LIST 27 - THE NEW SOUTH WALES CORPS & THE FIRST GENERATION
The New South Wales Corps of Foot was an infantry regiment specifically
raised for service in the English colony of New South Wales. The regiment
was different in that it was raised for service in a particular colony only and it's duties within that colony were firstly to provide defence from
hostile powers outside the colony and secondly to provide security within
the colony itself given that for virtually the whole time of the service
of the regiment the colony was a penal establishment. As it turned out the
Corps was never called upon to fulfill the former duties but it did perform
the latter duties on a daily basis, most famously and creditably in 1804 during
the Vinegar Hill Irish convict insurrection and more infamously at the Rum
Rebellion of 1807 when the regiment mutinied against the authority of
the governor.
The Corps served in New South Wales from 1790 until 1810, a period of
21 years and was the longest serving English regiment in the history of colonial
times. The Corps was actually formed in 1789, just twelve months after the
founding of the colony itself. There is an historical mystery surrounding
why the Corps was not formed at the time of the preparations for the First
Fleet itself. The Corps ceased to exist both in name and purpose when it was
renamed the 102nd Regiment in 1810 and transformed into a regular infantry
regiment of the line. The 102nd Regiment itself was disbanded in 1817 in
the general run down of the British Army following the end of the Napoleonic
Wars. But the influence of the Corps or more particularly it's personnel
continued to be felt in the colony for many years; from those who chose to settle
rather than return to England or came back to the colony after first returning, from those who transferred to the successive relieving regiments, from those who transferred to the Veterans Company to serve in the colony until 1821.
The importance of the Corps had upon the early development and shaping of
the infant colony cannot be overstated. As a group the Corps was second only to the male convicts in numbers alone and it's officers were by far the predominant element in the colonial elite.
From it's original four companies the Corps grew to a total of nine companies
at its zenith. The original four companies of the regiment were already expanded to six even before the First Fleet Marines left the colony. A year later another company was added composed of those First Fleet Marines who wished to extend
their service in the colony rather than returning home with the rest of their
companies in 1792.
As the colony grew and expanded the need for more and more officers and
men to control and protect the new settlements became more pressing with
a result that nine companies were eventually formed. This need for recruits
eventually led to the overcoming of early resistance to allowing time expired
convicts into the regiment.
The officers of the Corps were intimately involved in the geographical
expansion of the colony, either directly in command or second in command.
When it first arrived the Corps had to garrison the settlements at Sydney
Town, Rose Hill(Parramatta) and Norfolk Island. Lieutenant Johnston, a future
member of the Corps, established and commanded the settlement at Rose Hill
in November 1788. Within a few years the settlement at the Hawkesbury
was commanded by Lieutenant Abbott in 1795, the Coal River(Newcastle) in 1803,
Risdon Cove in VDL with Lieutenant Moore second in command under Lt Bowen
RN in 1803, Port Dalrymple VDL with Lt-Col Paterson in command 1804.
Forty First Generation lads have been identified as enlisting in the New South
Wales Corps (15 colonial born and 25 childhood arrivals), there may well
have been more. Note the higher proportion of childhood arrivals, reflecting
the fact that sons of serving Corps members showed a marked tendency to follow their fathers into the Corps.
The earliest enlistment was by Obediah Ikin who enlisted in 1791, with several
enlisted in 1810, the very last year of the Regiment's service in the
colony.
Four young men obtained commissions as Ensigns in the Corps. The custom at
the time in the British Army was for these ensigncies to be purchased, the
more prestigious the regiment the more expensive the purchase price. It is
doubtful that the purchase price for the New South Wales Corps would have been
too onerous. Young Thomas Laycock is recorded as being only 9 years old when
he took up his commission, but on the face of it this seems unlikely, either
he was born earlier than 1786 or he enlisted later than 1795.
Of the enlisted men, thirty four enlisted at a young age as drummers. This
is not to say that the British Army was awash with child drummers at this
time, rather it was in the nature of modern day parents who enroll their
sons in exclusive private schools at birth, it simply means that the child
was on the regiments books as such until they actually presented themselves
for service, normally as a private, at the age of 18.
The youngest to enroll was George Whittle who was only 4 years & 7 months old,
the oldest was John Syms at 16 years & 4 months. When the young drummer turned
18 he was then officially enlisted in the Corps as a private. Knowing this
date of official enlistment has helped establish the birth dates of several
First Generation recruits and corrected the birth dates of others. On the list
it will be noted that some of the ages of enlistment differ from 18 years,
this indicates either an error in the recording of the date of birth or of
the date of enlistment.
