Regiments of Foot

[pansypetal]

HI,

I wonder if anybody could advise the correct definition of regiment of foot - I think it is the solders that carried out their duties on foot as opposed to on horseback etc. But would be really greatful if somebody could clarify this please.

Many thanks

[EastSurrey]

Back in the seventeenth century, armies were divided into 'horse' and 'foot', with the guns in the train of artillery. The dragoons were sometimes listed separately, as being neither- originally they were mounted infantry, but later upgraded themselves to be cavalry. As an example, in D'Auvergne's 'History of the last campaign in the Spanish Netherlands A.D. 1693', he has 'A List of the Officers Kill'd, Wounded, and Prisoners in the Battle of Landen in the four English Brigades of Foot.'

Michael.

[widavies]

Hi

The numbering of all line regiments from the British army dated from the late 17th Century under King William the third who wanted to list all his regiments in order of seniority of date when formed. A line regiment by definition is a regiment that walks on foot to oppose an enemy with whatever weapon he has to hand.

Will

[Steven Broomfield]

Back in the seventeenth century, armies were divided into 'horse' and 'foot', with the guns in the train of artillery. The dragoons were sometimes listed separately, as being neither- originally they were mounted infantry, but later upgraded themselves to be cavalry.

"Horse" were, as you indicate, cavalry, whereas "Dragoons" were mounted infantry pretty much. The Horse became Dragoon Guards in the 18th Century, while the Dragoons mostly morphed into Light Dragoons - or light cavalry - and thence to Hussars or Lancers.

Remember that regiments (of Foot, Horse or Dragoons) were named for their current Colonel well into the 18th century: the regiments which were to become the 10th and 11th Hussars were still known by their Colonels' names as late as Culloden (1746).

[pansypetal]

thank you

[Khaki]

To answer your question in very simple terms a regiment of foot means a regiment of infantry,

khaki

[nigelfe]

Not sure that the RB, KRRC and their descendents the Rifles would entirely agree with being lumped in the regts of foot. Its also worth remembering that what is now Royal Marines were originally Army and called Maritime Regiments of Foot (although RM persistently try and avoid any mention of this, hence their 350 anniversary being a bit flaky fact-wise).

[Khaki]

I think by tradition even the KRRC and the RB were the 60th and 95th Regiments of foot respectively with the title 'rifles ' added. All just part of the army evolution of regimental identification.

khaki

[bill24chev]

Rifle Brigade originally, 95th Foot, removed from Infantry of the Line on advice of Wellington: lost their number and became Rifle Brigade.

KRRC, originally 60th Foot, I believe were regarded as a line regiment because not all their companies carried rifles for early part of their existence. I you look at Orders of Battle for battles around last 25years of18thC and Napoleonic wars their Rifle Companies were often detached to support different brigades?divisions.

The first Regiment Raised as Marines was the Lord High Admirals regiment {the future James II) who was I believe their first Colonel. Hence the link to the Admiralty and the Royal Marines of today.

Incidental the later regiments raised as Marines in the late 17thC such a 30th Foot (1st Marines) in 1704 were not Army regiments as such. This is because the Army did not legally exist apart from the Royal Guards Garrisons and Ordnance. The Marine regiments raised in the early18thC were either re deployed as Line infantry or had been disbanded by the middle of that century.

The Marines ( later made Royal by George III) were raised by the Admiralty from the 1750's and took precedence when parading with the army some were around the 55th Foot unless also parading with the Navy when they would be attached to that contingent.

[Ron Clifton]

The Royal Marines when parading with the Army took precedence immediately after the 49th Regiment of Foot, later the Royal Berkshire Regiment, because the original 1st Marines were formerly the 50th Regiment of Foot.

It is also worth mentioning that the regiments of Foot Guards would certainly have regarded themselves as Guards rather than Foot. They were outside the Foot numbering sequence.

Ron

[Steven Broomfield]

Rifle Brigade originally, 95th Foot, removed from Infantry of the Line on advice of Wellington: lost their number and became Rifle Brigade.

The 95th were re-formed and ended up as, IIRC, the 2nd Battalion, Notts & Derby.

[rolt968]

The risk of a high number in the line was that the regiment would be disbanded at the end of a war to save money. Richard Holmes describes an officer who obtained a commission for the next rank up in a regiment of lower seniority just in time for the regiment to be disbanded while his original survived.

