Regt. Ranks
Officers
 Lieutenant Colonel
Regt. Commanding Officer
 Major
Regt. Executive Officer
 Captain
Company Commanding Officer
 Lieutenant
Company Officer
 Ensign
Regt./Coy. Banner Bearer
Non-Leadership Rank
Non-Commissioned Officers
 Serjeant Major
Head of the NCO Cadre
 Colour Serjeant
Protector of the Regt./Coy. Banner
 Serjeant
Installer of Discipline
 Corporal
Responsible for Enforcing Disipline
 Lance Corporal
Corporal's Right-Hand Man
Private Soldiers
 Private
Fully Enlisted Soldier
Enlistee
Soldier yet to complete the Enlistment Process
Muster Roll
Officers
 Lt. Col. Marsh
Lieut. Foxyy
 Ens. Grishko
Non-Commissioned Officers
 Sjt. Muffington
Private Soldiers
Pte. Venom
 Pte. RedSpaceWolf
Pte. Grave
Pte. Zango
Pte. James
Pte. TanMan
Pte. Chris
Enlistee Marcello
Total Enlisted - Twelve Soldiers
Regt. Identification
52nd_Rank_Name
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52nd vs 47th
2 - 2
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About the 52nd
The 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot is an active and disciplined Regiment, founded on the 9th February 2014 by LtCol. Marsh and Maj. Luc. A historically very successful and praised Regiment, the 52nd works to be a fun, disciplined and active light infantry regiment. We accept members of all nationalities so long as you can attend European Events.
History of the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot The 52nd was initially a one-battalion regiment, but increased recruiting resulted in the creation of a second battalion in 1798. While the 1st Battalion saw some action in Spain and Portugal in 1800–1801, the 2nd remained stationed in England. In 1803 the regiment's fittest officers and men were concentrated in the 1st battalion, for training as light infantry, and the 2nd battalion was transferred to the 96th Foot. A new second battalion was raised in 1804. Both battalions saw extensive action during the Napoleonic Wars, and they were brigaded together for a time during the Peninsula Campaign, but heavy losses at Badajoz in 1812 resulted in the reduction of the 2nd battalion to a cadre (skeleton staff). The 2nd was eventually reformed with new recruits and saw service in Holland in 1813–14. Following the conclusion of the war in 1814, both battalions were billeted in England, where the 2nd's effectives were transferred to the 1st battalion, in preparation for further service. The 2/52nd remained in England during the Waterloo Campaign, and were disbanded in 1815. Subsequently, the 52nd remained a one-battalion regiment until their merger with the 43rd. Initially raised as a regular line regiment, the 52nd fought in the line during the American wars and the early Indian campaigns, and did not become a light regiment until 1803. However, they were the first regular British regiment to be so designated.
The 52nd began as a standard infantry line regiment in 1755, when Colonel Hedworth Lambton received papers to raise a new regiment, to be numbered as the 54th Foot. It was renumbered as the "52nd Regiment of Foot" in 1757, and was stationed in England and Ireland. (At the same time, the previous 52nd Foot was renamed the 50th Foot.) In 1765, the Regiment was posted to Canada. The regiment, under the command of Colonel John Clavering, departed Cork, Ireland aboard the transport Pitt, for Quebec. En route, the ship ran aground in dense fog in the Gulf of St Lawrence, near the coast of Nova Scotia; the wreck remained intact enough for all on board, including the soldiers' wives, to disembark safely, transferring their effects and regimental provisions to shore. General Murray, Governor of Quebec, sent a schooner to retrieve the personnel and belongings, and carry them to Quebec.
Twenty years after its founding, the regiment saw active service in the American War of Independence, from 1774 to 1778. The 52nd was shipped to America from Canada, arriving in Boston, and fought in the battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill in 1775. Major-General William Howe led the main assault at Bunker Hill with Brigadier Robert Pigot leading the 52nd and 43rd Foot in support. This was the first occasion that the 52nd fought alongside the 43rd. They suffered heavy casualties at Bunker Hill, and in their grenadier company, only 8 men were left unwounded. In August, 1778, the men were drafted into other regiments and the officers returned to England. The regiment obtained new recruits and in 1782 the introduction of county titles for regiments resulted in the 52nd adding "Oxfordshire" to their name. The 52nd also took a minor part in the Indian Wars and the French Revolutionary Wars.