Both William Ikin and Joseph Pitt died before reaching their eighteenth
birthdays. Richard Landsley and possibly James Hopkinson were discharged
before officially enlisting.
Roger Connor and Edward Munday were the only two amongst the First Generation
who enlisted at an older age as privates, 22 years and 19 years respectively,
without being enrolled as drummers first.
The normal period of enlistment at this time was for either seven or fourteen years (not unlike the sentence of the convicts they were sent to guard). There
was a huge departure of men from the Regiment in 1803 when the men of 1789
completed their tours of duty.
It it fascinating to observe that 36 or 90% of the young recruits had fathers
who themselves were members of the Corps. Roger Connor, Anthony Hughes
and William Walbourne had fathers who originally arrived in the colony as
convicts and then joined the Corps on the expiration of their sentence.
William Mitchell, Edward Munday, Samuel & William Richards and John & William
Syms had fathers who were Frist Fleet Marines who transferred into the Corps.
Francis Spencer, who never used his father's surname and William Watkins, whose
father is unknown, both had stepfathers in the Corps, the former's being
John Palmer and the latter's James Williams who was previously a First Fleet
Marine.
George Griffin's father is unknown and it is not known if his mother Elizabeth
Griffin had any relationship with a member of the Corps. The parents of James
Hopkinson/Hodginson are unknown and a mystery as no man nor woman with that
surname has been found in colonial records of the time.
The four young men who entered the officers corps, were of course the sons of officers; William Cox was the son of the Paymaster, Samuel & Thomas Laycock
were the sons of the Quartermaster, and George Johnston was of course the
son of the Corps' Commanding Officer.There is some mystery about the service of George Johnston. He was originally
put forward as a candidate as an officer in 1796 but because he was a bastard and his mother was a convict, Major Grose would not hear of someone with such
a social background being admitted to the rank of officer. With the
rise to prominence of his father, this reluctance obviously dissipated and
by 1804 his father purchased the vacant ensigncy of Lt Hobby for him. George
at that time was still at school in England and he did not return to the colony
until 1808. There remains some doubt that he ever actually took up his
commission.
Incredibly there were no less than six pairs of brothers amongst the recruits.
The New South Wales Corps was obviously a close knit and family affair.
After the disturbances of the rebellion against Governor Bligh in which the
Corps figured prominently, the decision was made in England to recall the
regiment and treat it as a normal line regiment, numbered the 102nd, the
designation which it used after 1808. This decision had the effect of cutting
short the military career of many of the First Generation.The replacement regiment, the 73rd, arrived in December 1809, leaving the
members of the Corps with a choice, they could either return to England with
their old regiment or transfer to the incoming regiment in order to remain
in the colony.
Sixteen of the First Generation recruits chose to remain in the colony and
transfer to the 73rd Regiment. Two in particular; William Ternan and Thomas
Whittle went on transferring to each new incoming regiment; 1814-46thRegiment,
1817-48thRegiment, 1820-3rdRegiment until they were both discharged in 1824 !
John Cox Joseph Feutrill George Griffin Nathaniel Griffin John Harmsworth Daniel Johns Thomas Landsley Edward Munday Samuel Richards William Richards Francis SpencerJohn Syms
William Syms William Ternan William Walbourne Thomas WhittleThree drummers were not eighteen at the time; John Cox, Joseph Feutrill and
John Syms and not fully enlisted.
When the 73rd Regiment completed its tour of duty in 1814, it was transferred to Ceylon where it saw active service at the Battle of Kandy. Twelve of this
group; John Cox, George & Nathaniel Griffin, John Harmsworth, Daniel Johns,
Thomas Landsley, Edward Munday, Samuel Richards, William Richards, John Syms,
William Syms, William Walbourne are believed to still be with the 73rd Regiment
when it went to Ceylon. William Richards, the Syms brothers and William
Walbourne were colonial born, would this have been the first overseas active
service experienced by Australian colonial born troops ? (Edward Macarthur
saw active service with Wellington's army in the Peninsular Campaign of
1812-1814 but he was not colonial born.)
Joseph Feutrill did not leave the colony until 1818 so he may have transferred
to the 46th Regiment. Francis Spencer obtained his discharge at Port Dalrymple and remained in Van Diemens Land.
