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Jim’s
Australiana Spot – 2UE - March 20, 2011
Henry Despard was born in 1784 in Devon and was commissioned as
an ensign in the 17th Regiment of Foot in 1799. He saw active service
in several campaigns in India between 1808 and 1818, became a brigade
major in 1817 and a lieutenant colonel in 1829, and was inspecting
officer of the Bristol recruiting district from 1838 to 1842; in
1842 he took command of the 99th Regiment of Foot, stationed in Sydney.
The mutiny by the 99th Regiment
in 1846 over the abolition of the daily grog allowance lasted for
approximately four weeks and ended when the rebels learnt that
400 troops from Hobart were onboard the ship " Tasmania" standing
off Sydney Heads.
The old military quarters in Sydney were known as the George' s
Square Barracks, covered an area including, Wynyard Square on the
western side of George Street and eastern side of Clarence Street,
from Barrack Street to Margaret Street. The entrance gate was on
the western side of George Street at the junction of York and Barrack
Streets.
The Mutiny was a protest against Colonel Despard's decision to discontinue
the daily allowance of grog normally supplied to troops on foreign
service.
Despard also gave an order that prohibited citizens from walking
on any part of the grass-covered area in front of the barracks when
listening to the band play.
The 99th were so annoyed that
they "forgot their obligations
to their Queen and country, by refusing to obey the lawful commands
of their Officers, or to perform any further duty".
Despard reported to General Sir Maurice
O'Connell, overall commander of troops in the Australian colonies,
who lived in Sydney, he went to the barracks and threatened to arm
the convicts at Cockatoo Island and march them against the mutineers.
The 99th then took up their arms and returned to the barrack Square,
compelling the General and his officers to leave the barracks.
The General forwarded a dispatch
to Colonel Bloomfield of
the 11th Regiment in Hobart directing him to proceed to Sydney without
delay, with as many men as could be spared, to disarm the mutineers
of the 99 th Regiment.
The barque "Tasmania" was chartered and 400 men and officers
embarked for Sydney. Three days later they were in sight of Sydney
Heads but an off shore gale kept the vessel from entering the heads for
seven days.
The 99th Regiment found out that a
vessel full of troops was outside of the Heads and offered to return
to duty.
The 11th Regiment arrived in Sydney on 8th January 1846 and marched
four deep, with fixed bayonets, along George Street with the band
playing "Paddy Will You Now" to the barracks main gate.
They entered the Barrack Square to a most hearty welcome and cheers
from 99th Regiment and their women and children together with as
many of citizens as could fit into the barrack grounds.
Thus ended the Mutiny of the 99th regiment.
The 11th Regiment gave a sumptuous dinner to the citizens of Sydney
their wives, and children with entertainment consisting of old English
sports, games, and other amusements.
The grog ration was restored to the 99th Regiment and Sydney's citizens
were again allowed to walk on the grass in front of Barrack Square.
The entire 99th Regiment was ordered to India instead of returning
to England as punishment for their conduct.
On 1 June 1845 Despard and two companies
of his regiment arrived in Auckland in response to an appeal for
assistance by Governor Robert FitzRoy after attacks by Moaris led
by Chief Hone Heke.
Despard was given the temporary rank of colonel and took command
of all British troops in New Zealand. On 8 June he sailed for the
Bay of Islands with more than 600 men, the largest British force
ever seen in New Zealand. They established a base at the Waimate
mission station and began to bombard Ohaeawai, the first Maori pa
designed to resist artillery fire. Its 100-strong garrison was protected
by a complex of bunkers and trenches.
On 1 July the Maoris made a daring attack which prompted Despard
to attack that afternoon, although no real breach had had been made
in the stockade. Using old fashioned Napoleonic War tactics with
his troops advancing shoulder to shoulder.
The British force attacked made no impression on the virtually undamaged
main stockade, and Despard was forced to order a recall. More than
120 of Despard's men were killed or wounded in this action. Despard
at first blamed his men's failure to carry axes and other tools as
he had ordered but he later conceded that his plan had had little
chance of success.
Despard then attempted to negotiate a peaceful settlement but failed.
Although he had a force of around thirteen hundred British troops,
several hundred Maori warriors and substantial artillery support,
the northern war ended soon after without any British victories and
Despard returned to New South Wales.
Despard's performance during the campaigns of 1845 was woeful. He
was bad tempered, impatient and obstinant and had a contempt for
the Maori, which led him to underestimate his opponents. When Maori
chief Waaka Nene offered his services to help the British Despard
replied that “when he required the assistance of savages,
he would ask for it.”
Despard suffered from neuralgia and bad temper. His decision to
attack Ohaeawai was one of the most incompetent and tragic in British
military history - prompted more by a fit of temper than by any military
considerations.
The position of commander of British troops during the northern
war had been given to a man of 60 who had not seen active service
for nearly 30 years and was unequal to the task. Yet, on 2 July 1846,
Despard was knighted for his services, and in 1854 he was promoted
to major general; he then retired from the army. He died at Heavitree,
Devon, England in 1859.
Tune in to hear Jim on 2UE every Sunday
at 12.30 pm
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