Napoleonic Wars
52nd at the Battle of Bussaco
Both battalions of the 52nd experienced active service throughout the Napoleonic Wars, their paths occasionally overlapping. In 1806–7, the 1st battalion were stationed in Sicily, where they helped train local soldiers; later, they accompanied Moore to Sweden. In August 1806, the 2nd battalion accompanied the expedition to Copenhagen, taking part in the 1807 assault against Copenhagen, which was led by General Wellesley. The 2/52nd landed in Portugal in August 1808 and, with the 2/43rd, were positioned in the village of Vimeiro to provide cover for the army landings at the nearby Maceira Bay. Three companies of the 2/52nd were posted with the advance guard, and were the first to encounter the enemy during the Battle of Vimeiro. Following the battle, the British commander Wellesley was superseded in turn by two superiors, Sir Harry Burrard and Sir Hew Dalrymple respectively, who signed the Convention of Sintra. The three commanders were recalled to England to explain their actions, and the command of the British troops devolved on Sir John Moore, the 52nd's colonel.
In October, Sir John Moore led the army into Spain, reaching as far as Salamanca. In December, they were reinforced by 10,000 troops from England, including the '1st Flank Brigade', which consisted of 1/52nd, 1/43rd and 1/95th and led by Robert Craufurd. Moore's army now totalled 25,000, but his advance was cut short by the news that Napoleon had defeated the Spanish, held Madrid, and was approaching with an army of 200,000. Moore turned his men, and retreated to Corunna, over mountain roads and through bitter winter weather. French cavalry pursued the British Army the length of the journey, and a Reserve Division was set up to provide rearguard protection for the British troops. The core of this Reserve, commanded by Edward Paget, consisted of the 1/52nd and 1/95th battalions, who displayed none of the ill-discipline which plagued other regiments during the retreat, but "made a stand at every defile and riverline, buying time for the rest of the army to get away." Following the secondment of the 1/52nd and 1/95th to the Reserve, Craufurd's 1st Flank Brigade was reformed, and comprised the 1/43rd, 2/52nd and 2/95th. The 1st Flank Brigade deployed with the Reserve for a time, protecting the crossing of the river Esla near Benavente, before it separated from the Reserve and the main army and marched to Vigo, with over 4,000 other troops, for eventual transportation to England. The 1/52nd remained with the main army, which was caught by the French at Corunna. During the ensuing battle, in January 1809, Moore was killed; the army, including the 1/52nd, were evacuated to England.
| The 1/52nd, along with 1/43rd and 1/95th, returned to the Peninsula in June 1809, where they were designated the "Light Brigade", under the command of General Craufurd. Alighting in Lisbon and hearing of the army's engagement with the French, they undertook a forced march to Talavera, arriving mere hours after the battle. The march was an extraordinary achievement, covering 42 miles in 26 hours, at a time when an infantry march of 15 miles a day was standard. Henceforth, the 1/52nd generally remained in advance of the army, as a forward party, a role which was to be theirs throughout much of the war. In February 1810, Portuguese Cazadores were added to Craufurd's brigade, creating the Light Division, the 1/52nd forming a brigade with 1st Cazadores and four companies from the 95th, under Lt-Col Barclay. While holding a forward outpost, the Light Division was involved in the Battle of the Côa, in July 1810, and took part in the Battle of Bussaco, where the Light Division held the left against the main French charge, which they successfully repulsed, inflicting high casualties; 1200 Frenchmen were killed, wounded or captured, while the Light Division suffered only 120 casualties. When Wellington's army retreated back to the Lines of Torres Vedras, late 1810, the Light Division acted as rearguard. The French were unable to broach the Torres Vedras defences, but engaged the British army in a number of small skirmishes, such as those fought by the Light Division, under the temporary command of Sir William Erskine, at Casal Novo – where they unwittingly came upon 11 French divisions in the fog – and Sabugal (April 1811), an engagement of which Wellington later wrote: "I consider that the action that was fought by the Light Division with the whole of the [French] 2nd Corps, to be the most glorious that British troops were ever engaged in." |
General Craufurd |
After returning to England in 1809, the 52nd's 2nd battalion had joined the unsuccessful Walcheren Campaign in the Netherlands. Walcheren was surrounded by marshes, and many of the officers and men came down with "Walcheren Fever" (malaria), which was to recur for years afterwards, and deplete the strength of the battalion. They eventually returned to the Peninsula in 1811 and were brigaded with their first battalion, who were manning outposts near Almeida. In early May, battle was engaged at Fuentes d'Onoro; initially set in the reserve, the Light Division came to the aid of the struggling British 7th Division, and provided a fighting retreat, as Wellington retired his army. For the rest of the year, both battalions of the 52nd, with the Light Division, manned outposts, which were constantly moved to mark the changing French positions.
