ifaropshire Light Infantry
THE YPRES TIMES
The Kings'
202
(53rd and 85th Foot.)
BATTLE HONOURS
44 Nieuport," Tournay," St. Lucia, 1796," Talavera," Fueutes d'Ouor," Salamanca," Vittoria," Pyrenees,''
44 Nivelle," Nive," Toulouse," Peninsula," Bladensburg," Aliwal," Sobraon," 44 Goojerat," 44 Punjaub,'
44 Lucknow," Afghanistan, 1879-80," Egypt, 1882," Suakin, 1885," Paardeberg," South Africa, 1899-1902.'
The Great War13 Battalions.Aisne, 1914, 18," Armentieres, 1914," Ypres, 1915, '17," Gravenstafel,'
4< St. Julien," Frezenberg," Bellewaarde," Hooge, 1915," Mount Sorrel," Som me, 1916, '18," Albert, 1916,'18,'
Bazentin," 44 Delville Wood," Guillemont," Flers Courcelette," Morval," Le Transloy," Ancre, 1916,'
44 Arras, 1917, '18," Scarpe, 1917," 44 Arleux," 44 Hill 70," Langemarck, 1917," Menin Road," 44 Polygon Wood,'
44 Passchendale," 41 Cambrai, 1917, '18,St. Quentin," 44 Bapaume, 1918," 44 Rosieres," Lys," 44 Estaires,'
44 Messines, 1918," 44 Hazebrouck," 44 Bailleul," 44 Kemmel," 44 Bethune," 44 Bligny," 44 Hindenburg Line," 44 Epehy,'
44 Canal du Nord," 44 Selle," 44 Valenciennes," 44 Sambre," 44 Francez Flanders, 1914, '18," 44 Doiran, 1917, '18,'
44 Macedonia, 1915, '18," 44 Gaza," Jerusalem," 44 Jericho," 44 Tell Azur," 44 Palestine, 1917, '18."
Note.Names in small capitals in Great War Honours are borne on the King's Colour.
UniformScarlet. Facing'sBlue.
FEW regiments in the British Army have had a more chequered career than the
85th Foot the 2nd Battalion, The King's Shropshire Light Infantry.
There have been three regiments that have been numbered as the 85th,
and although it is the intention here to narrate a brief history of the survivor, it is of
interest to refer to the two previous regiments now long ago disbanded.
The first 85th was raised in 1759 and disbanded in 1763. The official designation
was the 85th Light Infantry Regt." ór Royal Volontiers and it was without
doubt the first Light Infantry regiment in the British Army. The first Colonel Com
mandant was Colonel Crauford, with William Lord Viscount Pulteney as Lieut.-Colonel.
The regiment seems to have been very fully officered, having a total of 67, or a greater
number than in any of the 124 Regiments of Foot, except the 42nd and 60th Regiments
and the 1st or Royal Regiment of Guards of Foot, which regiment had two battalions.
The rendezvous of the regiment was Shrewsbury, and here, on January 2nd, 1760,
Colours were presented and consecrated. This ceremony, which appears to have been
the earliest one of a regular consecration in the British Army, was carried out with
unusual êclat. During the prayers and sermon in the old Church of St. Chad the colours
were held over the heads of the Lieut.-Colonel Commandant and the Lieut.-Colonel.
The regiment then marched to the Quarry, where the Colours, held by these two officers
were saluted and kissed. In 1761 the 85th took part in the seige of Belle Isle (off the
coast of Brittany), which memory still survives in the Common North Shropshire saying
We'll give 'em Belle Isle," and in 1762 was sent to Portugal where it fought at Valencia
d'Alcantara and Villa Villia against the Spanish. Returning to England in 1763, the
Regiment was disbanded.
