COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 67 



and posted back to Newmarket in time for the races. 

 Willoughby went to India with the regiment, and 

 died there. 



This year the order came out that cavalry soldiers 

 wei^e not to shave their uppei" lip. When William 

 IV. came to the throne the 9th Lancers were at 

 Hampton Court, and the escort were ordered to cut 

 off their moustaches. This was in 1830. 



On 25th April, 1840, the regiment marched to 

 Hounslow. There was a little barrack at the gate 

 of Hyde Park at the top of Queen's Gate. The 

 regiment at Hounslow had to furnish thirty men and 

 four corporals and one sergeant to do the orderly 

 duty and escorts in London, and I, being senior 

 subaltern, was stationed there. 



I was presented to Her Majesty Queen Victoria 

 by Lord Rosslyn at one of the first levies. 



I had all the picked men of the regiment and 

 picked horses. They were a real fine lot of old 

 soldiers. In those days they enlisted for twenty 

 four years. Many of them were six feet high, and 

 in stable dress they looked like lifeguardsmen. My 

 sergeant was a very smart chap named Nile, who 

 was always for making a good appearance. They 

 were all men of good character. The only punish- 

 ment was to be sent back to the regiment, and it 

 never happened all the time I was there. One 

 chap was taken ill and was afraid he would be sent 

 to hospital, so he took eight ounces of salts in eight 

 doses! We had to send four men and a corporal 

 every day to the Horse Guards. Lord Rosslyn's 



5* 



