Another peculiar event took place every year on January 1st. I believe it was called “proclamation” parade. All British troops paraded, the Infantry in two ranks and the Artillery with guns on right to proclaim the King as King Emperor, and to fire blank cartridges in what was called the “Feu de joie”, which was I believe called the firing of guns in token of joy.
To a spectator it would be most impressive. The Regiment (approximately 1000 strong) formed up. The C.O. mounted on a charger in the centre. On the arrival of the General and present of arms, the next word of command was to order the firing of a blank cartridge which was done by the firing in “succession” of rounds fired by each soldier along the front rank followed by ones from the rear rank. This would sound like a machine gun firing. This would be repeated twice more - between each rounds fired the artillery would fire off a salvo.
This would be followed by the command (“Remove headdress”) which all would lift their topees from the head with the left hand to rest on the shoulder. This would be followed by the order 3
for his majesty the King Emperor. Then followed a march past and return to barracks for the rest of the day off. I recall reading “Monty’s” book about his period in command of the “Warwicks” when in charge doing a similar parade, “Monty” saluted and when he re-positioned himself he was told by the General that he was 5 paces to the left of where he should be, Monty then gave the command “battalion 5 paces right close march” (typically Monty?)
Every year each company spent a period at one of the hill stations during the hot weather. Sport was very popular and hill stations gave the opportunity to compete with other units. I took up boxing as my primary sport, although I took part in soccer, cricket and hockey. I must admit I was barely up to company standard in these. In boxing I was able to reach 2nd string welter weight for the regiment until I couldn’t get down to 10 stone 7lbs and took a couple of beatings competing at middle weight 11 stone 6lbs. My final fight was against a Scottish regiment when my opponent and I took a lot of punishment until in the final round I decided that’s it, and failed to get up until after the count of 10. At the drinks party after the match my opponent said he was also about to give in.
Another exciting time was when I was selected as a guard for the Viceroy on a tiger shoot in the jungle at the foot hills of the Himalayas.
This was to kill a “maneater” said to have killed hundreds of villagers, living close to the jungle edge. Colonel Jim Corbett (late Kumaun Rifles) and Chief Shikari to the Indian government was said to have wounded the animal in the mouth several years previous. This would cause the tiger to go for easy game (ie humans).
The shooting party occupied a rather luxurious shooting lodge and was fenced with a Ghurka guard inside, and we were more or less ceremonial, with double sentries. Flag hoisting took place every morning with the flag raised and present arms, and a royal salute by the Bugler.
At night a prowler guard with an armed British sentry accompanied by a special branch Indian Police patrolled around the lodge. One night whilst patrolling with just a paraffin lamp for illumination we heard a rustling in the bushes just about 30 yards away. I asked my partner what he thought it was. He said probably a jackall. “He was probably a Delhi townee, and me a Brummy townee with no knowledge of jungle noises”. However I threw a lump of rock at the bushes from which a large animal appeared and I am pleased to say “scarpered”.
The next morning I was woken in the guard tent and asked to show Jim Corbett the exact position. He had no doubt been informed through the Police net. He found the spoor of the tiger and said “that’s the one“.
The shoot returned later that day with a dead tiger with a wound to its mouth. I managed to get a poor picture with my old brownie box camera.
Some time later while out on a shoot organised by the regiment four of us sat up in a tree with loaded service rifles and a goat tied to the tree. We had powerful torches attached to our rifles which were switched on while taking first pressure. We had no luck and at day break bitten to blazes by insects, we decided we had had a “belly full” and descended the tree as we had arranged to be picked up by bullock cart. We tied the goat to the cart and set off to return to our tent.
As we were going along through a cutting an animal leapt over our heads on to our goat. One of the lads who had forgotten to unload his rifle shot the animal through the head. He didn’t aim, simply pointed his rifle and fired. I still have the skin and head.* The animal was a young Leopard I would like to emphasise that shooting parties were sent out to shoot wild pig and pea fowl to supplement rations for the troops and families.
* It is still somewhere in the family albeit rather moth eaten.