The 36th (Herefordshire) Regiment

The 36th Regiment was raised in Ireland in 1701 by William Caulfeild 2nd Viscount Charlemont.

It was numbered 36th Foot in 1751, to which the title Herefordshire was added in 1782.

On 1 July 1881, the 36th (Herefordshire) Regiment amalgamated with the 29th (Worcestershire) Regiment to form the Worcestershire Regiment. The 36th becoming the Second Battalion. The motto Firm is that of the 36th Foot.

In 1920, The Worcestershire Regiment linked with the Sherwood Foresters Regiment to form the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th Foot).

The 1st/36th (Herefordshire) Regiment

1817 36th (Herefordshire)

27 Sep 1817 778 men of the 36th Regiment arrived from Portsmouth.

1818 36th (Herefordshire)

1818 Strength: 799 men.

Burials at the Military and Civil Cemetery Floriana in 1818:

Feb 1818 Pte John Chadwick Light Coy 36th Regiment.

1819 36th (Herefordshire)

21 June–20 Dec 1819 The regiment had a total of 34 officers, 701 men, 84 women and 119 children on its strength during this period. 13 officers, 30 women and 50 children were admitted to hospital. There were no deaths among the officers and women, but seven children died during this reporting period. A detachment was on command at Gozo.

Monthly abstract of admissions and deaths 36th Regiment
From 21 June to 20 December 1819
Month	Acute Diseases Adm/Dths	Chronic Diseases Adm/Dths	Surgical Diseases Adm/Dths	Total Admissions/Deaths
July	29/0	1/0	15/0	45/0
August	31/2	4/0	28/0	63/2
September	25/0	5/0	23/0	53/0
October	25/1	3/0	21/0	49/1
November	19/1	4/1	25/0	48/2
December	8/2	4/0	18/0	30/2
TOTAL	137/6	21/1	130/0	288/7
Table 1: Monthly abstract of Admissions and Deaths 36th Regiment for the period 21 June to 20 December 1819 (TNA:WO 334/1)

Between June to December 1819, the average number of sick soldiers was 25 a day. The proportion of sick to healthy was 1 in 28. The regimental surgeon listed the prevailing diseases as: Febris Continua Communis (59 cases), Ophthalmia (13 cases), Pneumonia (7 cases), Acute Hepatitis (15 cases), Chronic Hepatitis, Dysentery (14 cases), Diarrhoea (2), Syphilis, Gonorrhoea (18 cases), and Hernia Humoralis (7 cases).

Simple Continued Fever accounted for 59 admissions with 1 death. The number of fever cases decreased during the last three months of the year. Patients were bled "according to the vigour and urgency of the symptoms".¹ In addition they were loaded with purgatives, diaphoretics, and diluents. Their surgeon reported that a careful administration of these remedies has seldom failed in lessening the violence of the arterial action, restoring the regularity of the bowels, and re-establishing the functions of the skin.¹ Headaches accompanying the fever were treated by the use of the lancet to the temporal arteries, attaching leeches to the head, or by the cold applications to the head. It was no wonder that many soldiers manifested the greatest reluctance to go into hospital, and consequently not infrequently concealed their complaints until they are compelled by excruciating sufferings or the strong arm of Military Discipline.¹

Between June to December 1819, the number of deaths in proportion to diseases was 1 in 45. The recorded deaths were: Pte John Medhurst (Fever), Pte Edward Williams (Acute Hepatitis), Pte John Beggs (Chronic Hepatitis), Pte John Hook (Phthisis), two unknown cases (Dysentery). In addition a soldier was executed (shot) by sentence of a General Court Martial, and another, Pte Joseph Gibbs, drowned while bathing.

Burials in the Quarantine Bastion Cemetery Floriana in 1819:

31 Jan Lt John Charles aged 34 years.
13 Dec Pte Williamson Light Coy 36th Regiment.

1820 36th (Herefordshire)

Dec 1820 HQ and six companies left Malta for Zante in the Ionian Islands.

Marriages in 1820:

29 Apr Widower Sgt James Moxon to Jane Rowles widow of Sgt Edward Rowles 36th Regiment.
29 Apr Bachelor Sgt Edward Savage to Hannah Baynes widow of Sgt Joseph Baynes 36th Regiment.
4 May Bachelor Pte James Stove to Maria Sophia Wood, spinster of the Parish of St George Hanover Square, Middlesex.
25 Oct Bachelor Sgt John Mason to Elizabeth Lloyd, a widow resident in the island of Malta.

