The deliverance of the French West India Islands from republican domination, was undertaken in January, 1794; the flank companies of the TWELFTH joined the expedition under General Sir Charles Grey, K. B. (afterwards Earl Grey), at Barbadoes, and were engaged in the attack of _Martinico_. A landing was effected at three different points in the early part of February, and after some sharp fighting, in which the companies of the TWELFTH signalized themselves, particularly the grenadier company, forming part of the brigade commanded by Prince Edward (afterwards Duke of Kent), which captured Fort Royal by escalade on the 17th of March, and carried Morne Tartisson by storm, the island was captured. In his despatch, Sir Charles Grey stated,--'All the officers and soldiers of this little army merit the greatest praise.' The loss of the TWELFTH foot was limited to a few private soldiers killed and wounded. From Martinico the flank companies of the TWELFTH sailed with the expedition against _St. Lucia_, where the troops arrived on the 1st of April, and the companies of the TWELFTH took part in the reduction of that island, which was accomplished in three days without loss. The flank companies were afterwards engaged in the capture of _Guadaloupe_ and its dependencies, in which service they lost several men. The rapid success with which the British empire was thus extended, by the addition of three valuable islands and their dependencies, excited great admiration; and Sir Charles Grey stated in his despatch, that he 'could not find words to convey an adequate idea, or to express the high sense he entertained, of the extraordinary merit evinced by the officers and soldiers in this service.' While the flank companies were engaged in the capture of the French West India Islands, the regiment was withdrawn from Ireland to reinforce the troops under the Duke of York in Flanders; it embarked from Drogheda on the 7th of March, landed at Parkgate on the 14th, re-embarked at Greenwich on the 1st of May, and landed at Ostend on the 6th of that month. On arriving at the seat of war, the regiment was ordered to join the corps under the Austrian General Count Clerfait, who commanded the troops in West Flanders, and it was attached to the division under Major-General Hammerstein, together with the thirty-eighth and fifty-fifth regiments, and the eighth light dragoons.