In September 1732, General Thomas Pearce, who had commanded the regiment for twenty-eight years, was removed to the Fifth Horse, now Fourth Dragoon Guards, and was succeeded by Colonel John (afterwards Sir John) Cope from the Thirty-ninth regiment. [Sidenote: 1735] [Sidenote: 1737] The regiment left Ireland in 1735, and was stationed in England in that and the following year; but in 1737 it again proceeded to Ireland. At the same time Colonel Cope was removed to the Ninth Dragoons, and the Colonelcy of the FIFTH was conferred on Alexander Irwin. [Sidenote: 1738] A period of seventeen years was now passed by the regiment in Ireland, where it continued to retain its high state of discipline and efficiency, and preserved untarnished the laurels it had previously won. [Sidenote: 1752] [Sidenote: 1754] After the decease of Colonel Irwin, in 1752, the command of the regiment was given to Charles Whiteford; who was succeeded on the 20th of August, 1754, by Lord George Bentinck. [Sidenote: 1755] In the spring of 1755, the regiment left Ireland, and was quartered in England; and in September of that year it had the honour to receive King George II. at Chelmsford, on his way from Harwich to London. [Sidenote: 1756] [Sidenote: 1758] The regiment remained in the south of England during the two succeeding years; and in 1758, another war having broken out, it formed part of an expedition designed to effect the reduction of the maritime power of France, and to make a diversion in favour of the Hanoverians. It accordingly proceeded to the Isle of Wight,--the general rendezvous,--embarked at Cowes eight hundred and eighty-eight men strong on the 25th of May, and its grenadier company was the first to make good its landing on the coast of France on the evening of the 5th of June, when seven companies of French foot, and three troops of dragoons, were quickly dispersed. On the 7th the army advanced in two columns;--the FIFTH, taking the main road to _St. Maloes_, encamped in the evening about a mile from the town, and after sunset furnished, in common with the other regiments, a detachment, which, proceeding to the harbour, set fire to the shipping, magazines, &c., when a grand yet dreadful scene of conflagration presented itself. Having destroyed a valuable fleet and all the stores, the troops re-embarked and returned to England. In August of the same year, the FIFTH was engaged in a second expedition to the coast of France, when _Cherbourg_ was captured, and the harbour, forts, magazines, and ordnance, consisting of 173 pieces of iron cannon and 3 mortars, were destroyed: at the same time 22 pieces of fine brass cannon, and two brass mortars, were brought off as trophies, and sent to England; and these guns, having been seen by King George II. in Hyde Park on the 16th of September, were conducted in procession through the city to the Tower of London.