Originally raised in 1694 by the Governor of Portsmouth, the 28th first saw overseas service in Newfoundland where it was posted to protect the colony, however it suffered many loses due to the extreme cold. The regiment was disbanded in 1697, but reformed under the same colonel in 1702. The regiment partook in its first battle during the War of the Spanish Succession, at the battle of Elixheim in 1705 and then Ramillies in 1706. It was then sent to the Spain, losing over half its men at the Battle of Almansa in April 1707, and then took part in the capture of Vigo in October 1719 during the War of the Quadruple Alliance. The regiment saw action in Flanders during the War of the Austrian Succession and, having been designated the 28th Regiment of Foot in 1751, it took part in the Battle of Louisburg in June 1758 and the Battle of the Plains of Abraham at Quebec in September 1759 during the Seven Years' War. The regiment was sent back to North America in May 1776 and took part in the Battle of White Plains in October 1776 during the American War of Independence. It also fought in the West Indies and helped take Saint Lucia in 1778, but was captured by the French on Saint Kitts in 1782 and interned until the end of the war. In 1782, renamed the 28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot as part of the reforms to create a territorial association for each regiment, it returned to Flanders following the outbreak of war with revolutionary France in 1793 and moved to the West Indies in 1795. A detachment remained in Gibraltar before being moved to Menorca in 1798.
In March 1801 the regiment formed part of the British expeditionary force that landed at Aboukir Bay in Egypt to oppose Napoleon's Army of the East. On the 21st March, during the Battle of Alexandria, French cavalry broke through the British lines, formed up behind the regiment, and began to charge. Still heavily engaged from the front, the order was given as follows, "Rear Rank, 28th! Right About Face", and standing thus in two ranks, back to back, the regiment successfully defended itself. For this action the regiment was accorded the unique privilege of wearing the regimental number both on the front and the back of its head-dress. The regiment next landed in Portugal in July 1808 for service in the Peninsular War. It took part in the Battle of Corunna on 16 January 1809 before being evacuated from the Peninsula the following day. A detachment remained behind and fought at the Battle of Talavera in July 1809. The remainder of the regiment went on to take part in the disastrous Walcheren Campaign in the summer of 1809. It saw action at the Battle of Barrosa in March 1811, the Battle of Albuera in May 1811 and the Battle of Arroyo dos Molinos in October 1811, as well as the Battle of Vitoria in June 1813 and the Battle of the Pyrenees in July 1813. It then pursued the French Army into France and fought at the Battle of Nivelle in November 1813, the Battle of the Nive in December 1813, the Battle of Orthez in February 1814 and the Battle of Toulouse in April 1814. It was one of the few Peninsula veteran regiments which was available for the Hundred Days campaign and fought at the Battle of Quatre Bras and at the Battle of Waterloo. Because of its actions and bravery in this campaign, the regiment earned a distinguished mention in the dispatches of the Duke of Wellington, one of only four regiments to ever do so.
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- Cairo - - Alexandria - - Corunna - - Talavera - - Barrosa - - Albuhera - - Vitoria - - Pyrenees - - Nivelle - - Nive - - Orthes - - Toulouse - - Quatre Bras - - Waterloo -
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Commissioned Officers
Colonel Lieutenant-Colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Ensign
| | | | | | Non-Commissioned Officers
Serjeant Major Colour-Serjeant Serjeant Corporal
| | | | | | Enlisted
Lance Corporal Grenadier Kingsman Private Recruit
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Melee
Melee Class. 1 Melee Class. 2 Melee Class. 3
| | | | | | Recruiting
Recruiting Class. 1 Recruiting Class. 2 Recruiting Class. 3
| | | | | | Service
3 Months Service 6 Months Service 12 Months Service
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Lieutenant of the 28th North Gloucestershire. 2nd in Command.
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Captain of the 28th North Gloucestershire. Commander of the Regiment.
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Ensign of the 28th North Gloucestershire. 3rd in Command.
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