Somerset Light Infantry Timeline
1685
The Regiment is raised by Theophilusm Earl of Huntingdon, at the request of James II to quash the rebellions led by the Earl of Argyll and Duke of Monmouth. It is called the Earl of Huntingdon's Regiment.
1688
The Regiment switches allegiance to the Protestant William of Orange. Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinando Hastings becomes Colonel of the Regiment, and it becomes Hastings' Regiment of Foot.
1689
The Regiment is sent to Scotland to help smooth the accession of William of Orange. Takes part in a battle against the Scots at Killekrankie.
1695
Colonel Hastings is found guilty of extortion and is relieved of his commission. He is replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Sir John Jacob, thus become Jacob's Foot.
1701 - 1703
The Regiment goes to Holland to take part in the War of Spanish Succession. The Colonel again changes, and the Regiment changes its name again to the Earl of Barrymore's Foot. In 1702 the Regiment takes part in the sieges of Venloo, Reuremonde and the Fort of Chartreuse.
1704
The Regiment is sent to Lisbon, Portugal and onto Gibraltar to protect 'The Rock' from a combined French and Spanish force. Gibraltar is taken by Britain for the first time and the Regiment gains its first battle honour.
1705 - 1706
The Regiment joins the Earl of Peterborough's Expeditionary Force to Spain, taking part in the capture of Barcelona and of San Mateo.
1706
By now called Barrymore's Foot, the Regiment is summoned to a meeting with the Earl of Peterborough, where it is mounted and becomes Pearce's Dragoons. Lord Barrymore, along with five Officers, ten Sergeants, and ten Corporals returned to England and formed a new infantry regiment.
1709
The Regiment suffers its first major defeat, on the banks of the River Caya against the French and Spanish. Over 300 men are captured and remain prisoners for the next year.
1711 - 1728
Garrison duty at Gibraltar.
1743
The war of the Austrian Succession. The Regiment takes part in the battle of Dettingen as Pulteney's Foot, and is awarded Dettingen as a battle honour.
1745
The Jacobite Rebellion. Pulteney's Foot is recalled from Flanders to Scotland, where it takes part in the relief of Stirling Castle before following the retreat of the Jacobite army and fighting in the battles of Fontenoy and Culloden. The Officers and Sergeants are awarded the honour of wearing their sash knotted on the right side - the rest of the army wear theirs on the left.
1747
The Regiment fights in Flanders at the Battle of Val, part of the War of the Austrian Succession.
1751
A Royal warrant, dated 1 July 1751, sets out consistency in uniforms, standards and colours. It also brings in the system of numbering the regiments of Foot according to precedence in a complex hierarchy. Pulteney's Regiment of Foot becomes the 13th Regiment of Foot.
1782
All arm regiments are linked to a county in order to aid the recruitment process. The 13th becomes the 13th (Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot.
1790 - 1794
During the French Revolutionary wars, the Regiment is sent to the Caribbean to increase the British presence in the Windward and Leeward Islands. It is then moved to Jamaica and then on to St. Domingo to help the French against the rebel slaves. Due to illness, the Regiment is reduced to just 60 men.
1801
Napoleon's army is defeated at Aboukirm which allows a British advance to Alexandria. 'Egypt' and 'The Sphinx' are added to the colours.
1808
The Regiment is sent to the West Indies. Martinique is captured from France in just three weeks, and 'Martinique' is added to the battle honours accordingly.
1809
Guadeloupe is captured from the French in only ten days.
1813 - 1815
The American War. The 13th are on the side of Canada versus the United States of America. Light Infantry tactics are used for the first time.
1822
The 13th (Somersetshire Light Infantry) Regiment is formed as a Corps of Light Infantry.
1823
The Regiment sails for India for the first time, beginning a relationship which would last until Indian Independence in 1948.
1824 - 1826
The First Burmese War. Awarded the battle honour 'Ava'.
