During the summer of this year a British army proceeded to Flanders, to support the house of Austria, against the united efforts of the King of France and the Elector of Bavaria, who were endeavouring to deprive the Archduchess, Maria Theresa, of her hereditary dominions. In 1743, a victory was gained at Dettingen; and in the summer of 1744, the allied army confronted the forces of France in the Austrian Netherlands. In June, 1744, the THIRTY-FOURTH Regiment embarked for Flanders, and joining the allied army at the camp on the bank of the Scheldt, took part in several operations. It penetrated the territory subject to France to the vicinity of Lisle; and subsequently returned to Flanders, where it passed the winter. [Sidenote: 1745] The French monarch assembled a numerous army in the spring of 1745, and commenced operations by besieging the strong fortress of Tournay; and the Duke of Cumberland, having arrived in Flanders, assembled the allied army with the view of raising the siege. The THIRTY-FOURTH were called from their quarters in April, to take part in this service; and when the allied army approached, the French took up a position at the village of _Fontenoy_. [Illustration: THIRTY-FOURTH (THE CUMBERLAND) REGIMENT OF FOOT. M DCC XLII. (Uniform of Private Soldiers in 1742) (_To face page 24._)] At an early hour on the morning of the 11th of May, the allied army advanced to engage the enemy, and the THIRTY-FOURTH Regiment entered the plain in front of the French batteries, to take part in the action. Soon after nine o’clock, the British infantry moved forward to attack the French position on the right of the village of Fontenoy, and their gallant bearing, in the face of a storm of grape and musketry, excited admiration; by a resolute charge they broke the French lines; but the Dutch failed in their attack, and the British regiments were forced to retire. A second attack was made, and the heroic valour of the English infantry was conspicuous; their steady fire destroyed entire ranks of their enemy, and the determined charge with the bayonet proved irresistible; but the Dutch again failed, and a retreat was ordered. The THIRTY-FOURTH Regiment evinced great gallantry on this occasion, and it had the honor of performing a conspicuous part in covering the retreat, and in bringing up the rear of the right wing out of the plain, to the village of Vezont. The determined bearing of the regiment, with that of the Thirty-second Foot, and the brigade of Life Guards under Major-General the Earl of Crawford, intimidated the enemy, and the retreat was effected, without serious loss, to the town of Aeth. The regiment had one serjeant and seventeen rank and file killed; Lieutenants Cramer, Forrest, Mure, Courtenay, and Hargraves, Ensigns Donallen and Stacey, two serjeants, and fifty-three rank and file wounded; one serjeant and twenty-seven rank and file missing.