I have often wondered if Wellington wanted the Rifle Brigade out of the line to safeguard their existence.

RM

[Steven Broomfield]

Same with cavalry: the 23rd Light Dragoons were in and out like a fiddler's elbow.

[bill24chev]

The Royal Marines when parading with the Army took precedence immediately after the 49th Regiment of Foot, later the Royal Berkshire Regiment, because the original 1st Marines were formerly the 50th Regiment of Foot.

It is also worth mentioning that the regiments of Foot Guards would certainly have regarded themselves as Guards rather than Foot. They were outside the Foot numbering sequence.

Ron

First Marines were later 30th foot and from19811st Bn. East Lancashire Regiment. Disbanded as Saunderson's Regt. of foot; reformed in 1702 as Saunderson's Regt. of Marines (or 1st Marines as no other Regt. of Marines) in existence as such when formed.

50th Foot raised in 1740 as 7th regiment of Marines.

the 30th Foot(1st Marines) 31st Foot (2nd Marines) and 32nd Foot(3rd Marines) converted into line Infantry around 1714/15

47th, 48th, 49th 50th 51st, 52nd and 53rd regiments raised as Marines in 1740 and were all disbanded in 1748 which meant shuffling the higher numbered Regiments to lower numbers (but not in a simple "every Regt. moves down the number lis in order; this is the British Army so nothing is simple and straight forward). For Example 58th took a big promotion to become 47th yet 53rd only jumped to 51st. That is why I said Royal Marines parade behind a infantry REGT. WITH A MID 50@S NUMBER.

Incidentaly, old 51st Foot(8th Marines) raised in the American Colonies, so America had Marines before 1776. 40th Foot later 1st south Lancashire) And 60th foot(KRRC) and some others, I cant remember which, also originally raised in American colonies.

bill

Same with cavalry: the 23rd Light Dragoons were in and out like a fiddler's elbow.

or a cucumber in a ?????

[Steven Broomfield]

Like Mr Clifton, I always understood the Marines to take precedence after the 49th Foot (later 1st R Berkshires). Chichester and Burges-Short (Records & Badges of Every Regiment and Corps of the British Army 1900, N&M reprint) state that the 49th Foot position was occupied by the 6th Regiment of Marines. On the disbandment of that regiment in 1748, Trelawney's occupied that space, thus becoming the 49th and later the 1st R Berkshire. Therefore the Marines took precedence after the 49th. The 49th also served as Marines themselves in 1801 (Copenhagen) and terefore had the naval rope in their badge.

[bill24chev]

It seems that now the Royal Marines no longer have an "Army Precedence" but now would parade on the Right of the Line when no other RN Present or next left to RN contingent when one is present. (There is a ref. on Wicky. to the Defence Gateway, but need to be registered to enter it.

The reorganisation of the a Army as meant that with the descendant regiments of the 49th foot now being part of The Rifles, their precedence is now after the Parachute Regt., because they are classed as line infantry; and the Gurkhas because the oldest Gurkha Rifle Regt. pre dates the date the Rifle brigade lost their 95th number.

[FROGSMILE]

To answer your question in very simple terms a regiment of foot means a regiment of infantry,

khaki

Well done khaki, interesting though this thread has been, yours was just the answer that forum member pansypetal really needed before we disappeared down several rabbit holes.

I hope that she did not regret asking the question.

[nigelfe]

Did not the KRRC date back to Roger's Rangers in the 7 Years War in N America?

[widavies]

To answer your question in very simple terms a regiment of foot means a regiment of infantry,

khaki

Definition:-

Infantry

noun, plural infantries.

1. soldiers or military units that fight on foot, in modern times typically with rifles, machine guns, grenades, mortars, etc., as weapons.

2. a branch of an army composed of such soldiers.

I guess that includes the marines too!!!

Will

[FROGSMILE]

Definition:-

Infantry

noun, plural infantries.

1. soldiers or military units that fight on foot, in modern times typically with rifles, machine guns, grenades, mortars, etc., as weapons.

2. a branch of an army composed of such soldiers.

I guess that includes the marines too!!!

Will

Yes, they were titled 'Maritime Regiments of Foot'.