Colonel R. F. Meysey-Thompson 



The new duties for a time were no sinecure. True to their 

 traditions the Liberal Government had reduced the army 

 to such a degree that when the French and German War 

 suddenly broke out, the ranks of the Rifle Brigade were 

 very attenuated indeed. Recruits by the hundred were there- 

 fore hurriedly sought in every quarter, and the business of 

 training them naturally fell on the shoulders of the adjutant ; 

 while, to add to the responsibility, amongst the numbers so 

 hurriedly got together were many of bad character, who 

 gradually had to be weeded out. In 1872 manoeuvres on a 

 large scale were held for the first time on Salisbury Plain, 

 and to ensure all the young soldiers being up to the standard 

 required of the Rifle Brigade, many hours needed to be spent 

 daily on the drill ground. At the conclusion of the mimic 

 campaign the battalion was sent to Ireland ; and the next 

 spring to the Curragh Camp for the summer drills ; and hardly 

 had these been finished when war was declared aeainst the 

 Ashantis, and Sir G. Wolseley selected the 2nd Battalion Rifle 

 Brigade to accompany him, although nineteen regiments were 

 above it on the list for active service. The calls on his time, 

 therefore, for a considerable period were far too pressing to 

 allow of race-riding, and it was not till the battalion had returned 

 from the West Coast of Africa in 1874, that Mr. Meysey- 

 Thompson once more had leisure to appear in colours. 



Within three weeks of landing in England, however, he 

 won two hurdle races, one on Lord Torphichen's Fiddle, by 

 Kettledrum out of Imperatrice, and the other on his own horse 

 Fortal. The latter was extremely wild and rash, a marvellous 

 jumper, but never to be depended on at any fence, at one time 

 getting too close and then landing into space, and at another, 

 taking off far too soon, and only getting over without a fall — if 

 he happened to be in luck. In the course of the summer it was 



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