57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot

Last updated
57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot
57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot badge.jpeg
Badge of the 57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot
Active1755 to 1881
CountryUnion flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg  Kingdom of Great Britain (1755–1800)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom (1801–1881)
BranchFlag of the British Army.svg  British Army
Type Line Infantry
Role Light Infantry
SizeOne battalion (two battalions 1803–1815)
Garrison/HQ Hounslow Barracks
Nickname(s)"The Steelbacks" [1]
"The Die Hards"
Motto(s) Honi soit qui mal y pense (Evil be to Him, who Evil Thinks)
ColorsYellow facings, gold braided lace
MarchQuick:Sir Manley Power
Slow:Caledonian
Engagements American Revolutionary War
French Revolutionary Wars
Napoleonic Wars
Crimean War
Indian Rebellion
New Zealand Wars
Anglo-Zulu War

The 57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot was a regiment of line infantry in the British Army, raised in 1755. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 77th (East Middlesex) Regiment of Foot to form the Middlesex Regiment in 1881.

Contents

History

Early wars

Ruins of Fort Montgomery, stormed by the regiment in October 1777 Fort Montgomery 04.jpg
Ruins of Fort Montgomery, stormed by the regiment in October 1777

The regiment was raised in Somerset and Gloucester by Colonel John Arabin as the 59th Regiment of Foot in 1755 for service in the Seven Years' War. [2] It was re-ranked as the 57th Regiment of Foot, following the disbandment of the existing 50th and 51st regiments, in 1756. [2] The regiment, which originally operated as marines, was deployed to Gibraltar in 1757, to Menorca in 1763 and to Ireland in 1767. [3]

It was dispatched to Charleston, South Carolina in February 1776 for service in the American Revolutionary War. [3] The regiment saw action at the Battle of Long Island in August 1776 [3] and stormed Fort Montgomery at the Battle of Forts Clinton and Montgomery in October 1777. [4] The regiment's light company then served under General Lord Cornwallis and was taken prisoner at the Siege of Yorktown in October 1781. [5]

It adopted a county designation as the 57th (the West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot in August 1782. [2] [6] After this it moved to Nova Scotia in October 1783 and returned to England in November 1790. [7]

Napoleonic Wars

Colonel William Inglis, struck down while commanding the 1st battalion at the Battle of Albuera, May 1811 GenSirWilliamInglis.jpg
Colonel William Inglis, struck down while commanding the 1st battalion at the Battle of Albuera, May 1811
The drummer boys of the 57th Regiment at the Battle of Albuera, May 1811; "Steady the Drums and Fifes" by Lady Elizabeth Butler Lady Elizabeth Butler - steady the drums and fifes.jpg
The drummer boys of the 57th Regiment at the Battle of Albuera, May 1811; "Steady the Drums and Fifes" by Lady Elizabeth Butler

In 1793 the regiment embarked for the Low Countries for service in the Flanders Campaign and re-enforced the garrison at Nieuwpoort for some months before returning home later in the year. [8] The regiment returned to Flanders in 1794 before returning home again in 1795. [9] It embarked for the West Indies in spring 1796 and took part in the capture of Saint Lucia in May 1796 before embarking for Trinidad in 1797 and returning home in 1803. [10] A second battalion was raised in 1803 to increase the strength of the regiment but spent most of the war in Jersey. [2] The 1st battalion embarked for the Mediterranean Sea in November 1805 and, after four years at Gibraltar, landed in Portugal for service in the Peninsular War in July 1809. [11] The battalion fell back to the Lines of Torres Vedras in October 1810. [12]

The battalion earned the regiment its nickname of "the Die Hards" after their participation in the Battle of Albuera, (order of battle) one of the bloodiest battles of the war, in May 1811. [13] The commanding officer of the battalion, Colonel William Inglis, was struck down by a charge of canister shot which hit him in the neck and left breast. He refused to be carried to the rear for treatment, but lay in front of his men calling on them to hold their position and when the fight reached its fiercest cried, "Die hard the 57th, die hard!". [14] The casualties of the battalion were 422 out of the 570 men in the ranks and 20 out of the 30 officers. [6] The Allied commander of the Anglo-Portuguese force General William Beresford wrote in his dispatch, "our dead, particularly the 57th Regiment, were lying as they fought in the ranks, every wound in front". [15]

