Commanding Officers of the 68th Regiment from 1831 to 1881

extracted from "Records and Badges of the British Army, 1900" by Henry M Chichester and George Burges-Short

1831    John Cross, K.H.

Commanded the regiment, for twelve years. Joining it from the 52nd, of which he was one of the gallant officers who went through the Peninsular and Waterloo campaigns. He retired on full pay in 1843, and died a few years later.

1843    Lord William Paulet

Fourth son of the 13th Marquis of Winchester. Joined the 68th as Major, in 1833, by exchange from half-pay, and commanded the regiment from 1843 to 1847. He was Assistant Adjutant-General in the Crimea, including Alma, Balaklava, Inkerman, and siege of Sebastopol, afterwards held important staff appointments, and was finally Adjutant-General to the forces from 1865 to 1870. He was appointed to the Hon. Colonelcy of the 68th in 1864. Was made a Field Marshal and G.C.B., and died May, 1893, in his 89th year.

1847    Richardson William Huey

Served many years in the regiment, which he commanded from 1847 to 1852, when he went on half-pay. He afterwards had command of the 2nd Battalion Royal Scots in the Crimea, and died in 1861.

1852    Lord Arthur Lennox

Fifth son of the 4th Duke of Richmond. Exchanged to the command from half-pay, and retired by sale December, 1853. He had served in the 71st and 72nd Highlanders, commanding the latter in 1843. He was many years Member for Chichester. Elected for Yarmouth in 1847. but unseated on petition, and was Clerk of the Ordnance and a Lord of the Treasury in 1844. Lord Arthur died in January,1864.

1853    Henry Smyth

Joined the regiment in 1833, and purchased the command in December, 1853. He commanded the 68th throughout the Crimean War, including Alma and Inkerman (horse killed), siege and fall of Sebastopol; C.B. In July, 1859, he exchanged to the 76th. General Smyth, who held the Devonport command from 1874 to 1877, was appointed Hon. Colonel of the 2nd Queen's, in 1877. and died in June. 1891. aged 75.

1855    George MacBeath

Accompanied the regiment to the Crimea as senior Captain and brevet Lieutenant-Colonel. Was present at Alma and Inkerman, gaining his majority at the latter battle by the death of Major Wynne: was promoted 2nd Lieutenant-Colonel 9th March, 1855, serving as such before Sebastopol, and thus came home to take command of the depot battalion at Glasgow. He retired by sale and died in 1863.

1859    Henry Harpur Greer

Joined the 68th as Ensign, in 1811. He commanded the depot in 1854-57 and thus missed the Crimean War, which gave him his majority. Became Lieutenant-Colonel by purchase, in April, 
1859, and commanded the regiment until November, 1869, including the New Zealand War in 1864-66. Commanded the regiment at the attack on the Gate Pah and the Tauranga Field Force at the engagement of Te Range; C.B. Lieutenant-General Greer died in 1886.

            Robert Clifford Lloyd

Exchanged to 2nd Lieutenant-Colonelcy in 1859, from the 76th, in which he served for over thirty years. He retired by sale in 1862.

            Horatio Harbord Morant

2nd Lieutenant-Colonel of the regiment from December, 1862, to August, 1866. He joined the 68th as Ensign in 1844, and was with the regiment at Alma, Inkerman, and Sebastopol, and in the New Zealand War. Major-General Morant, who had been au Aide-de-Camp to the Queen, died in 1888.

1869    Joshua Henry Kirby

Joined the regiment as Major in 1861 by exchange from the 86th, in which he had served for over 20 years. Went through the New Zealand War of 1864-66, and commanded the 68th on the 27th April, 1864, at the commencement of the operations against the Gate Pah and three companies during the action of the 29th April, 1864. Commanded the regiment from November. 1869 to October, 1871, when he was given command of the Scinde District Brigade. He died suddenly at Belgaum, 30th June, 1877, in his 57th year.

1874    Harrison Walke John Trent

Ensign 68th, April, 1848, serving throughout the New Zealand War in 1864-66. Present at assault on the Gate Pah, severely wounded in the right wrist while leading two companies of the 68th into the left of the enemy's rifle pits at Te Range; Brevet of Major. Commanded the regiment from October, 1874 to October, 1879. Commandant at Hythe, 1880-5. Reward for distinguished services. Retired pay, 1888. Assumed the additional surname of Stoughton.

1879    Aubrey Harvey Tucker, C.B.

Ensign 68th. January, 1854. Served with the regiment at Alma, Inkerman, siege and fall of Sebastopol. and in the New Zealand War, including the action of Te Range. Commanded the regiment from October, 1879 to August. 1884. Retired pay.

Commanding Officers of the 106th Regiment from 1862 to 1881

1862    Robert William Disney Leith, C.B.

Joined the 1st Bombay European Fusiliers as Ensign in 1837, and served in the Persian Gulf from 1838 to 1840, and in the Punjaub Campaign 1848-9. He led the storming party at the capture of Mooltan (Brevet of Major) and was dangerously wounded, losing his left arm, and receiving a ball in the right shoulder (never extracted), besides other serious sabre cuts. Highly complimented both personally and in despatches for his distinguished gallantry, and appointed to the Staff of the Adjutant-General's department. Was Assistant-Adjutant-General of a division during the Indian Mutiny. He was the first officer to command the 106th on its being transferred to the Imperial Establishment, and remained with it until 1866. General Leith, who was appointed Hon. Colonel of the Worcestershire Regiment. died at North Court, Isle of Wight. June, 1892, aged 73.

1866    Henry Philip Tyacke

Commanded the regiment for six years, retiring on pension as Hon. Major-General in 1872. He served in the Southern Mahratta Campaign and in the expedition to Persia.

1872    William Mainwaring Sloane Bolton

Commanded the regiment from June, 1872, until his death at Morar, September 12th. 1873. He served in the Southern Mahratta Campaign and with the Rajpootana Field Force in the Indian Mutiny, 1858-9; Brevet of Major.

1873    Robert Rollo Gillespie, C.B.

Entered the Bombay Army as Ensign, 2nd Bombay Europeans in June, 1847. Served with the expedition to Persia, and joined the 106th as Captain in 1862. Brigade-Major in India, 1867-8. Commanded the regiment from August, 1873 to September, 1877, when he was appointed Assistant-Adjutant-General Northern District. Served as Assistant-Adjutant-General on the Staff of the Expeditionary Force to Egypt in 1882; C.B. Commanded a brigade Bombay Army, 1885-85. Quartermaster-General Bombay Army, 1885-86. Commanded the Mhow Division, 1886, until his death at Mhow, in November, 1890.

1877    Elliot Larkins Robertson

Served with the expedition to Persia, and commanded the regiment from September, 1877 to July, 1880.

1880    George Charles Girardot

Ensign Bombay Army, August, 1859. Commanded the regiment from July, 1880 to August. 1884, when he retired on pension as Hon. Major-General.

Commanding Officers of the Linked Battalions from 1881 to 1900

1881    Aubrey Harvey Tucker, C.B., 1st Bn.

          George Charles Girardot, 2nd Bn.

1884    Edmund Rogers Coker, D.S.O.

Ensign. Madras Army, June, 1861, joining 106th in 1862. Commanded 2nd Battalion, August, 1884 to 1887. Retired pay, 1889. In command of 2nd Battalion in Soudan. 1885-86, including action at Giniss - D.S.O.

1884    Robert Alexander Crawford

Joined 68th as Captain in October, 1872, b