Regiment was sickly during the first excessively hot summer, when the men were in hospital on average three times more than usual. However, once the men became accustomed to the heat, it was the 95th Regiment that was sickly on its arrival in 1824, and unable to perform guard duty, which consequently had to be carried out by soldiers of his regiment.

Soldiers on duty at the upper part of the harbour, near an area known as Marsa, fell ill with fever.

14 Oct 1821 Mrs Elizabeth Macroft, 25 years, of a very delicate and weak constitution was admitted to the Ophthalmia Hospital in the General Hospital Valletta. She had suffered from dysentery ever since arriving in Malta, six weeks previous to her admission with bilateral red eyes. Her cornea ulcerated and the iris protruded through the defect. Leeches were applied to her eyes to relief the inflammation, followed by purgation and bleeding to reduce the force of the circulation.

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1822 80th (Staffordshire Volunteers)

21 Mar–20 June 1822 The average strength of the 80th Regiment was 586 men. The battalion was at Floriana Barracks and Bormla, with detachments on the outworks of Floriana.

Three men died during the Winter Quarter (21 Dec 1821 to 20 Mar 1822). Four soldiers with intermittent fever were admitted to the regimental hospital during this quarter. Staff Surgeon James Dillon Tully reported that these were not of local origin as one had previously suffered from it at Gibraltar, and another from the 36th Foot had arrived from the Ionian Islands, bringing the seeds of the disease with him. Both were treated with bark. Relapses were controlled with zinc and other tonics combined with bark, and if the abdominal viscera was suspected to be involved, the patient was subjected to an alternative course of mercury. Twenty nine cases of venereal genital ulcers were also admitted to the regimental hospital.

There were 42 cases of Continued or Summer fever, (Phlebotomus fever), during the Spring Quarter (21 March to 20 June 1822). The fever usually subsided on the second or third day, while convalescence was established by the end of the third or the beginning of the fourth day. There were 190 cases of fever from 21 June to 20 Sep 1822 (summer quarter), with three deaths. The PMO blamed the exposed nature of Floriana Barracks, where the regiment was quartered, to the full heat of the sun, as the cause of the fever.

Continued fever was the prevalent disease in the 80th Regiment during the Autumn Quarter (21 Sep to 20 Dec 1822). The fever took the form of the typhoidal type with yellowness of the skin manifesting in most of the sick. Out of 44 soldiers admitted with fever, five proved fatal. Overall, during 1822, the 80th had a total of 310 admissions for fever with 9 deaths. One soldier who had bought his discharge died of apoplexy. Several soldiers were treated in the regimental hospital for Hunterian chancre. The non mercurial treatment was adopted by the surgeon.

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1823 80th (Staffordshire Volunteers)

1823 The average strength was 569 men.

The regiment had an average daily sick of 28, with a ratio of sick to well of 1:20. There were a number of cases of venereal diseases and pulmonary conditions, with 12 severe cases of pneumonia with two deaths. In October, catarrh was very prevalent but treatable. Of three cases of phthisis, (tuberculosis), two died and one was invalidated to England. There were 159 admissions for fever with one death.

The ophthalmia hospital was attached to the regimental hospital of the 80th Regiment.

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1824 80th (Staffordshire Volunteers)

1824 Strength: 550 men.

In 1824, the great sickness in the 95th Regiment after it arrived in Malta rendered it inefficient and threw its guard duties on the 80th Regiment. The detail for guard in Valletta and Floriana was between 270 and 280 men daily, for Cottonera another 80 to 90 men. Gozo, Forts Manoel and Tignè were furnished with detachments proportionate to the number of men required for guard duty. The men were on sentry duty two hours out of six.

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1825 80th (Staffordshire Volunteers)

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1826 80th (Staffordshire Volunteers)

1826 Strength: 525 men.

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1827 80th (Staffordshire Volunteers)

25 Oct Strength (6 Coys): Rank and File (Effective) 525, Rank and File (Establishment) 516.

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1828 80th (Staffordshire Volunteers)

Jan 1828 Strength: 550 men.

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31 May Warning Order for the removal of the 7th Foot from the Ionian Islands to Malta, to be replaced by 80th Foot from Malta.

8–11 Sep 1828 The 80th Regiment embarked for the Ionian Islands.

1830 – 80th (Staffordshire Volunteers)

Baptisms in 1830:

The 2nd/The South Staffordshire Regiment

phillips
Aileen Phillips beloved child of Coy QM Sgt Phillips born 16 Dec 1927, died 13 May 1929 (Pembroke Military Cemetery).

1928 2nd/South Staffordshire

Nov 1928 The 2nd/South Staffordshire Regiment arrived at Malta. It had 26 officers and 456 men.

1929 2nd/South Staffordshire

1 Jan 1929 Strength: 26 officers and 457 men.

1 Oct The regiment was in Palestine temporarily leaving 7 officers and 148 rank and file at Malta.

1930 2nd/South Staffordshire

1 Jan 1930 The 2nd/South Staffordshire Regiment was in Palestine.

Bibliography