32nd Regiment of Foot
Encyclopedia
The 32nd Regiment of Foot of the British Army
was first raised in 1702 as a regiment of marines to fight in the War of Spanish Succession.
It won its first battle honour in 1705 for the siege and capture of Gibraltar
.
The 32nd landed in Portugal in 1808, and under the soon to be Duke of Wellington, fought in the battles of Roliça
and Vimiero
. They fought under Moore in the retreat to Corunna
, and on returning to England they were part of the Walcheren expedition in the Netherlands where many were struck down with malaria. After being reinforced they returned to Spain, leading the assault on Salamanca and taking part in all the major conflicts right into France. For the final chapter in Napoleon's history, the 32nd fought at the battle of Quatre Bras, arriving about 2 pm just in time to help halt the French advance. The Cornish regiment were renowned for their bloodcurdling Death Howl before attacking. Two days later at Waterloo the 32nd were stationed opposite the French main attacks, stoically standing their ground before attacking Napoleon's assaulting troops. There were 647 men of all ranks at the start of 18 June 1815, and at the end of the day there were only 131 men left standing; they suffered the greatest loss of any regiment on that day.
The regiment famously defended Lucknow
from July to November 1857, Victoria Cross
es being awarded to William Dowling, Henry George Gore-Browne
, Samuel Hill Lawrence
, and William Oxenham
.
The regiment's commanding officer, Col John E. W. Inglis, served as Brigadier in overall command of the Lucknow Residency during the Siege
. He was promoted to General and knighted for his services. The regiment was retitled and equipped as a Light Infantry
regiment as a result of its contribution to the defence of the Residency, for which it also won a battle honour.
In 1881 it was merged into the The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry.
The colours
of the 32nd Foot in Monmouth
Church are said to have inspired Sir Edward Hamly to pen these inspiring words:
(1975-77), based on the Poldark novels
of Winston Graham
, Ross Poldark is said to have fought in the American Revolution
as a member of the 32nd Foot Regiment.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
was first raised in 1702 as a regiment of marines to fight in the War of Spanish Succession.
It won its first battle honour in 1705 for the siege and capture of Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
.
The 32nd landed in Portugal in 1808, and under the soon to be Duke of Wellington, fought in the battles of Roliça
Battle of Roliça
In the Battle of Roliça an Anglo-Portuguese army under Sir Arthur Wellesley defeated an outnumbered French army under General Henri Delaborde, near the village of Roliça in Portugal. The French retired in good order...
and Vimiero
Battle of Vimeiro
In the Battle of Vimeiro the British under General Arthur Wellesley defeated the French under Major-General Jean-Andoche Junot near the village of Vimeiro , near Lisbon, Portugal during the Peninsular War...
. They fought under Moore in the retreat to Corunna
Battle of Corunna
The Battle of Corunna refers to a battle of the Peninsular War. On January 16, 1809, a French army under Marshal Soult attacked the British under Sir John Moore...
, and on returning to England they were part of the Walcheren expedition in the Netherlands where many were struck down with malaria. After being reinforced they returned to Spain, leading the assault on Salamanca and taking part in all the major conflicts right into France. For the final chapter in Napoleon's history, the 32nd fought at the battle of Quatre Bras, arriving about 2 pm just in time to help halt the French advance. The Cornish regiment were renowned for their bloodcurdling Death Howl before attacking. Two days later at Waterloo the 32nd were stationed opposite the French main attacks, stoically standing their ground before attacking Napoleon's assaulting troops. There were 647 men of all ranks at the start of 18 June 1815, and at the end of the day there were only 131 men left standing; they suffered the greatest loss of any regiment on that day.
They Stood,
They Fought,
They Died,
They Won,
They Are Remembered
The regiment famously defended Lucknow
Siege of Lucknow
The Siege of Lucknow was the prolonged defense of the Residency within the city of Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. After two successive relief attempts had reached the city, the defenders and civilians were evacuated from the Residency, which was abandoned.Lucknow was the capital of...
from July to November 1857, Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
es being awarded to William Dowling, Henry George Gore-Browne
Henry George Gore-Browne
Colonel Henry George Gore-Browne VC was born in Newtown, County Roscommon and was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Family:Henry George was the son of...
, Samuel Hill Lawrence
Samuel Hill Lawrence
Major Samuel Hill Lawrence VC , born in Cork, was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, and William Oxenham
William Oxenham
William Oxenham VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
.
The regiment's commanding officer, Col John E. W. Inglis, served as Brigadier in overall command of the Lucknow Residency during the Siege
Siege of Lucknow
The Siege of Lucknow was the prolonged defense of the Residency within the city of Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. After two successive relief attempts had reached the city, the defenders and civilians were evacuated from the Residency, which was abandoned.Lucknow was the capital of...
. He was promoted to General and knighted for his services. The regiment was retitled and equipped as a Light Infantry
Light infantry
Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
regiment as a result of its contribution to the defence of the Residency, for which it also won a battle honour.
In 1881 it was merged into the The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry.
The colours
Colours, standards and guidons
In military organizations, the practice of carrying colours, standards or Guidons, both to act as a rallying point for troops and to mark the location of the commander, is thought to have originated in Ancient Egypt some 5,000 years ago...
of the 32nd Foot in Monmouth
Monmouth
Monmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is situated close to the border with England, where the River Monnow meets the River Wye with bridges over both....
Church are said to have inspired Sir Edward Hamly to pen these inspiring words:
"A moth-eaten rag on a worm-eaten pole,
It does not look likely to stir a man's Sole,
'Tis the deeds that were done 'neath the moth-eaten rag,
When the pole was a staff, and the rag was a flag."
Colonels
- 1781–1802: The Earl of RossRalph Gore, 1st Earl of RossGeneral Ralph Gore, 1st Earl of Ross , known as Sir Ralph Gore, 6th Baronet from 1746 until 1764, subsequently as The Lord Gore until 1768 and then as The Viscount Belleisle until 1772, was an Irish soldier, politician and peer.-Background:Born at Belle Isle Castle, he was the second son of Sir...
- Early 19th century (at the start of Peninsular War): Sir Manley PowerManley PowerLieutenant General Sir Manley Power, KCB, ComTE was a British military leader who fought in a number of campaigns for Britain and rose to the rank of Lieutenant General. He is chiefly remembered for leading a brigade of Portuguese troops under The Duke of Wellington in the Iberian Peninsular War...
TV and film
In the TV miniseries PoldarkPoldark
Poldark is a BBC television series based on the novels written by Winston Graham which was first transmitted in the UK between 1975 and 1977.-Outline:...
(1975-77), based on the Poldark novels
The Poldark Novels
The Poldark Novels are a historical fictional sequence by Winston Graham.The main character, Ross Poldark, a British Army officer, returns to his home in Cornwall from the American Revolutionary War only to find that his fiancée, Elizabeth Chynoweth, having believed him dead, is about to marry his...
of Winston Graham
Winston Graham
Winston Mawdsley Graham OBE was an English novelist, best known for the The Poldark Novel series of historical fiction.-Biography:...
, Ross Poldark is said to have fought in the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
as a member of the 32nd Foot Regiment.