Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 5.djvu/169

 9* s. V.MARCH 3, im] NOTES AND QUERIES.

161

LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 1900.

CONTENTS. No. 114.

NOTES : Regimental Nicknames, 161 Shakspeariana, 162 English Volunteers Abroad Campbell and Virgil, 164 The Mouse The 'Law List' Gipsies A Chained Curate Macky's 'Court Characters,' 165 "Heel-ball" Letter- writing 'Evolution of Editors,' 166 "Baphomet " Browning "Hicatee" Dedication by Author to Him- self "Entapis," 167.

QUERIES : " Inkle " = Tape - Jeu d'Esprit, 167 Shrapnel " Bird-eyed " Shaddock Inscriptions in Brightwell Church Inscriptions on Statues, 168' Three Wise Men of Gotham ' Jacobite Societies Garway Family Shelley's Mother Blessing of the Throats, 169.

REPLIES : Thames Tunnel, 169 Companions of Cortes, 170 Was Shakespeare Musical? 171 Gallows Birds and Others " Petigrewe "Marriage Gift, 172 Box-irons " Marquee "Poker Virtue, 173 Emery " Irish Feara- gurthok " Lytes of Lytes Gary Depreciation of Coinage Bottled Burton, 174 Reade Family B. Quaritch Entire "An End ""Hanky Panky, 175 Enigma by Praed Brothers Mayor and Town Clerk at same Time- Rate of the Sun's Motion, 176 Proverbs in 'Jacula Prud entum ' " Wound " for " Winded "Cinderella- Taxes on Knowledge, 177 "Dozzil" or "Dossil" Church in Canterbury, 178.

NOTES ON BOOKS : Barnes's 'St. Peter in Rome' Arbuthnot's 'Mysteries of Chronology ' Legg's 'Some Principles and Services of the Prayer-Book ' Willcock's ' Shetland Minister in the Eighteenth Century.'

Notices to Correspondents.

REGIMENTAL NICKNAMES OF THE BRITISH ARMY.

THAT many of the regiments of the British army have unofficial designations, pet names, nicknames, and titles that cannot easily be denned, is well known. Col. Cooper King and other military writers have recorded these nicknames ; but the extent and variety of this nominal vocabulary which Tommy Atkins has invented for himself, and often prefers to that imposed by the War Office authorities, will probably surprise a good many readers. Tnis will be seen from the following alphabetical list, derived almost exclusively from Col. Cooper King's work on the British army. Some regiments have more than one nickname, and in these cases each has been entered in its alphabetical order.

"Algiers" was the nickname given the Royal Irish Fusiliers from the capture of the French eagle at Barrosa.

"The Assayes " is a name for the old 74th Regiment, now part of the Highland Light Infantry. This designation is an allusion to the manner in which they distinguished themselves at the battle of Assaye.

" Barrell's Blues " is a title for the King's Own, derived from the name of a former commander.

The Royal Sussex Regiment is composed of the former 35th and 107th battalions of the line. The former, from its recruiting-place, was known as the ** Belfast Regiment."

" The Bengal Tigers " is a name, derived from its Indian badge, for the Leicestershire Regiment.

" Baker's Light Bobs " was a name given to the 10th Hussars when under the command of Valentine Baker.

" Bingham's Dandies " is a nickname of the 17th Lancers, and arose from the excessive fastidiousness of a former colonel as to the men's appearance.

"Black Cuffs" is a nickname for the 58th (Northamptonshire Regiment).

"Black Horse" is a name forlthe 7th Hussars, as also for the 6th (or Inniskilling) Dragoons.

44 Blayney's Bloodhounds " was the name given to the 89th Regiment in the Irish Rebellion of 1798. This regiment now forms part of the Royal Irish Fusiliers.

" Bleeders " is a nickname for Prince Albert's Somersetshire Light Infantry.

The "Blind Half Hundred" is a nickname for the 50th, now part of the Queen's Royal West Kent Regiment.

The present Manchester Regiment con- sists of the former 63rd and 96th Regi- ments. The 63rd had the nickname of " Bloodsuckers."

The Devonshire Regiment has had the sig- nificant nickname of the ** Bloody Eleventh " from its tremendous losses at Fontenoy, Ostend, and Salamanca.

"Blue Caps " was a name given to the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers in the Indian Mutiny.

The " Blue Marines " is a name applied to the Royal Marine Artillery.

The Princess of Wales 's Own Yorkshire Regiment have been called the " Bounders."

The Gloucestershire Regiment inherits the name of " Braggs " from a former colonel of the 28th, which is now linked with it.

The King's Shropshire Light Infantry is partly made up of the old 53rd, which was known as the " Brickdusts."

The "Buff Howards" is a name for the Buffs or East Kent Regiment.

" Cal vert's Entire" is a name which is said to have originated in the West Yorkshire Regiment, which had three battalions, all raised by Col. Sir Henry Calvert.

The 6th Dragoon Guards have been styled the " Garbs," a contraction of Carabineers.

"Cauliflowers" was a name for the 47th (Loyal North Lancashire Regiment).

The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment includes the former 97th (Earl of