85th Regiment of Foot (Bucks Volunteers)
Encyclopedia
The 85th Regiment of Foot was a British Army
line infantry
regiment
. During the Childers Reforms
it was united with the 53rd (Shropshire) Regiment of Foot to form the King's Shropshire Light Infantry.
for service during he French Revolutionary Wars
.
They first saw action in the Netherlands
, before moving to the West Indies. In 1806 they returned to Britain and converted to a Light Infantry
role, renaming as the 85th (Bucks Volunteers) Light Infantry. Two years later they were serving under Wellington
in the Peninsular campaign
and fought at Fuentes de Onoro
and Badajoz. In 1814 they were dispatched to America and saw action in the last phase of the War of 1812
. In 1815 they received a royal association becoming the 85th (Bucks Volunteers) Duke of York's Light Infantry, and in 1821 the 85th (Bucks Volunteers) King's Light Infantry.
In 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms
the 85th amalgamated with the 53rd (Shropshire) Regiment of Foot to become the 2nd battalion, the King's Shropshire Light Infantry.
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...
line infantry
Line infantry
Line infantry is a type of infantry which composed the basis of European land armies from the middle of the 17th century to the middle of the 19th century....
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
. During the Childers Reforms
Childers Reforms
The Childers Reforms restructured the infantry regiments of the British army. The reforms were undertaken by Secretary of State for War Hugh Childers in 1881, and were a continuation of the earlier Cardwell reforms....
it was united with the 53rd (Shropshire) Regiment of Foot to form the King's Shropshire Light Infantry.
Service history
The 85th was raised in 1793 by George Nugent, their colonel, in BuckinghamshireBuckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
for service during he French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
.
They first saw action in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, before moving to the West Indies. In 1806 they returned to Britain and converted to 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...
role, renaming as the 85th (Bucks Volunteers) Light Infantry. Two years later they were serving under Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
in the Peninsular campaign
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
and fought at Fuentes de Onoro
Battle of Fuentes de Onoro
In the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro , the British-Portuguese Army under Viscount Wellington checked an attempt by the French Army of Portugal under Marshal André Masséna to relieve the besieged city of Almeida.-Background:...
and Badajoz. In 1814 they were dispatched to America and saw action in the last phase of the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. In 1815 they received a royal association becoming the 85th (Bucks Volunteers) Duke of York's Light Infantry, and in 1821 the 85th (Bucks Volunteers) King's Light Infantry.
In 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms
Childers Reforms
The Childers Reforms restructured the infantry regiments of the British army. The reforms were undertaken by Secretary of State for War Hugh Childers in 1881, and were a continuation of the earlier Cardwell reforms....
the 85th amalgamated with the 53rd (Shropshire) Regiment of Foot to become the 2nd battalion, the King's Shropshire Light Infantry.