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THE 22nd (CHESHIRE) REGIMENT

A POCKET HISTORY ~ PART 1

'The Early Years'

Formation - On the Accession of William and Mary in 1689, new regiments were raised to resist James II's attempt to regain the throne. Henry Duke of Norfolk, raised and equipped on the Wirral Peninsula and around Chester, a new regiment, which, at first known by the names of its successive Colonels, later became The 22nd Regiment of Foot, and finally, The Cheshire Regiment in 1782.
Pikeman Col. The Duke Of Norfolk's Regt of Foot 1689	Musqueteer Col. The Duke Of Norfolk's Regt of Foot 1689
First Campaign - Regiment proceeded with an army, under General Schomberg, to Ireland, where it took part in the siege and capture of Carrickfergus. In the following year it was present at the Battle of Boyne, and in 1691 at the capture of Athlone and the Battle of Aughrim.
Jamaica - After the campaign in Ireland The Regiment was retained in that country for garrison duties until 1695, when it was sent to the Netherlands for a short period. It then returned to Ireland until 1702 when it proceeded to Jamaica. Here The Regiment spent twelve years of continuous fighting, not only on land against the French and rebellious natives but also at sea, manning HM ships. During the intervals of fighting, The Regiment lived under the most miserable conditions.


Officer Col Sir Henry Bellasis' Regt. of Foot The 22nd. Regt. of Foot 1692	Officer, Battalion Company The 22nd. Regt. of Foot 1745
Minorca - In 1726 The Regiment found itself at Minorca, an island off the east coast of Spain, and there it remained for twenty-two years. During this period a detachment was present at the Battle of Dettingen, 27th June, 1743. (See Regimental Badge).
Private Battalion Company The 22nd. Regt. of Foot 1742	Private Grenadier Company The 22nd. Regt. of Foot 1751
Canada - In 1758 The 22nd formed part of Lord Amherst’s expedition against Louisburg on Cape Breton Island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The capture of this fortified French naval base paved the way to the conquest of Canada two years later. This is The Regiment’s first battle honour. In September, 1759, The Grenadier Company took a prominent part in the glorious victory of Quebec under General James Wolfe. General Wolfe died in the arms of Ensign Henry Browne, 22nd Foot, on the Heights of Abraham. West Indies - Three years later, The Regiment took part in the capture of the island of Martinique and the Spanish citadel of Havannah. America - After a tour of home service, The Regiment proceeded in 1775 to America to take part in a campaign against the Colonists. It accompanied expeditions against Long Island and Rhode Island. Its Colonel was killed at Bunker Hill having preceded the Regiment to America. West Indies - In 1793 detachments of The Regiment again found themselves in the West Indies, where they took part in expeditions against the islands of Martinique, St. Lucia, Guadaloupe and St. Domingo. South Africa - After a few years of garrison duty in England, The Regiment proceeded in 1800 to South Africa, where it remained nearly three years. India - From South Africa it went to India, where the flank companies won immortal renown for their repeated assaults on Bhurtpore. Sergeant John Shipp distinguished himself by leading three 'forlorn hopes'. Mauritius - In 1810 The Regiment joined the expedition against the French island of Mauritius, and were present at the capture of Port Louis, remaining there for about nine years. Second Battalion - The 2nd Battalion was formed in 1814 and disbanded on declaration of peace in the same year. It was re-raised in 1858. Scinde - Sir Charles James Napier led a small force (2,500) of native infantry and cavalry and one British regiment, The Cheshire Regiment, against the Baluchi Army of the Ameers of Scinde. The desert fortress of Emaun Ghur was destroyed, and then, on February l7th, 1843, the small British force defeated 30,000 Baluchis at Meeanee. A month later the Baluchis were defeated at Hyderabad. The province of Scinde fell into our hands, and The Regiment gained the honours of Meeanee, Hyderabad and Scinde. The honours of Meeanee and Hyderabad are shared with a few Indian Regiments. That of Scinde is borne by The Regiment alone.
Officer The 22nd. Regt. of Foot 1843	Private The 22nd. Regt. of Foot 1843
Burma - Both Battalions were engaged in Burma in 1886-1891. South Africa - The 2nd Battalion fought in South Africa in 1900, and was present at the engagements of Jacobsdal, Karree Siding, Brandfort, Vet, River, Sand River and the Capture of Johannesburg. A company served with distinction in the Eighth Mounted Infantry and a section in the First M.I. (Prints by R. J. Macdonald, 1937, 38)

Part 2 - The great War and Inter War Years

Return To Cheshire Regiment Home Page

(Original Text authorship by Eardley Bryan)

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