After the Napoleonic Wars ended in Europe in 1815, the British Army was
drastically reduced, meaning that many regiments were disbanded and the
soldiers discharged. This down-sizing was to cut short the careers of several
more First Generation military men.Two First Generation members at least from this group are know to have returned
to Australia; John Harmsworth in 1820 who found his way to Van Diemens Land, Edward Munday likewise returned to Van Diemens Land as well.Twelve of the First Generation recruits chose to return with the regiment to England:
John Bannister William Cox Joseph Eades Thomas Griffin Thomas Hortle William Ikin William Jamieson Thomas Laycock William Mitchell Joseph Pitt Daniel Ross George WhittleThe New South Wales Corps in returning to England by way of Cape Horn (having
arrived via the Cape of Good Hope) was the first British regiment to
circumnavigate the world. The 102nd Regiment is next known to have served in the West Indies. The Regiment was finally disbanded in 1817.
Drummers Joseph Pitt & Daniel Ross were not eighteen when the Regiment was
recalled but followed their soldier fathers. Sadly both of them, along with
Thomas Hortle died in England in 1811. For several others the pull of the land of their birth proved too strong and they found their way back to the colony,
examples being; William Cox in 1814 who evidently resigned his ensign's
commission, Joseph Eades in 1818 after being discharged in 1811, William Ikin
in 1816 after being discharged in 1815, Thomas Laycock in 1817 after selling
his captain's commission, George Whittle is known to have returned to the
colony after discharge as well.Several recruits had left the Corps before 1810, three in regrettable
circumstances:
Roger Connor James Hopkinson Anthony HughesObediah Ikin
Richard Landsley David Pugh John Roberts William Watkins Obediah Ikin tragically died in 1797 at the age of 15 before being able
to enlist properly. Anthony Hughes, Richard Landsley & William Watkins were
all discharged before reaching their eighteenth birthdays. Roger Connor,
James Hopkinson, were discharged as privates, hopefully honourably, Roger
may well have completed his seven year service commitment. Regrettably for
their generation, their regiment and themselves, David Pugh & John Roberts
however were discharged as a result of a courtmartial.
It is believed that both Ensign Johnston and Ensign Samuel Laycock resigned
their commissions in 1810 at the recall of the regiment.The 1810 dispositions of John Davis and Benjamin Urch are not known at this
time. John Davis was not due to enlist until May 1810 so maybe he did not
proceed. As neither appears in subsequent colonial records they most likely
were recalled to England with the regiment. Benjamin Urch's father entered
the 73rd Regiment so in all likelihood so did he.
Three of the First Generation are known to have achieved advancement
beyond their entry ranks. Thomas Laycock was promoted Lieutenant in 1803 and then Captain some time after 1810 before selling his commission in 1816,
probably making him the most successful of his fellow recruits. Two of the
Privates were known to have received promotions to Corporal; William Jamieson
in 1808 and John Bannister in 1811.
Appended to this list of First Generation New South Wales Corpsmen is
a fascinating list entitled 'New South Wales Corps Description Book 1808 -
1810'.
This is a list of the enlisted men (not officers) in Sydney (not Norfolk Island
nor Port Dalrymple) on Thursday 1st September 1808. It gives marvellous
information which can be found no where else, such as date of enlistment, length
of service, height, eye colour, hair colour and most invaluably for the genealogist, the parish in England where the soldier was born.The list contains 26 of the 40 First Generation recruits. Regrettably
the letter A is missing in the original document and doubly regrettably the
clerks tended to drop the letter H from John Harmsworth's name so a simulated
entry has been created for him, but he is not present on the original document. All enlisted at Sydney except Edward Munday who enlisted on Norfolk Island.
It is possible that John Harmsworth enlisted on the island as well.The longest serving First Generation member of the Corps on the list with
a service of 8 years and 84 days was William Ternan. Several on the list were
not due to commence with the Corps for many years; John Cox, John Davis, Joseph Feutrill, Thomas Hortle, William Jamieson, Joseph Pitt, John Syms, William Syms, Benjamin Urch, George Whittle. Even though not fully fledged members of the
regiment many travelled with it back to England upon it's recall in 1810
although in every case this was due to the young drummer following in the footsteps of his soldier father.
In passing it should be noted that a mans length of service started from
the time he was fully enlisted as a private, not from the time of his enrollment
as a drummer.
Thomas Landsley was the tallest man at 6'1", John Cox the smallest at
5'1" but he was only 12 years old at the time of the measurement and obviously had not finished growing.
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