Letter (March 1914) from 3389 Private John Collins, late 61st Regt.

Scottish Naval and Military Veteran's Residence, Edinburgh, 28th Jan. 1914.

Dear Sir,

I received your kind letter and I am very sorry in being so late in answering you as I caught a chill attending the funeral of a comrade. In reference to your enquiries about the clothes that was worn in the siege of Delhi, I may state the Regiment wore Livingstone hats with kharki covers; jackets and trousers the same, when we got the order to dye them. When we got the order to march to Delhi day and night, and let the dye on our clothing dry as best it could on the march. In regard to being in shirt sleeves when our camp was attacked, we had many times to fight in our shirt sleeves. We encamped on the 1st July 1857, under the range of hills, and the 6th Caribineers came out to meet us and Colonel Jones gave the order to the band to strike up "Cheer Boys Cheer" and the band was the first band to play into camp, which no other band ever did. Sir, what I refer to was the right wing of the Regiment, as we left the left wing of the Regiment behind us. Sir, if you want any more details regarding Ferozepore and what the Regt. done there, I shall be happy and proud to inform you.

Dear Sir, I remain, your obedient servant,
3389 Pte John Collins, late 61st Foot.