The battalion also fought at the Battle of Vitoria in June 1813. [16] It then pursued the French Army into France and saw further action at the Battle of the Pyrenees in July 1813, [17] the Battle of Nivelle in November 1813 [18] and the Battle of the Nive in December 1813. [19] The battalion embarked for North America in May 1814 for service in the War of 1812 [20] but, without seeing any action, it embarked for home in spring 1815. [21]

The Victorian era

Two officers of the 57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot, serving in the Crimean War, photographed in 1855 by Roger Fenton 57th West Middlesex Regiment of Foot.jpg
Two officers of the 57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot, serving in the Crimean War, photographed in 1855 by Roger Fenton

The regiment traveled to New South Wales in detachments as escorts to prisoners in 1824. [22] It moved on to India in 1830 [23] and, while there, helped to suppress a rebellion in Mangalore in 1837. [24] [25] The regiment did not embark for home until April 1846. [26] In September 1854 the regiment embarked for service in the Crimean War: [27] it fought at the Battle of Inkerman in November 1854 [28] and the Siege of Sevastapol in winter 1854. [29] It moved to Malta in June 1856 [30] and then sailed for India to help suppress the Indian Rebellion in May 1858. [31] It then sailed for Auckland in New Zealand in November 1860 for service in the New Zealand Wars. [32] Ensign John Thornton Down and Drummer Dudley Stagpoole were both awarded the Victoria Cross for their actions during a skirmish at Allen's Hill near Omata in October 1863 during the Second Taranaki War. [33] The regiment returned to England in 1867 [34] and then moved to Ceylon in 1873. [35] From Ceylon it sailed to South Africa in 1879 for service in the Anglo-Zulu War. [2]

As part of the Cardwell Reforms of the 1870s, where single-battalion regiments were linked together to share a single depot and recruiting district in the United Kingdom, the 57th was linked with the 77th (East Middlesex) Regiment of Foot, and assigned to district no. 50 at Hounslow Barracks. [36] On 1 July 1881 the Childers Reforms came into effect and the regiment amalgamated with the 77th (East Middlesex) Regiment of Foot to form the Middlesex Regiment. [6]

Regimental marches

The regiment's regimental marches were 'Sir Manley Power' (quick) and 'Caledonian' (slow). [6]

Victoria Cross

Battle honours

The regiment's battle honours were as follows: [2]

Colonels of the Regiment

Colonels of the Regiment were: [2]

59th Regiment of Foot

57th Regiment of Foot

57th (the West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot

See also

Related Research Articles

The 47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in Scotland in 1741. It served in North America during the Seven Years' War and American Revolutionary War and also fought during the Napoleonic Wars and the Crimean War. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 81st Regiment of Foot to form the Loyal Regiment in 1881.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">88th Regiment of Foot (Connaught Rangers)</span> Military unit

The 88th Regiment of Foot was an infantry Regiment of the British Army, raised in 1793. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 94th Regiment of Foot to form the Connaught Rangers in 1881.

The 89th Regiment of Foot was a regiment of the British Army, raised on 3 December 1793. Under the Childers Reforms the regiment amalgamated with the 87th Regiment of Foot to form the Princess Victoria's in 1881.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">53rd (Shropshire) Regiment of Foot</span> Military unit

The 53rd (Shropshire) Regiment of Foot was a British Army regiment, raised in 1755. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 85th Regiment of Foot to form the King's Shropshire Light Infantry in 1881.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">50th (Queen's Own) Regiment of Foot</span> Military unit

The 50th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1755. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 97th Regiment of Foot to form the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment in 1881.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">44th (East Essex) Regiment of Foot</span> Military unit

The 44th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment in the British Army, raised in 1741. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 56th Regiment of Foot to form the Essex Regiment in 1881.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">55th (Westmorland) Regiment of Foot</span> British Army infantry regiment (1755-1881)

The 55th Regiment of Foot was a British Army infantry regiment, raised in 1755. After 1782 it had a county designation added, becoming known as the 55th (Westmorland) Regiment of Foot. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot to form the Border Regiment in 1881.

