A significant organisational change occurred in 1751; previously, regiments were considered the property of their Colonel, changed names when transferred from one to another and were disbanded as soon as possible.[10] As part of a package of reforms driven by the increasing professionalisation of the military, each regiment was now assigned a number, based on precedence or seniority in the Army list; Colonel Peregrine Hopson's Regiment became the 29th Regiment of Foot.[11]
George Boscawen replaced Hopson as Colonel in 1752 and his brother, Admiral Edward Boscawen presented him with 10 black youths taken in the 1759 Invasion of Guadeloupe. They were employed as regimental drummers, a tradition that continued until 1843.[12]
Soldier of the 29th Foot in 1742
Together with the 14th Regiment of Foot, the 29th was posted to Boston in 1768.[13] On 5 March 1770, members of the Grenadier company under Captain Thomas Preston were involved in the Boston Massacre, when five colonists died during a riot in front of the Boston customs house.[14] The 29th was later dubbed the Vein Openers, for allegedly drawing first blood in the American Revolution.[8]
On 31 August 1782, the unit was renamed the 29th (Worcestershire) Regiment of Foot by a royal warrant giving county titles to all regiments that did not already have a special title.[1] This was an attempt to improve recruitment, but no depot was established in the county and recruits were liable to serve in any regiment.[21]
The regiment returned to England after the Anglo-French War ended in 1783; in 1791, it was given the regimental march known as 'The Royal Windsor,' allegedly composed by Princess Augusta, with the help of Lord William Cathcart.[22]
The French Revolutionary Wars broke out in 1792 and in 1794, members of the 29th took part in the British naval victory known as the Glorious First of June, serving as marines on HMS Brunswick and Ramillies.[23] The regiment was awarded a naval crown for its participation in the battle, during which the Brunswick sank the French ship Le Vengeur du Peuple and disabled the Achille.[24] At the end of December 1794, a battalion of 21 officers and 640 men, formed from those in the 29th who were not detached to warships, embarked on the troopshipMaria for the Caribbean island of Grenada, where discontent would lead to an insurrection in the coming months, known as Fédon's Rebellion or the Brigand's War.[25] On their return to England in July 1796, the battalion had been reduced by battle casualties and disease to 5 officers and 87 men.[26] It later fought in a more conventional role at Alkmaar in October 1799, during the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland.[27]
In 1808, the 29th joined Wellington's army engaged in the 1807-1814 Peninsular War in Spain and Portugal.[28] At Roliça on 17 August, it suffered heavy losses assaulting an entrenched French position, which was taken only after a prolonged defence; at Vimeiro four days later, it held off an attack by Brenier's Brigade, allowing two other British battalions to first regroup, then repulse the attack.[29]
I wish very much that some measures could be adopted to get recruits for the regiment, it is the best Regiment in this Army, has an admirable internal system and excellent Non-Commissioned Officers.
After the Battle of Grijó in May,[30] it was engaged at Talavera in July; on 27th, with two other battalions, it attacked French positions on the hill called Cerro de Medellin. This was taken by the evening and then held throughout the next day, despite a series of French attacks and artillery bombardment; two French colours were captured in a bayonet charge that drove the French regiments from the field.[31]
At the Battle of Albuera on 16 May 1811, it suffered heavy losses, including Ensigns Edward Furnace and Richard Vance killed saving the regimental colours.[32] After this, it returned to England to refit and recruit more men.[33]
Transferred to Bengal in 1842, during the First Anglo-Sikh War the regiment fought at the Battle of Ferozeshah in December 1845 and the Battle of Sobraon on 10 February 1846.[35] At Sobraon, two battalions of Indian Sepoys twice unsuccessfully assaulted the Sikhearthworks before finally breaking through on the third assault: the regiment's commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Taylor was killed in the assault.[35]
In 1873 a practical system of recruiting areas based on counties was instituted. The 29th Sub-District, consisting of the counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire was created, with headquarters at Norton Barracks, three miles from the city of Worcester. The barracks became the depot for the regiment along with the 36th (Herefordshire) Regiment of Foot and the militia of the two counties.[39] On 1 July 1881 the Childers Reforms came into effect and the regiment became the 1st Battalion, the Worcestershire Regiment, while the 36th became the 2nd battalion.[1]
Garter Star badge
The regimental badge of the regiment and later of the Worcestershire Regiment show the influence of the Coldstream Guards on the regiment. The Coldstream Guards and the 29th are the only two regiments to have the elongated star and garter of the Order of the Garter as their regimental badge with its motto "Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense" translated "Shame be to him who evil thinks" earning a third nickname The Guards of the Line.[8]
^Everard, Hugh Edward (Autumn 1973). Southern, J (ed.). "From 'The History of Thomas Farrington's Regiment'". The Black Perspective in Music. 1 (2): 10–13. doi:10.2307/1214455. JSTOR1214455.
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