1838 - 1842
The First Afghan War and the siege of Jellalabad. Awarded the battle honours 'Ghuznee' in 1839, 'Afghanistan' in 1939 and 'Cabool' [Kabul] in 1842. The Regiment is also given the honour of being named the 13th or Prince Albert's Light Infantry and is nicknamed the 'Illustrious Garrison'.
1855
The Crimean War. The Regiment is briefly based at Sevastopol. It is awarded the battle honour 'Sevastopol' and the Crimean medal.
1857
The India Rebellion. The Regiment takes only a sideline role, so no battle honour is awarded.
1858
The second Battalion is raised.
1877 - 1878
The 9th Kaffir War in South Africa is fought by the 1st Battalion.
1878 - 1879
The Zulu War. The 1st Battalion became involved in the conflict, although it takes no part in the famous massacre at Isandhlwana, nor the attack on Rorke's Drift. The Regiment's first Victoria Cross is awarded, to Major William Knox-Leet, and another battle honour is awarded.
1881
The Territorial system is introduced. The Regiment becomes definitely linked with Somerset, and is renamed Prince Albert's (Somersetshire) Light Infantry.
1885 - 1887
The Third Burmese War. This sees the 2nd Battalion's first action.
1899 - 1902
The Boer War. The 2nd Battalion fight in the Relief of Ladysmith and receive the battle honour 'South Africa 1899-1902'. The 4th Battalion is also awarded the battle honour 'South Africa 1900-1901'.
1908
The Territorial and Reserves Forces Act comes into force. This disbands Somerset's 4th Militia Battalion and changes the 3rd Militia Battalion to a Reserve Battalion.
1911
In March, the 1st Battalion is sent to South Wales to keep order during the great coal strike. In September, the 2nd Battalion is sent to Tientsin, China, to play a role in an international peacekeeping force.
1912
The Regiment's title again changes, this time to Prince Albert's (Somerset Light Infantry).
1914 - 1918
The First World War. The 1st Battalion fights on the Western Front thoughout the entire conflict, and the 2nd Battalion services in India. Nineteen battalions are raised, seeing service in Palestine, Mesopotamia, Burma and at home. Altogether 71 battle honours are awarded, including 'The retreat from Mons', 'Le Cateau', 'Somme 1916 and 1918', 'Ypres 1915, 1917 and 1918' and 'Cambrai 1917 and 1918'.
1919
The Third Afghan War.
1920
Another name change: this time to The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's).
1939 - 1945
The Second World War. The 1st Battalion spends most of the war in India, but fights the Japanese in the Arakan, Burma in 1943 and 1944. The 2nd Battalion fights alongside the Americans in Italy and helps to end the civil war in Greece. Ten Battalions are raised, seeing action across North-Western Europe and at home. Twenty-eight battle honours are awarded, including 'Hill 112', 'Rhineland', 'North-West Europe 1944-1945', 'Cassino II' and 'Burma 1943-1944'.
1947
The 2nd Battalion is in Austria performing peace keeping duties.
1948
28 February: The 1st Battalion are the last British troops to leave a newly independent India, aboard the Empress of Australia.
June: The 1st and 2nd Battalions are amalgamated. The Somerset Light Infantry takes over training of the other Light Infantry divisions at Bordon in Hampshire.
1951
The Regiment is involved in peace keeping duties along the Rhine.
1952 - 1955
1956
The Suez Crises. Only the anti-tank platoon becomes involved. The rest of the Regiment stay in Malta, before moving to Cyrpus to fulfil another peace keeping role.
1959
6 October: The Somerset Light Infantry is amalgamated with the Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry to form the Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry. The county's Territorial Army alone keeps the name of the Somerset Light Infantry.
1968
The Light Infantry is formed on Vesting Day, 10 July 1968. All the Light Infantry regiments are amalgamated. The 6th Battalion (Somerset and Cornwall) Light Infantry, a territorial battalion, maintains its Headquarters in Taunton.
