The war with France, which was commenced in 1689, had been continued with varied success; and in the spring of 1694 the ROYAL DRAGOONS were ordered to proceed on foreign service. They left England in May; joined the army encamped near Tirlemont in South Brabant, on the 21st of June, and were reviewed by King William on the following day. On arriving at this camp they were ordered to take post in front of the village of Camtich, and this quarter being much exposed to attacks from the enemy, they were reinforced by two regiments of Dutch infantry. The army marched from Tirlemont on the 13th of July, and encamped at Mont St. André and Ramilies, where the regiment was formed in brigade with the royal Scots and Fairfax's (now second and third) dragoons, under the command of Brigadier-General Matthews, and this brigade was encamped on the left of the line. The French army encamped near Huy, with their left upon the Mehaine. On the 17th of July a foraging party of the allies crossed the river, and, meeting with several French squadrons, a skirmish ensued, when the ROYAL DRAGOONS lost eight horses and had three men wounded. On the 28th of the same month another foraging party encountered a detachment of the enemy, when the regiment had two men and several horses killed. The allied army was again in motion on the 8th of August: much manœuvring, and some skirmishing took place between the hostile squadrons, but no general engagement occurred. On the 29th of August the ROYAL DRAGOONS were stationed at Wacken--a post situate at the junction of the Mandel and the Scheldt; and in October they marched into cantonments in the villages between Ghent and Sans-van-Ghent.[34] [Sidenote: 1695] In the spring of 1695 the ROYAL DRAGOONS marched to Dixmude, forming part of a division of the army commanded by Major-General Ellenberg, and were brigaded with Lloyd's (now third) dragoons and a regiment of Danish cavalry. On the 7th of June the Duke of Wirtemberg took command of this division, and attacked the French forts at _Kenoque_ as a diversion to conceal King William's design upon the strong and almost impregnable fortress of _Namur_, which he commanded to be invested shortly afterwards. The ROYAL DRAGOONS joined the covering army towards the end of June; but were detached to Bruges in July: they were subsequently recalled from thence and joined the camp between Genappe and Waterloo, from whence they proceeded to the vicinity of _Namur_, to protect the troops employed in the siege from a threatened attack of the French army. After the surrender of the important fortress of _Namur_, the regiment marched into cantonments behind Ghent. [Sidenote: 1696]