, when the 1st Battalion of the Welsh Fusiliers,
above nine hundred strong, including officers, was embarking for India
from Portsmouth.

The colours, exchanged for new ones on that day, had been presented in
1849 by the late Prince Consort, the battalion at the same time
receiving from the Queen the first of those Royal goats, which have
always since marched at the head of the regiment. When the gallant
"Nanny Goats," as the Twenty-third are nick-named, first had the
regimental pet is not exactly known, but since 1849 a Royal goat has
been received from Windsor whenever a vacancy occurs.

The colours replaced by the new ones in 1880 had a history of their own,
and the regiment took pride in them, although in such a tattered
condition that they could not be unfurled. The Queen's colour was that
which was carried by Lieutenant Anstruther, who was killed when planting
it on the Great Redoubt at Sebastopol. Twelve officers and half the rank
and file fell in that terrible rush, but the Royal Welsh had the honour
of first entering the enemy's stronghold. No fewer than seventy-five
bullets passed through the colours, and the pole of one of them was shot
in two, and had to be tied up with a cord. Sergeant O'Connor, though
dangerously wounded, carried the Queen's colours till the end of the
battle, and was rewarded by a commission in the regiment, receiving the
Victoria Cross at the close of the war. He rose to be Colonel of the 2nd
Battalion, and was present, with his breast covered with well-earned
decorations, when the Prince of Wales came to present the new colours at
Portsmouth. The colours were afterwards carried through the Indian
Mutiny, where Colonel Elgee and several of the officers had the honour
of serving under them. The ragged relics were relegated to the
honourable obscurity of Wrexham Church.

The ceremony of removing the old colours and presenting the new was an
imposing spectacle, witnessed by an immense assemblage, and amidst great
enthusiasm. The old colours having been placed in front of the saluting
post, were afterwards sent to the rear, the band playing "Auld Lang
Syne." Then the new colours were presented by the Prince, with whom was
the Princess of Wales, the Duke of Edinburgh, and Prince Edward of
Saxe-Weimar. Having received the colours from the Majors, the Prince
presented them separately to the Lieutenants, and then turning to the
Colonel, spoke as follows:--

"Colonel Elgee, officers, and