XI Regiment

The 11th Regiment carried many names, such as the 11th Regiment of Foot, North Devonshire Regiment, the 'Bloody Eleventh', etc. In looking for stories related to the 11th Regiment of Foot, it is important to note that Roman numerals are also employed, for example 'XI Regiment'.

Here is an example story from 1855, relating to the death of the daughter of a member of the regiment. Many members of the 11th brought families with them to Australia, or married in the colonies. They were in Australia from 1845 - abt 1857, and of course many stayed when the Regiment left. While in Sydney the regiment was stationed at the Victoria Barracks, which still stand on what is now Oxford Street.

Empire
24 Aug 1855
DREADFUL ACCIDENT. A beautiful and interesting little girl, about 8 years of age, daughter of Lance Sergeant Davies, of the XIth Regiment, unfortunately fell from the verandah of the Victoria Barracks yesterday evening, and died in a few minutes afterwards. We are informed that a considerable number of children, with several adults, have at different times fallen from this verandah, some of whom have had quite miraculous escapes from death. Notwithstanding this, no steps had been taken to guard against the occurrence of such a calamity as had overtaken the distracted parents of the unfortunate little girl, above mentioned, and the result is the present melancholy disaster. We are give to understand that applications have on various occasions been made by the soldiers to be permitted to enclose their portion of the verandah at their own expense, if the Government were not disposed to do it, but no steps have yet been taken in the matter. The officers have induced the government to have their portion of the verandah wired in, so that their children are preserved from the danger of all falling over ; and we trust the cause which has just produced so lamentable a result will at once be removed, and the children of the soldiers equally guarded from danger.

The death received coverage in several newspapers. Curiously, the NSW BDM indexes contain only one death for 1855 of a DAVIES, an infant Charles J.

Beginnings

I've started this blog to record anything associated with the 11th (North Devonshire) Regiment Foot.If you have an ancestor who served in the 11th, a piece of memorabilia, or a story, please forward it on to be posted on the blog!

What to post first? My ancestors served in the 11th, and settled in New South Wales, so I thought I'd start with a tidbit I found in the Sydney Morning Herald, regarding the death of apparently the last veteran of the 11th Regiment of Foot remaining in Australia in 1913.

The Sydney Morning Herald
Friday 13 February 1914
DEATHS
SMITH. In loving remembrance of our dear father, William Smith, the last of the 11th Regment of Foot, who died February 13, 1913, at Stanmore.

It is surely difficult to verify the veracity of the claim, but as the Regiment departed the shores of New South Wales in 1857, it is a reasonable claim. It also suggests that the veterans of the 11th Regiment of Foot maintained contact after pensioning out in New South Wales.