How did the 24th Regiment get the name 2nd Warwickshire?
The Army Reforms of 1782 sought to allocate infantry regiments to specific recruiting areas. The 6th and 24th of Foot were allocated to the County of Warwick – they were given the titles 6th (1st Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot and 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot. The reason for the choice of Warwickshire is not known. However, the scheme failed for the 24th as no permanent recruiting base or depot was established in the County. The 24th continued to recruit where best it could. It was given a permanent depot in Brecon and a recruiting area in the border counties of Wales in 1873. A large number of young men from Wales served in the Anglo-Zulu war of 1879. Interestingly, there were only two Warwickshire-born men at the defence of Rorke’s Drift.
