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- BIOGRAPHY: information on dates from chas@hixnet.co.zaapparently they had about 12 children of which one was Isabella De Vere Bowles or Bowles Hunt.One of Isabellas bro's was apparently Lt. Spotswood Bowles (b.1784,d.1864) who married in 1812 at Youghal to Jane John (b.????,d.1885) and had 11 children one of whom was William Robert Bowles or poss 'Hunt Bowles' b.19/01/1827,d.5/3/1890 also of South Cork Militia and who possibly married one Ellen Carey and had 4 children one of whom was?William? b.19/7/1861 "chas is interested in more details of ?William?06/01/02 INFORMATION RECEIVEDSouth Cork Light Infantry MilitiaUpdated 23 Sep 1999Transcribed from public records by Michael Cronin and posted here with his kind permission.These notes on the South Cork Light Infantry Militia were taken from the regimental history: G.S. Ormerod, Regimental Records of the Third Battalion of the Royal Munster Fusiliers (Cork: Purcell, 1906). Available from the LDS film #0824226. In taking these notes I have limited myself to the time the regiment was in County Cork.ESTABLISHMENT OF THE REGIMENTThis militia regiment was created under an act of Parliament: 33rd Geo.III., sub-sec. xv., c.22. under which it was the intention to have one county regiment and one city regiment."Whereas, a respectable Military Force under the command of Officers possessing landed property within this Kingdom, is essential to the safety and protection of this realm and its constitution, and the Militia laws now in force in this Kingdom have been found incapable of effecting the purposes of their institution, be it therefore enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice of the Lord's Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that the Governors of the several counties shall have full power and authority and are hereby required to call together and array, arm, and cause to be trained and exercised, such persons and in such manner as hereinafter directed once a year, …...""And be it further enacted, that the number of men to be raised by virtue of this Act shall be as follows, that is to say:- For the county of Cork, if with the city of Cork, if such city and county of the city of Cork shall be made part of the said county of Cork, for the purpose of this Act, 1,464 men. For the city and county of the city of Cork, 488 men. For the county in like case, 976 men."In the event two county regiments were established: The North Cork, north of the Blackwater; and the South Cork, south of the Blackwater.COMPOSITION OF THE REGIMENTThe establishment of regiments at this period consisted of from 8 to 12 companies.The Grenadier Company consisted of 1 Captain, 2 Lieutenants, 3 Sergeants, 3 Corporals, 2 Drummers, 2 Fifers and 57 Privates; the Light Infantry Company consisted of 1 Captain, 2 Lieutenants, 3 Sergeants, 3 Corporals, 2 Drummers and 57 Privates; and each Battalion Company of 1 Captain, 1 Lieutenant, 1 Ensign, 3 Sergeants, 3 Corporals, 2 Drummers, and 57 Privates.The Regimental Staff consisted of the following:--- 1 Colonel, 1 Lieutenant-Colonel, 1 Major, Adjutant, Paymaster, Surgeon, Assistant-Surgeon (called Surgeon's Mate), Quarter-Master, Sergeant-Major, and Quarter-Master-Sergeant.PROPERTY QUALIFICATION OF OFFICERSThe Militia Act of 1793 sets forth that----- "Every person who has been or shall hereafter be appointed an Officer of the Militia of any of the ranks following, shall be in possession of an estate for his own life or the life of another, or for some greater estate in land or heritage's in the United Kingdom of the yearly value hereinafter mentioned in connection with such respective rank, or be heir apparent of some person who shall be in possession of a life estate in property of the like yearly value."Colonel Commandant, £2,000 year, or heir to £3,000 a yearLieut.-Colonel, £1,200 year, or heir to £1,800 a yearMajor, £300 a year, or heir to £600 a yearCaptain, £200 a year, or heir to £400 a yearLieutenant, £50 a year, or heir to £500 personal property a yearEnsign, £20 a year, or heir to £200 personal property a yearThe Colonel and Leiut.-Colonel to have one-half their property in the county.In 1855 an Act was passed in which no property qualification was required for officers in the militia below the rank of Captain, and the existing qualifications were considerably reduced.In 1869 an Act was passed abolishing all property qualifications.1793-1815For most of this period the regiment was embodied (except for a short time in 1800 and again in 1814) and was deployed to various parts of Ireland (except for 1813-14 in England). The only significant event inside County Cork was in 1796 when the French attempted an invasion of Bantry Bay"About the 24th of December 1796 the French Fleet reached Bantry Bay, where they were drawn up ready for action. At night the lights could be distinctly seen on board from the land, and so certain were the authorities that they intended landing that Mr (later Sir Richard) White sent a message to the inhabitants of the town that all who wished to leave should depart forthwith."The regiment attempted a forced march from Limerick but got only as far as Cork when the French were blown out to sea, the invasion never took place. They remained in County Cork at Mammoor Camp west of Bandon until 1798.1815-54On disembodiment, 16 Mar 1815, the staff were located in Rathcormac where Lord Riversdale had constructed a barrack at his own expense. The major problem at this time was what to do with 600 odd former militiamen many of whom were unemployable as civilians, the army had forbidden them to re-enlist but Riversdale agreed to turn a blind eye allowing a large number to join the regular army.The staff remained at Rathcormac for the next 40 years. There were several reductions in the size of the