January 1812 saw the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo. Companies from the Light Division, under the 52nd's Colonel Colborne, captured the Francisco redoubt on 9 January, and thereafter built trenches for the main assault, under enemy fire. Once the army's artillery had breached the walls, a 4-column assault was planned for 19 January, the Light Division forming the column which assaulted the breach near the Convent of San Francisco. Lt John Gurwood of the 52nd led the Forlorn Hope, followed by 300 "stormers" under the command of the 52nd's Major George Napier. The breach was carried and the fortress was taken within half an hour, at high cost. Amongst the 1300 British and Portuguese casualties was Craufurd, who died several days later. The army turned its attention to Badajoz, another strong fortress, which the British had failed to carry on an earlier occasion. The Light Division dug trenches near Fort Picurina, which was stormed, and established batteries. On 6 April, the breaches were deemed practicable, and the Light Division were ordered to storm the breach at Santa Maria. As the Light Division's Forlorn Hope reached the ditch, the French exploded a mine. Various other barricades and gunpowder defences were in place, and the toll at the breaches was heavy. Wellington ordered a withdrawal. Elsewhere, the fortress walls were achieved by escalade, encouraging an attack on the breaches again. The fortress was taken, at great cost (over 5000 British casualties), and for three days the army sacked and pillaged the town in undisciplined revenge. The 52nd and the 43rd together lost 39 officers and 700 men, resulting in a reduction of the 2/52nd, who saw no more action in the Peninsula.
Soon after the assault on Badajoz, Wellington marched his men to confront the French near Salamanca. For a month the armies marched and counter-marched against each other, seeking advantage, and on 22 July Wellington attacked in the Battle of Salamanca, achieving a comprehensive victory. The Light Division were in the reserve during the battle, and afterwards pursued and harried the retreating French. August saw the army in Madrid, where the 1/52nd remained while Wellington led a force on to Burgos, which he attempted to take. The siege was unsuccessful, and it was lifted by Wellington in October; the 1/52nd, with the Light Division, covered the army's retreat back into Portugal. This "Winter Retreat" bore similarities with the earlier retreat to Corunna, as it suffered from poor supplies, bitter weather and rearguard action, including one skirmish near the River Huebra, where the 43rd and 1/52nd lost 95 men. Ciudad Rodrigo was reached on 19 November, where the 1/52nd were billeted and resupplied with both men and clothing. Diversions were set up, including the "Light Division Theatre", in which the 52nd were described as "highly gentlemanly men, of steady aspect; they mixed little with other corps, but attended the theatricals of the 43rd with circumspect good humour, and now and then relaxed."
In spring, 1813, the army returned to the offensive, leaving Portugal and marching northwards through Spain to Vitoria where the French stood in preparation for battle, which took place on 21 June. The Light Division held the centre of the Allied line, and took the bridges of Villodas and Tres Puentes. The battle proved an overwhelming victory for the British, and the following day the 1/52nd, with the Light Division, were sent in pursuit of the retreating French, skirmishing with the enemy rearguard. In August, volunteers from the 1/52nd were involved in the storming of San Sebastian. The 1/52nd crossed into France on 7 October, when they stormed redoubts above Vera. The 1/52nd also fought in the battles at Nivelle (November 1813), Nive (December 1813) and Orthes (February 1814). During the battle of Orthes, the 52nd led an assault up the ridge under heavy fire, an advance which was later described by Sir Harry Smith as the most majestic he had ever seen.
