Early history Somerset Light Infantry

1 history

1.1 formation
1.2 jacobite wars
1.3 9 years war
1.4 war of spanish succession
1.5 anglo-spanish war
1.6 war of austrian succession
1.7 forty 5
1.8 return europe

early history
formation

theophilus hastings, 7th earl of huntingdon, founder of regiment



original uniform of earl of huntingdon s regiment in 1685

the regiment 1 of 9 regiments of foot raised james ii when expanded size of army in response monmouth rebellion. on 20 june 1685, theophilus hastings, 7th earl of huntingdon issued warrant authorising him raise regiment, , accordingly earl of huntingdon s regiment of foot formed, recruiting in county of buckinghamshire.

jacobite wars

the regiment remained in existence when william iii came throne in glorious revolution of 1688. fernando hastings took on colonelcy of regiment, accordingly became hastings s regiment of foot. hastings s regiment first saw action @ battle of killiecrankie, failed halt advance of jacobite rebels, although later defeated @ battle of dunkeld. regiment accompanied william ireland in following year, fighting in decisive williamite victories @ boyne , cork.

nine years war

the jacobite struggles in scotland , ireland part of wider european conflict became known 9 years war. in 1692, hastings regiment sailed flanders and, in 1694, took part in disastrous amphibious assault @ camaret on french coast. in 1695, colonel fernando hastings found guilty of extortion, , dismissed. sir john jacob became colonel, , jacob s regiment of foot returned england @ end of war in 1697.

war of spanish succession

after period of garrison duty in ireland, jacob s regiment returned flanders in 1701. in following year, colonelcy again changed, sir john jacob choosing retire. sold colonelcy brother-in-law, lieutenant-general james barry, 4th earl of barrymore, 1,400 guineas. outbreak of war of spanish succession, earl of barrymore s regiment of foot saw action @ sieges or battles of kaiserwerth, venlo, roermond, huy, limburg , liège.

in 1704, barrymore s regiment moved iberian peninsula taking part in defence of recently-captured gibraltar (1704–05) , siege of barcelona (1705). in 1706, bulk of regiment converted regiment of dragoons due shortage of cavalry. barrymore returned england small cadre; regiment re-raised , returned spain. unit fought @ battle of almanza (1707), battle of la caya (1709), battle of tortosa (1711) , battle of st mateo (1711). in 1711, regiment started long period of garrison duty @ gibraltar. in 1715, became cotton s regiment of foot when stanhope cotton succeeded barrymore.

anglo-spanish war

when war broke out spain in 1727, cotton s part of force resisted spanish siege of gibraltar. regiment returned england in following year. remained there until 1742, name changing colonelcy: kerr s regiment of foot (lord mark kerr) in 1725, middleton s regiment of foot (brigadier-general john middleton) in 1732 , pulteney s regiment of foot (general harry pulteney) in 1739.

war of austrian succession

soldier of 13th regiment, 1742

in 1742, pulteney s regiment sailed flanders, , in following year part of joint british, hanoverian , austrian force secured victory on french @ battle of dettingen in june 1743. in may 1745, situation reversed when part of allied army decisively defeated @ battle of fontenoy.

the forty 5

in 1745, pulteney s regiment returned britain, moving scotland suppress jacobite rising of 1745. formed part of defeated forces @ battle of falkirk in january 1746. 3 months later, took part in final defeat of jacobites in culloden.

return europe

following ending of jacobite rising, pulteney s regiment returned flanders, fought @ battle of rocoux (october 1746) , battle of lauffeld or val (july 1747). in both cases, allied forces defeated french. regiment returned england in 1747, , war formally ended treaty of aix-la-chapelle in 1748.