staff until 1829 by which time it consisted:1 Adjutant1 Sergeant Major13 Sergeants1 Drum-Major6 DrummersThe staff was allowed to decline further over the next 25 years by not replacing those who retired or left.1854-6After a long period of neglect most of the militia regiments throughout Britain and Ireland were embodied on the outbreak of the Crimean war, the intention was that they would perform garrison duty 'at home' freeing the regular army regiments for active service.To quote directly from the regimental history:"It was towards the end of this year that the so-called Staff of the 87th South Cork Light Infantry, which for nearly 40 years had been calmly resting in the quiet little village of Rathcormac, received orders to proceed to Bandon prior to the embodiment of the Regiment. What a staff it was after long years of neglect and indifference! Colonel the Hon. H.B. Bernard was fond of describing the appearance it presented, when, as commanding officer, he received this small remnant of what was once a crack corps, as it halted on the Barrack Square of Bandon. The whole lock, stock and barrel did not number more than 3 individuals...........from this very small beginning there spread the present South Cork Light Infantry--later still known as the 3rd Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers."As in the case of previous embodiments the regiment volunteered for foreign service but this time the offer was not accepted, which may have been just as well considering that this was a very 'green' regiment even by the standards of the time. When embodiment was completed in March 1855 the regiment, consisting 10 companies, marched to Kinsale, but even as late as June recruiting parties were sent out to Mitchelstown, Cork, Kanturk, Skibbereen, Cloyne, and Bandon. It can be assumed from this that they were still not up to strength which reinforces the correctness of the decision not to commit them to active service.On October 29 they went by rail to Limerick but remained there only until December 8 when they went by rail to Dublin for garrison duty. They returned to Cork July 11, 1856. The old colours were retired to Ballymodan Church on July 1, and the regiment was disembodied on August 11 at Cork.1856-81 On disembodiment the permanent staff of the regiment returned to Bandon. At this time it consisted of:1 Adjutant1 Quarter Master1 Sergeant Major1 Quarter Masters Clerk20 Sergeants10 DrummersStarting in 1858 the regiment began annual training, usually in the summer months. Because there was no rifle range at Bandon the training consisted mostly of drill, in fact it was not until 1874, when the venue was changed to Fermoy, that any shot was fired in training. In 1872 control of the militia was transferred from the Lord Lieutenant to the War Office.The following table sums up this period:1858 The regiment assembled at Bandon on July 15 them marched to Kinsale for training.1859-65 Annual training at Bandon commencing July 1.1866-70 No training due to the 'disturbed condition of the country'.1871 Training resumed at Bandon.1872 No training.1873 Training at Bandon. A Militia reserve was also formed this year.1874 Training at Fermoy including musket practice for the first time.1875 Training at Fermoy.1876 The number of companies was reduced to eight. A trial mobilisation was carried out in July involving all available military forces including militia and regular army. The South Cork went to England and trained as part of the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Army Corps near Horsham, Sussex (the North Cork and Galway militias were also part of this brigade). They returned to Cork on July 26.1877 Training at Fermoy.1878 Because of the Russian war scare the reserve were sent to Belfast to join the 104th but were soon disembodied and returned home.1879-80 Training at Fermoy.1881-99In 1881 the army reforms saw the amalgamation of the line and militia regiments, the South Cork became the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Munster Fusiliers but retained its militia status. Regimental HQ was at Tralee in Co. Kerry but battalion HQ remained at Bandon. Training was discontinued for three years but resumed in 1884:1884 Training at Fermoy and Curragh.1885 Training at Kinsale.1886 Training at Fermoy.1887 Training at Charles Fort, near Kinsale.1888 Training at Kinsale. New colours were presented in August by the Countess of Bandon and in September the old colours were retired to Warren's Court.1889 Training at Fermoy1890 The permanent staff moved from Bandon to Charles Fort near Kinsale.1891-6 Training at Charles Fort.1897 Training at Kilworth Camp as part of the Munster Militia Brigade.1898 Training at Charles Fort.1899-1902In December 1900 the battalion was embodied for garrison duty at Dover for the duration of the Boer War but on arrival there volunteered for active service in South Africa. This offer was accepted and they arrived in Cape Town March 19, 1900 beginning their first overseas deployment. The duties in South Africa included escorting supply convoys, guarding prisoners, and general garrison duties.On arrival the battalion consisted of 24 officers and 426 men but during their time there the received a number of reinforcements:30 April 1900: 104 men from the 4th battalion and 118 from the 5th.13 July 1900: 134 men from the 1st battalion.15 April 1901: 22 3rd battalion men.During their time in South Africa 3 were killed in action, 6 wounded, and 10 died from disease.They returned to Cork in March 1902 and were disembodied.OFFICERS OF THE SOUTH CORK LIGHT INFANTRY MILITIA1846George BowlesFrancis JonesCrewe C TownsendWilliam BowlesWilliam RyderJoseph Deane FreemanGeorge Robert BruceArthur Hyde LucasVere Hunt BowlesJohn Glover GreggJohn NagleRobert HeardJohn Lucas
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