HISTORY OF THE THIRTIETH REGIMENT, NOW THE FIRST BATTALION EAST LANCASHIRE REGIMENT 1689-1881

An updated and expanded 1923 edition of a history of the old Thirtieth Regiment, later the 1st East Lancashire Regiment, from its formation in 1689 down to 1881, first published in 1887. The author draws on newly-available material in the Public Record Office, the British Museum and the Royal United Service Institution to compile this compelling record of one of the British Army’s oldest units. Raised in the year after the Glorious Revolution which brought William III to the throne, the 30th first saw service in the wars with France that the King fought in defence of his Duch homeland. It was disbanded, but then promptly raised again as Marines to fight against France in the War of the Spanish Succession, taking part in the successful capture and subsequent defence of the Rock of Gibraltar. It continued to serve in Spain, helping to take Barcelona and Alicante. The 30th helped defeat a French invasion fleet in the Firth of Forth. It was disbanded a second time, but re-formed to meet the Jacobite threat, defended Gibraltar again, and was present at Lord Anson’s naval victory off Finisterre. Fighting as Marines, the 30th took part in the expeditions against Rochefort, Cherbourg and St. Malo (twice). In the American War of Independence it took part in the Battle of Eutaw Springs and later helped to put down two risings of the black population of Dominica.
In the French Revolutionary Wars, the 30th fought alongside the Navy in the Mediterranean, helping defend Toulon against the young Napoleon Bonaparte, occupying Messina and besieging and capturing Malta’s capital Valetta before seeing action in Egypt.. Becoming two battalions, the Regiment saw garrison duty in Ireland and service in the Easat Indies and Macao before taking part in the Peninsula War. It was with Wellington in the lines of Torres Vedras, which blocked the French attempt to drive the Duke from Portugal, and took part in most of the major British victoriies in the Peninsula, includfing Fuentes d’Onoro, Ciudad Roderigo, Badajoz and Salamanca. After the Waterloo camapign , in which it fought at Quatre Bras and Waterloo itself, the 30th was reduced to one battalion again and saw service in the Mahratta war in India. It also took part in the Crimean War at Inkerman and Sebastopol, and saw service in various parts of the Empire until becoming the 1st East Lancashire Regiment. Ilustrated with fifteen fine colour plates showing the evolution of the regiment’s uniforms, and fifteen sketch maps of actions in which it fought., and accompanied by a roll of its officers from 1689-1881 and an index.