CHRISTMAS CALAMITIES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6703, 29 December 1908, Page 7

CHRISTMAS CALAMITIES

(To the Editor, “N.Z. Times.") Sir,—Under the above heading in your excellent Christmas umber there is a

note relative To a fatal quarrel between two regiments (the 24th foot and tho Lower Hamlet Miflitia) on Christmas Day, 18C0. The date was 1859. The affair took place hi the West Block bar- , rack?*, on cither side of which were .quartered the two regiments when tho ; festivities of that memorable Christmas hud such a tragic ending. After dinner the rac-ii belonging to both regiments repaired to tho canteen in large numbers, for tho purpose of enjoying themselves after th<3 fashion usual with soldiers on such a day. Time wore on until just before tattoo, when the cantee was the scone of a general row between tlie two regiments, caused through ; the imprudence oi one of the “Towers/’ who mad-.i -some offensive remark about the Christinas dinner served up to the 24tlu From words it came to blows, and in less time than it takes to tell the talc hundred's of men on both sides were at each others’ throats. The guards and pickets of both regiments wore quickly on the *pot, and many arrests were made. The regimental guard-rooms and cells were scon hik'd, and everything seemed quiet so far, until immediately after “hgnts out" sounded. Then, as if from a given signal, men rushed across the square, climbed balconies, and met each other like so many wild beast*?, .some armed with rifios a mil brciom* hamlhv./ Suddenly shots were heard from the direction of the 24th quarters. These were replied, to in like manner by the Tower HamUts, but this is sometimes denied. The sound of the firing was the means of making the combatants more eager for tlul fray. Men crowded the balcon.es to engage in a hand-to-hand’struggle. In tho meantime buglers and trumpeters were sounding the alarm, and in n very short timJ something like 31),COO men of all ranks were under arms, including tho famous Grey Battery ’ Royal Artib lery. The Grey Battery took up a position at the south end of the block, wirii instructions, as rumour had it, to blow thu whole concern to smithereens if the rioting did not cease immediately. When this became known quiet was c-:oon ieetored. A large number' of arrests wdro made, and ’all 'the prisoners were handcuffed and sent under a strong escort to thu brigade guard-room, the 'artillery remaining on 'duty till morning. The casualties were two men of the'‘Towers” killed. Several were wounded, besides a number of others who received injuries. Among the latter was a drummer boy of the Tower Hamlets, who was thrown from a ; balcony on to the square bdlow, a distance of about 25 feet, and lie was so severely injured that he spent, many months in hospital. It might be interesting to state that this handsome boy, for such he really was then, afterwards volunteered for a line regimdnt, in which he soon became- a sergeant, and served with the writer during the Waikato and Wanganui - campaigns. At the time of the Christmas night •affair tho regiment in which the writer was then serving was stationed in the south camp, and within a short distance of the wost block, where we relieved the 24th Regiment, which was soon on its way to Portsmouth to embark for Mauritius, while the ringleaders of the riot were sent to Winchester for trial I am, dtc..

J. R. Wellington,’ December 2Gth, 1908.