Raised in 1694. When first formed it saw much eventful service as
Marines, and served in the capture of Gibraltar in 1704, and in
the great sea-fight off Malaga which followed. In January 1816, a
battalion of the 59th was wrecked while proceeding to Ireland, and
nearly the whole of the men perished. At Waterloo, after the British
squares reformed line to make the final advance, the regiment left its
formation plainly marked on the ground it had occupied by the square
of dead and dying comrades who had fallen in the grim opposition to
the enemy's cavalry and artillery. It fought with great distinction in
the Crimea, China, Afghanistan and South Africa, winning the highest
commendations everywhere.
Nicknamed: "The Triple Xs," also "The Three Tens." 59th Foot, "Lily
Whites," from its facings.
[Illustration]
(_Depot_, Kingston.)
(_Record Office_, Hounslow.)
"Gibraltar, 1704-5," "Dettingen," "Martinique, 1794," "Talavera,"
"Guadaloupe, 1810," "Albuhera," "Vittoria," "Pyrenees," "Nivelle,"
"Nive," "Orthes," "Peninsula," "Cabool, 1842," "Moodkee,"
"Ferozeshah," "Aliwal," "Sobraon," "Sevastopol," "Taku Forts,"
"New Zealand," "Afghanistan, 1878-79," "Suakin, 1885," "Relief of
Ladysmith," "South Africa, 1899-1902."
_Uniform_, Scarlet.
_Facings_, White.
_Head-dress_, Helmet.
_Cap_, Blue.
Allied Regiment, 4th (Otago) Regiment of New Zealand.
_Regimental March_, "A Southerly Wind and a Cloudy Sky."
The officers wear a black line in their lace to commemorate the
death of General Wolfe at Quebec.