The regiments of the British Army, chronologically arranged
History
The regiments of the British Army, chronologically arranged
Great Britain. Army
| | |Badajos, 1812.
| | |Salamanca, 1812.
| | |Vittoria, 1813.
| | |Nivelle, 1813.
| | |Orthes, 1814.
| | |Toulouse, 1814.
| | |Peninsula, 1808–1814.
| | |Plattsburg, 1814.
| | |Lucknow, 1857.
| | |Indian Mutiny,
| | | 1857–1858.
-------------------------+--------+--------+-----------------------
The Regiment is one of those that came from Holland with King William
III., it had previously been known as “the Irish Regiment.”
It bears “St. George and the Dragon” (the ancient badge of the
Regiment), “the Rose and Crown,” “the King’s Crest,” and the motto “Quo
fata vocant.”
It is not known when the facings were changed to Green. The peculiar
shade now worn is said to have been first adopted in consequence of the
colour fading.
It was permitted to wear Fuzileer caps in commemoration of its
defeating a French Division of Grenadiers at the battle of
Wilhelmstahl, 1762; and also a white plume in the cap for its gallantry
at St. Lucia in 1778, with the Grenadier and Light Battalions which
formed “the Reserve.” These troops plucked the white feathers from the
hats of the dead French, and decorated their own with them. The 5th is
the only Regiment that has retained the distinction by now wearing a
red and white pompon.
It received its title in 1782 in compliment to its Colonel, Earl Percy.
It was nicknamed in 1764 “the Shiners” from its clean and smart
appearance; and in the Peninsula “the Old Bold Fifth,” “the Fighting
Fifth,” and “Lord Wellington’s Body-Guard,” from being at Head-quarters
in 1811.
SIXTH FOOT.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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