The Loyal North Lancashire
Regiment
The linked battalions of the 47th
(Lancashire) and the 81st (Loyal Lincoln Volunteers, a title
it resumed in 1832) became in 1881 the ?Loyal North Lancashire
Regiment.? The
47th was preceded by one of the same number ; the 4th
Marine regiment holding it from 1740 to 1748.
The existing battalion first appears as the ?1st
Loyal North Lancashire,? raised in Scotland in 1740, ranking then as
the 58th, and taking its number as ?the 47th
Foot? in 1743, to which the county title of ?Lancashire? was added
in 1782. Thus both the battalions of the regiment have in their time
borne the title ?Loyal,? a distinction accorded to no other
regiment. The
Lancashires was engaged in the suppression of the Jacobite Rebellion in
1745, and were engaged at Falkirk and Edinburgh.
Their next active service was in Canada, where they shared in the
capture of Louisburg, fought bravely on the heights of Abraham when
Wolfe fell, aided in the defence of Quebec, and were present at Sillery
and Montreal. After
assisting at the capture of Martinique, the 47th went home,
to return to North America for the War of Independence, and share in the
battles of Bunker?s Hill, Lexington, and Stillwater, and serve finally
with Burgoyne, surrendering at Saratoga in 1777.
After general duty in various parts of the world, it was
despatched from the Cape to Maldonado ?during the operations against
Monte Video and Buenos Ayres?; and, while the rest of the battalion
was doing duty in India (where, in 1816, it was engaged against the
Pindaris, and, in 1819, in the operations against the Joasmis in the
Persian Gult), the flank companies, in 1809 assisted at the destruction
of the pirate stronghold of Ras-ul-Khymah, in the Persian Gulf. The
first Burmah War of 1825 saw the regiment again in the field, and for
its valuable services ?Ava? was added to the colours; and it next
took part in the Russian War, where it fought at the Alma and Inkerman
(when Private J. McDermond won the Victoria Cross for saving the life of
Colnel Haly), and throughout the siege of Sevastopol.
Since then it has been employed in general routine duty.
The first regiment numbered ?81? was
the ?Invalids? in 1759, which in 1763 became the 71st,
and was disbanded; the next was built up from a number of independent
companies, which had been serving from 1769 until 1778, when they were
incorporated as the 81st Aberdeen Highlanders.
This disappeared in 1783. The
present battalion was formed in 1793 as the ?Loyal Lincoln
Volunteers? (when the county Militia volunteered to serve in its
ranks), which title was dropped for the regimental number in 1794,
restored in 1832, and replaced by the present territorial designation in
1881. In 1795 it went on
foreign service to the West Indies, encountering a severe hurricane on
the voyage, and suffering much from yellow fever at St. Domingo; but,
notwithstanding, it carried by assault the position of Bomparde held by
the enemy.
The year 1799 found the 81st at
the Cape, engaged with the Kaffirs; and after much adventure by land and
sea, it was sent with Sir James Craig?s expedition to Naples, and
landed in Sicily, forming later part of Sir John Stuart?s force which
defeated the French at Maida. A
?curious silver snuff-box? was taken there, and is still treasured
in the regiment. Continuing
to serve in the Mediterranean until 1812, it was in that year despatched
to the Peninsula, and did arduous work at Denia, Biaz, Castella,
Tarragona, Col del Ordal, Arbos, etc.
It took no active part in the Waterloo campaign, but formed part
of the Army of Occupation until 1817.
From that year until 1847 it did general foreign duty, twice
losing some of its number by the shipwreck of transports; but after 1853
it was in India, where its valuable services at Lahore tended much to
prevent the spread of the mutiny. Since
then the 81st has seen active service in the Euzosffzie
expedition in1858 and the Afghan campaign of 1879-80, where it assisted
in the capture of Ali Musjid.
A 2nd battalion of the 81st
was raised in 1803. It was sent to the Peninsula in 1808, shared in the
disastrous retreat to Corruna, and in the battle there, losing
altogether 326 men and 13 officers; was in the Walcheren expedition, and
at Flushing; went to Holland in 1814, and joined in the blockade of
Antwerp; occupied Brussels during the battle of Waterloo, and was
disbanded in 1816.
The former white and buff facings
respectively of the two battalions are now both white.
The official badge is the red rose of Lancaster.
The arms of the City of Lincoln-arg. A fleur-de-lys, or, on a St.
George?s Cross, gu.-appear also on the appointments.
The lion and crown is derived from the 47th.
The rose-pattern gold lace has a black stripe, a distinction
shared with seven other regiments.
The button bears the royal crest over the arms of the City of
Lincoln, with the name of the regiment.
The ?arms? also appear on the collar; the helmet-plate and
waist-plate have the royal crest, rose, and title; the royal crest and
rose are on the forage-cap. The 3rd and
4th battalions are furnished by the 3rd Royal
Lancashire Militia, which has ?Mediterranean? on its colours, in
remembrance of its services there in the Crimean War.
It was raised in 1797. The
Volunteer battalions are the 11th Lancashire, Preston, and
the 14th Lancashire, Bolton; both wear scarlet with white
facings. The
47th were known as the ?Cauliflowers,? the ?Lancashire
Lads,? and ?Wolfe?s Own,? from their share in the fighting at
Quebec. The 81st
had only then the old regimental title, ?The Loyal Lincoln
Volunteers.? The
depot was at Preston. |