The 38th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1705. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 80th Regiment of Foot to form the South Staffordshire Regiment in 1881.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middlesex Regiment</span> Infantry regiment of the British Army

The Middlesex Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1966. The regiment was formed, as the Duke of Cambridge's Own , in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms when the 57th and 77th Regiments of Foot were amalgamated with the county's militia and rifle volunteer units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">71st (Highland) Regiment of Foot</span> Military unit

The 71st Regiment of Foot was a Highland regiment in the British Army, raised in 1777. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot to become the 1st Battalion, Highland Light Infantry in 1881.

The 77th Regiment of Foot was a line regiment of the British Army, raised in 1787. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 57th Regiment of Foot to form the Duke of Cambridge's Own in 1881.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot</span> British Army infantry regiment (1702-1881)

The 34th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1702. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 55th (Westmorland) Regiment of Foot to form the Border Regiment in 1881.

The 41st (Welch) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1719. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 69th Regiment of Foot to form the Welch Regiment in 1881.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot</span> Military unit

The 39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1702. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 54th Regiment of Foot to form the Dorsetshire Regiment in 1881.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">46th (South Devonshire) Regiment of Foot</span> Military unit

The 46th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1741. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 32nd (Cornwall) Regiment of Foot to form the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in 1881, becoming the 2nd Battalion of the new regiment.

The 82nd Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1793. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 40th Regiment of Foot to form the Prince of Wales's Volunteers in 1881.

The 48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot was a regiment of the British Army, raised in 1741. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 58th (Rutlandshire) Regiment of Foot to form the Northamptonshire Regiment in 1881.

The 51st Regiment of Foot was a British Army line infantry regiment, raised in 1755. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 105th Regiment of Foot to form the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in 1881.

The 58th (Rutlandshire) Regiment of Foot was a British Army line infantry regiment, raised in 1755. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot to form the Northamptonshire Regiment in 1881.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">94th Regiment of Foot</span> Military unit

The 94th Regiment of Foot was a British Army line infantry regiment, raised as the Scotch Brigade in October 1794. It was renumbered as the 94th Regiment of Foot in December 1802 and disbanded in December 1818. The regiment was reformed in December 1823 and served until 1881 when it amalgamated with the 88th Regiment of Foot to form the Connaught Rangers.

References

  1. ↑ Burnham, Robert; McGuigan, Ron (2010). The British Army against Napoleon. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Frontline Books. p. 126. ISBN   978-1-84832-562-3.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "57th (the West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot". regiments.org. Archived from the original on 1 December 2006. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 Warre, p. 30
  4. ↑ Warre, p. 31
  5. ↑ Warre, p. 32
  6. 1 2 3 4 Chant, p. 103
  7. ↑ Warre, p. 33
  8. ↑ Warre, p. 35
  9. ↑ Warre, p. 44
  10. ↑ Warre, p. 46
  11. ↑ Warre, p. 47
  12. ↑ Warre, p. 50
  13. ↑ Warre, p. 53
  14. ↑ "Lieutenant-Colonel William Inglis (1764-1835)". National Army Museum. 2009. Archived from the original on 1 October 2006. Retrieved 12 January 2009.
  15. ↑ Gurwood, p. 576
  16. ↑ Warre, p. 62
  17. ↑ Warre, p. 64
  18. ↑ Warre, p. 65
  19. ↑ Warre, p. 66
  20. ↑ Warre, p. 67
  21. ↑ Warre, p. 68
  22. ↑ Warre, p. 73
  23. ↑ Warre, p. 76
  24. ↑ Warre, p. 82
  25. ↑ "1837: When the rebel flag fluttered high". Deccan Chronicle. 6 April 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  26. ↑ Warre, p. 95
  27. ↑ Warre, p. 115
  28. ↑ Warre, p. 118
  29. ↑ Warre, p. 121
  30. ↑ Warre, p. 139
  31. ↑ Warre, p. 145
  32. ↑ Warre, p. 156
  33. ↑ Warre, p. 179
  34. ↑ Warre, p. 202
  35. ↑ Warre, p. 220
  36. ↑ "Training Depots". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 10 February 2006. Retrieved 16 October 2016.

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.