71st Highland Light Infantry[Recruiting NA/EU]

[Stefiboy]

History

The 1st Battalion left Britain for the Cape of Good Hope in 1806 where they were involved in minor actions. In June 1806 they were shipped to South America where they were involved in the disastrous expedition against Buenos Aires by Sir Home Popham. The city was actually captured but later the inhabitants rose against the small British force and took them prisoner. The 1st/71st was one of the battalions captured. Two battalion flags or Regimental Colours were also captured. On the 21st. of April 1808 the regiment received new colours instead of those they had surrendered at Buenos Aires. The colours were presented by General Floyd, a veteran officer.[4] 71st Highlanders in 1856. After reforming the battalion they sailed in 1808 for Portugal where they took part in General Moore's advance into Spain and disastrous retreat out of Spain which ended with Moore's victory at Corunna. Upon leaving Spain the battalion was sent in 1809 on the Walcheren Campaign. In 1810 the battalion was back in Iberia. They fought all the way through the Peninsular War, in the Battle of Vitoria they were to hold the extreme right of the line and were ambushed at the amphitheatre and massacred by two French regiments, 40 surrendered and around 200 where dead or wounded. Also were at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 as part of the 3rd Brigade in Maj.General Sir Henry Clinton's 2nd Division. The 1st/71st lost 16 officers and 171 men killed and wounded at Waterloo. The Highland Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1959. In 1923 the regimental title was expanded to the Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment).[1] The regiment was formed as part of the Childers reforms on 1 July 1881 by the amalgamation of the 71st (Highland) Light Infantry and the 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot as the city regiment of Glasgow, absorbing the local Militia and Rifle Volunteer units. Its exact status was a somewhat ambiguous one - although the regiment insisted on being classified as a non-kilted Highland regiment, it recruited mainly from Glasgow in Lowland Scotland. The HLI (as it was popularly known) continued in service, actively taking part in the First and Second World Wars, until it was amalgamated with the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1959 to form the Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's Own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment). The HLI was also affiliated with a Canadian militia regiment called The Highland Light Infantry of Canada.

Work in Progress*