In the late 19th century, when the 1st Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers returned from the Burma War, they brought back two magnificent brass bells from the Incomparable Pagoda (a Buddhist Temple) in Mandalay.
In 1885, 730 men and 17 officers of the regiment left Calcutta. Two years later 309 men and 6 officers reached Lucknow. 87 had died of disease and 341 had been invalided. Only 4 had been killed by the enemy.
Queen Victoria authorised ‘Burma 1885-87‘ to be added to the regiment’s colours, while the bells were hung outside the barracks at Hightown for many years. The other large bell has never been traced but a third bell, sent from India, was on display at the Royal Welch Fusiliers museum at Caernarvon Castle.
Wrexham’s bell was re-sited from the barracks to Queens Square, outside the Guildhall. It has since been relocated close to the Wrexham War Memorial at Bodhyfryd.
These pictures show the bell outside the Guildhall.
The following pictures show the Bell in its current location at Bodhyhfyd.
Source: Curious Clwyd – Gordon Emery; John Davies, Wrexham History.
