Apr 01 2010
1st April 1810
2nd Battalion: Gibraltar
The battalion continue to supply staff officers. As well as Captains T.Williamson and J. Craig in Portugal and Captain N. Craig in Malta, captain McNabb is once again town major in Gibraltar, while Captain Machell is also on the staff.
The sickness rate among the NCOs and men continues at about 11 per company. The average company size is 65, which means that, even when the sick men are included in the count, the battalion is roughly one third under strength.
Three rank and file have joined from England, but under the quarantine regulations are still on board the transports which brought them to Gibraltar .
Regular readers will be aware of the serial sins of three particular men, so the battalion was not sorry to see the departure, after some delay, of Bryan Farrell, John Simpson and William Woodhouse, who have been drafted into a foreign corps for life under sentence of a court martial following trial on robbery charges.
Rumours that the battalion are soon to be sent to Spain remain unconfirmed.
1st Battalion: Trichinopoly
Major Maxwell, and Captains Chambers and Beaumont are still waiting for transport to Europe.
Assistant Surgeon Griffin remaains under an arrest, awaiting his court martial on a charge of drunkenness.
Depot: Wakefield
His Majesty’s 44th Regt. of Foot go forward at Newstead Abbey
The depot now have the additional duty of sending a description of each new recruit to the Adjutant General’s office. This is an attempt to prevent the practice of recruits deserting soon after enlisting and then enlisting in a different corps for the bounty. The practice is particularly prevalent in Ireland, as both battalions of the 30th Foot discovered when they were stationed there.
Lieutenant Clarke has been returned absent without leave, but is believed to be in Dublin.
One man is expected to join at the depot, in addition to the thirteen who joined two weeks ago.
The depot strength is 16 sergeants, 6 drummers and 47 rank and file, with another 43 NCOs and rank and file distributed around the recruiting parties.
There are now three parties operating in Ireland: at Enniscorthy, Galway and Tuam, recognition of how fertile Ireland is proving in the search for recruits.
Lieutenants Gowan, White and Kettlewell are at Wakefield with Brevet Major Spawforth, although the second battalion believe them to be in Ireland. There is the chance that they will be sent to Gibraltar.
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