Napoleon abdicated on 6 April 1814, but the news arrived in Wellington's camp too late to prevent the Battle of Toulouse, on 10 April, during which battle the 1/52nd's Lieutenant Whichcote was first into the city. Over this later period, the 2/52nd, who had left the Peninsula, were bolstered with new recruits and were sent to Holland in 1813–14, as part of Sir Thomas Graham's force which made an unsuccessful attack on Bergen op Zoom in March 1814. Afterwards they spent some time in Belgium before returning home to England. Once peace agreements had finally been settled – the French Governor of Bayonne being the last, on 26 April – the army left the Peninsula; the infantry marched to Bordeaux for transportation to their new postings. The 1/52nd were returned to England and, on 6 June 1814, stood on the quayside at Dover with their Light Division comrades from the 43rd and 95th as part of the official welcome for the Allied sovereigns visit to England. They were later billeted in Hythe and Chatham, where they were joined by the 2/52nd, returned from Belgium, who transferred their effectives to the 1st battalion.
Waterloo Campaign
In January, 1815, the 1/52nd departed Portsmouth for Cork, where they were due to embark for America, where fighting in the War of 1812 continued. Gales prevented sailing, and by the time conditions had improved, news had arrived of Napoleon's escape from Elba. The 1/52nd were sent to Belgium, at the start of the Hundred Days. Napoleon marched swiftly through France to meet the Allies, who had formed two armies, with the Duke of Wellington commanding the Anglo-Allies, and Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher commanding the Prussians.
The 52nd were assigned to Lt-Gen Hill's II Corps, as part of the 2nd Division's 3rd Brigade, under General Adam. As a response to Napoleon's movements, on 15 June, II Corps were posted west and southwest of Brussels, with a cavalry screen. Wellington's forward army engaged the French at Quatre Bras on 16 June, but he later fell back to remain in contact with his Prussian allies, who had retreated following the Battle of Ligny, and took position near the village of Waterloo. The field at Waterloo was 5.5 km wide, with two parallel ridges running west to east, creating a shallow valley 1.4 km across. The Allies took position on the northern ridge. As the army prepared for battle in 18 June, the 2nd Division were initially held in reserve, placed in the centre left, behind Major-General Cooke's 1st Division. Following the French cavalry's battering of the British squares over the afternoon, Adam's brigade was brought up to reinforce the right. In this position the 52nd endured a heavy bombardment, of which Ensign Leeke of the 52nd reported afterwards "the old officers, who had served during the whole of the Peninsular War, stated that they were never exposed to such a cannonade as the 52nd squares had to undergo on this occasion for 2½ hours from French artillery ½ mile to the front". While the 52nd's squares stood waiting, British artillery fired over their heads.
Final charge of the 52nd at Waterloo
Activity was happening elsewhere on the field, however, and as the battle drew to a close, Napoleon's Middle Guard launched an assault on the British line, to the 52nd's left, and were met by a number of regiments including the 1st Foot Guards, who repulsed the 3rd Chasseurs, but had to themselves retreat when the 4th Chasseurs moved forward to threaten their left. The 52nd, under Sir John Colborne, wheeled to the left, deploying parallel to the French column, and fired volleys against their left flank. William Hay, a Light Dragoon watching from the right, later recalled that "so well-directed a fire was poured in, that down the bank the Frenchmen fell and, I may say, the battle of Waterloo was gained." Seeing the 52nd begin an advance, Wellington reputedly ordered "Go on, Colborne, they won't stand!"; the battalion then advanced diagonally across the field. When this was later followed by a bayonet charge by all of General Adam's 3rd Brigade, the Guard broke, forced into full retreat. Having pursued the French down the escarpment of Mont St Jean, the 52nd crossed the valley floor (that at the start of the battle had separated the armies) and on the other side attacked a square of Old Guard (part of the personal body guard of Napoleon,) that had formed up to the British right of the inn La Belle Alliance and forced it to retreat.
52nd Engage after a long distance charge at Waterloo
The 1/52nd were the largest battalion at Waterloo, and one of the few British battalions operating at full strength. Of the 1,130 men and officers present, 168 were wounded, and 38 killed.
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