Baptisms in 1820:

2 Jan Thomas Kerr son of Pte James and Elizabeth Kerr born on 27 December 1819.
30 Apr John Warren Fearnely son of Pte Matthew and Sarah Fearnely born 15 April 1820 and publicly received into the church on 18 June 1820.
4 June John Cope son of Pte John and Catherine Cope born on 22 May 1820.
6 Aug Margaret McFarland daughter of Acting Cpl George McFarland and Margaret, born on 11 July 1820.
27 Aug Caroline Prigg daughter of Pte William and Mary Prigg, born on 11 August 1820.
10 Sep Thomas Atkinson son of Pte George Atkinson and Anne, born on 20 August 1820.
1 Oct Edward Cole son of Sgt Edward Cole and Mary, born on 17 September 1820.
22 Oct John Dugard son of Pte Barnabas Dugard and Ellen born on 12 October 1820.
29 Oct Daniel Lucas son of Pte Daniel Lucas and Elizabeth, born on 16 October 1820.
11 Nov George William Roots twin son of Pte George Roots and Hannah, born on 11 November 1820.
11 Nov Elizabeth Anne Roots twin daughter of Pte George and Hannah Roots born on 11 November 1820.
19 Nov Thomas Hatley son of Pte Thomas Hatley and Rebecca, born on 13 November 1820.
19 Nov Edward Evans son of Cpl Thomas Evans and Anne, born on 15 November 1820.
31 Dec Ellen Wasar daughter of Pte William Wasar and Helen, born on 17 December 1820.
31 Dec Caroline Winn daughter of Pte Thomas Winn and Elizabeth, born on 22 December 1820.

Burials in 1820:

23 Mar Drm J Smedly 36th Regiment, aged 29 years was buried at the Quarantine Bastion Cemetery Floriana.

1821 36th (Herefordshire)

14 June 1821 A detachment of 227 men, 21 women, and 29 children moved to Cephalonia where it was joined by the companies from Zante. In November it relocated to Corfu due to the large number of sick, while the worst cases were sent to the Convalescent Depôt established in Gozo, Malta.

Baptisms in 1821:

15 May William Mason son of Provost Sgt John Mason 36th Regiment and Elizabeth, born on 19 March 1821.
23 May Edward Fearnely twin son of Pte Matthew Fearnely and Sarah, born on 23 May 1821.
23 May James Fearnely twin son of Pte Matthew Fearnely and Sarah, born on 23 May 1821.
27 July Charles James Skerry son of Ensign John Skerry and Hannah, born on 27 June 1821.
Ensign J Skerry became ensign 36th Foot on 9 December 1812.
27 July Edward Francis Crosse son of Captain 36th Regt and Brigade Major Joshua Crosse and Sarah Cecilia, previously baptised at Portsmouth in May 1817, was publicly received into the church.
Major J Crosse ranked as a captain in the 36th regiment from 25 September 1807, and as a major in the army from 12 August 1819.
27 July John Burton De St Croix Crosse son of Captain 36th Regt and Brigade Major Joshua Crosse and Sarah Cecilia, previously baptised at Portsmouth in May 1817, was publicly received into the church.
27 July Frederick Robert Crosse son of Captain 36th Regt and Brigade Major Joshua Crosse and Sarah Cecilia, previously baptised at Portsmouth May 1817 was publicly received into the church.
21 Aug Robert Smith son of Sgt Robert Smith and Sarah, born on 14 August 1821. He had been baptised privately and publicly received into the church on 2 September 1821.
14 Oct Eliza Cope daughter of Pte John Cope and Catherine, born on 1 October 1821.

1822 36th (Herefordshire)

Malta 1822 The detachment from Malta joined the main body in Cephalonia.

Baptisms in 1822:

8 Jan William Welch son of Sgt William Welch and Elizabeth, born on 7 January 1822.
10 Nov Caroline Prigg daughter of Pte William Prigg and Mary, born on 4 November 1822.
29 Dec Sarah Smith daughter of Sgt Robert Smith and Sarah, born on 11 December 1822.

