Formed in 1685. It displayed splendid bravery but was cut to pieces at
Almanza in 1707. During the Peninsular War it gained great distinction.
At Salamanca, the fierce character of the struggle may be gathered from
the fact that only four officers and sixty-seven men of the regiment
could be mustered at the close of the action, to hear, however, words
of praise seldom addressed to an individual regiment. At Toulouse for
the second time during the war it shared in the supreme effort which
turned the tide of victory. No record of the Devons would be complete
which omitted the supreme gallantry of the regiment in the desperate
fighting at Wagon Hill during the South African War.
Nickname: "The Bloody Eleventh," from the number of casualties at the
battle of Salamanca.
[Illustration: Colonel Ridge leading the stormers at Badajoz.]
[Illustration: Private, 1750. Officer, 1780. Sergeant, 1807. Private,
1835.