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{{Distinguish|Royal Hong Kong Regiment}}
{{Use Hong Kong English|date=April 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = Hong Kong Regiment
| native_name =
| image =Hong Kong Regiment.jpg
| alt = Soldiers of the Hong Kong Regiment
| caption =
| dates = 1891–1902
| disbanded = 1902
| country = {{flagicon|British Raj}} [[British India]]
| countries = [[British Empire]]
| allegiance = {{Army|British India}}
| branch = Army
| type = infantry
| role = Garrison force
| size =
| command_structure =
| garrison = [[British Hong Kong]]
| garrison_label =
| nickname = "The Swagger Regiment"{{cn|date=January 2018}}
| patron =
| motto =
| colors = 
| colors_label = 
| march =
| mascot =
| anniversaries =
| equipment =
| equipment_label =
| battles = [[Boxer Rebellion]]
| decorations =
| battle_honours =
| battle_honours_label =
| flying_hours =
| website =
}}
The '''Hong Kong Regiment''' was a [[British Indian Army]] regiment [[Secondment|seconded]] to the [[British Army]] intended to form part of the garrison of [[British Hong Kong]] between 1891 and 1902. It was disbanded in 1902 following a request from the [[India Office]] owing to the cost of the regiment.<ref name=six />

== History ==

The Hong Kong Regiment was created as a result of an 1886 recommendation for an extra battalion to join the [[Hong Kong Military Service Corps]] in garrisoning Hong Kong.<ref name=h>{{cite book |title=Hong Kong Invaded! A 'Ninety-Seven Nightmare |first=Gillian |last=Bickley |year=2001 |publisher=Hong Kong University Press |isbn=9622095267 |page=137 }}</ref> The regiment was recruited by the British Indian Army from native Indians from [[Upper India]] and the regiment was seconded to the British Army.<ref name=six /> They first arrived in Hong Kong in 1892. Upon arrival, they received authorisation from their British officers to help with the funding and rebuilding of the [[Kowloon Mosque]] for the "Mohammedans of Upper India".<ref>{{cite book |title=Islam and China's Hong Kong: Ethnic Identity, Muslim Networks and the New Silk Road |first=Wai-Yip |last=Ho |year=2013 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1134098071|page=31 }}</ref>

The soldiers of the Hong Kong Regiment received high praise on their standards of drill and soldiering. The first recruits were apparently so good at firing that the Commandant of the [[School of Musketry]] said there was "little we could teach them".<ref name=six /> A report in ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' described it as a "Swagger Regiment", and the [[Commander-in-Chief of the Forces]], [[Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts|Lord Roberts]] praised them highly during their first inspection, which was commonly repeated by the [[Governor of Hong Kong|Governors of Hong Kong]].<ref name=six>{{cite book |title=The Six-Day War of 1899: Hong Kong in the Age of Imperialism |first=Patrick H. |last=Hase |author-link=Patrick Hase |year=2008 |publisher=[[Hong Kong University Press]] |location=Hong Kong |isbn=9789622098992 |pages=232–233 }}</ref>

In 1897 the regiment was deployed to suppress disturbances in the newly acquired [[New Territories]]. Khaki drill was worn for ordinary duties (see photo above) but a scarlet and blue full dress uniform was authorised for cold-weather ceremonial.

The regiment saw action during the [[Boxer Rebellion]] and was a main part of the relief of [[Peking]]. However in 1902, the India Office demanded that the regiment be disbanded owing to the cost of maintaining them, as the soldiers were better paid than other regiments of the [[British Raj]] and as a result were able to select which recruits they took on.<Ref name=six /> This request was accepted, with the regiment's soldiers being transferred to the newly renamed [[67th Punjabis]].<ref name=six /> Their colours were laid up at [[St. John's Cathedral (Hong Kong)|St John's Cathedral]], Hong Kong, though they were later lost during the [[Japanese occupation of Hong Kong]].<ref name=six />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:British Indian Army infantry regiments]]
[[Category:1891 establishments in the British Empire]]
[[Category:1902 disestablishments in the British Empire]]
[[Category:History of Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Military of Hong Kong under British rule]]
[[Category:British Army deployments]]

Hong Kong Regiment - Revision history

>Citation bot: Alter: isbn, pages. Removed parameters. Formatted dashes. Upgrade ISBN10 to ISBN13. | Use this bot. Report bugs. | Suggested by Anas1712 | Category:Military of Hong Kong under British rule | via #UCB_Category 6/62