Deaths in 1822:

21 Dec 1821 to 20 Mar 1822 Recruit George Merchant, 36th regiment, aged 18 years, arrived from England and landed ill from the transport in the last stage of continued fever. He expired in the hospital of the 18th Foot in the 24th day of his illness.
James Conway aged 25 years, an invalid sent to Malta from the Ionian Islands, died of phthisis pulmonalis 43 days after his admission to the hospital of the 85th Foot with dyspnoea.
James Johnston aged 51 years, died of anasarca 129 days following his admission to the hospital of the 18th Foot. He was an invalid sent to Malta from the Ionian Islands, and a hopeless case from the start his disease being complicated with dysentery and paralyysis.

1823 36th (Herefordshire)

Baptisms in 1823:

25 May Helen Cope daughter of Pte John Cope and Catherine, born on 10 May 1823.

Burials in 1823:

18 Jan Pte Joseph Bradbury aged 25 years, of a very scrofulous habit, an invalid sent to Malta from the Ionian Islands, had been ill for 12 months. He died of dysentery in a state of great exhaustion.
6 Sep Eliza Cope aged 2 years, daughter of Pte John Cope.

1824 36th (Herefordshire)

Baptisms in 1824:

15 Feb Maria Smith daughter of Sgt Robert Smith and Sarah, born on 3 Feb 1824 and publicly admitted into the church on 22 February 1824.
7 May Frances Elizabeth Cope daughter of Pte John Cope and Elizabeth Allman, born on 19 April 1824.

Burials in 1824:

19 Jan Pte Richard Lloyd aged 25 years.
24 June Mary Ann Cole aged 1 year, daughter of Sgt Edward Cole.

The 36th is no longer listed as forming part of the Garrison of Malta in the General Monthly returns of 25 July 1824.

1825 36th (Herefordshire)

Baptisms in 1825:

27 Nov John William Harris Sparr son of Bugler George Sparr and Anne, born on 18 November 1825.
16 Dec Mary Ann Evans daughter of Cpl Thomas Evans and Ann, born on 14 December 1825.
16 Dec William Horton son of QM Sgt Thomas Horton and Sarah, born on 7 December 1825.
16 Dec Thomas William Green son of Pte William Green and Mary Ann, born on 12 October 1825.
16 Dec William Thomas Midgley son of Sgt Samuel Midgley and Anne, born on 10 October 1825.

Burials in 1825:

11 Dec John William Harris Sparr son of Bugler George Sparr.

1826 36th (Herefordshire)

Baptisms in 1826:

12 Feb Melosina Anna Roberts born on 7 January 1826, daughter of Cecilia and Lt and Adjutant John Roberts.
Lt J Roberts was appointed lieutenant the 36th (The Herefordshire) Regt on 8 April 1825 and adjutant on 13 May 1824.

The 1st/The 36th (Herefordshire) Regiment

1855

Baptisms in 1855:

8 Nov 1855 Capt John Rotton 36th Regiment.

1869

J Francis Foster — Memorial to 36th Reg - India 4 Aug 1863 to 18 Dec 1875 (Hereford Cathedral)

11 Feb 1869 Assistant Surgeon John Francis Foster aged 30 years, died at Malta on his passage home following his tour of service in India. (Drew lists him as John Frederick Foster).

The regimental surgeon, Arthur Bell died at Peshawar on 2 October 1869, aged 41 years.

The 1st/1st Herefordshire Regiment

The 1st/Herefordshire Regiment landed at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli on 9 August 1915, as part of the 53rd Division.

1915 – 1st/Herefordshire

Burials at Pietà Military Cemetery in 1915:

17 Sep 2nd Lt Reeve Herbert Joseph aged 20 years.

Bibliography

Farmer J. S., 1984. The regimental records of the British Army Reprint Edition, Trowbridge, Wiltshire: Crecy Books.
¹TNA:WO 334/1, Half Yearly Returns of the sick of 36th Regiment from 21 June to 20 December 1819.
TNA:WO 156/122; List of gravestones at the Military and Civil Cemetery 1801–1865 and the Quarantine Bastion Cemetery 1819–1867 compiled by the Rev D B L Foster Assistant Chaplain General Western Mediterranean in May 1939.
Cannon J., 1990, The Quarantine Bastion Cemetery Malta. Bucks Cannon Associates.
TNA:WO 156/113. Register of burials September 1853 to June 1862.
TNA:WO 156/594. No 2, Marriage Register 1 January 1820 to 12 June 1839.
TNA:WO 156/594. No 2, Baptism Register 2 January 1820 to 29 June 1839.
Drew R., Medical Officers in the British Army 1660-1960 Volume I.