40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot

40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot)
Active	1717 – 1881
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Army
Type	Line Infantry
Role	Light Infantry
Size	One battalion
Nickname(s)	"The Excellers".
Colors	Light Buff Facings, Gold Braided Lace
March	Quick: Slow:

The 40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1717 and amalgamated into The Prince of Wales's Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment) in 1881. Following further amalgamations of British Army infantry regiments, today's direct linear descendant regiment is The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment.

Formation

The regiment was raised in Nova Scotia by General Richard Philipps in August 1717 out of independent companies stationed in North America and the West Indies. In 1751, they were numbered the 40th Regiment of Foot, and in 1782 took a county title as the 40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot. On July 1, 1751 the British regiments were first officially designated by numbers, and that which had been known as Cornwallis's, late Phillipp's, became the Fortieth Regiment of Foot. The 40th fought in the Siege of Louisbourg (1758), Quebec (1759) and Montreal (1760) and Havannah (1761). The regiment also fought throughout the American Revolution.

Service in the Empire during the 19th Century

The 40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot spent a number of years of duty in the Australian colonies. From 1823 to 1829, they were posted to New South Wales, where they served at both Sydney, and Van Diemens Land.

They were then transferred to Bombay, with the first units of the 40th leaving Australia in 1828. While in India, the 40th was stationed in a number of places within the Bombay Presidency. In 1839 they were sent to the Sindh and took part in the capture of Karachi. The regiment then carried out operations in the Sindh against Nasar Khan. They captured the fort at Kajak in 1841.

They also fought during the First Anglo-Afghan War. The regiment entered Afghanistan in 1841 and camped at Quetta on their way to Afghanistan where they experienced one of the worst out breaks of disease of any regiment of the British army. The fought with General Nott during his campaign in Afghanistan in 1842. They returned to India in December 1842 and fought in the Gwalior Campaign at the Battle of Maharajpore in 1843.

They returned to Australia in 1852 and remained until 1860, serving in Victoria, where they suppressed the Eureka Rebellion of 1854. Detachments from the regiment were also stationed in South Australia and Western Australia.

From 1860 until 1865, the regiment took part in the Taranaki and Waikato campaigns, during the New Zealand Wars.

Colonel William Balfour

A prominent officer of the regiment was Colonel William Balfour(1785–1838) who joined the regiment as a boy ensign in 1799, purchased his lieutenancy in 1800, and was promoted captain in 1802, major in 1808 and lieutenant-colonel in 1814. He saw service at Copenhagen; in the Peninsula he won the approval of Sir John Moore, and in southern France won a medal at Nivelle. With his regiment he sailed in the Castle Forbes, arrived in Sydney in January 1825 and went on with a detachment to Port Dalrymple (Van Diemens land), where he replaced Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Cameron as civil and military commandant in April. He soon won popular acclaim for his hospitality, upright impartiality and prompt attention to duty. His wife Charlotte died in childbirth at Launceston on 22 August 1825, aged 33, leaving him with several young children. For some months his position was uncertain because the Colonial Office proposed to supersede him by appointing Edward Abbott as civil commandant at Port Dalrymple, despite (Sir) George Arthur's strong pleas for his retention.

In February 1826 Balfour went to Sydney to transfer command of the regiment to Van Diemen's Land, and was warmly welcomed on his return next month to Launceston where Matthew Brady and his bushrangers were daily becoming more threatening. When Balfour's well organized pursuit harassed the gang, Brady announced that he would attack Launceston; his capture of Richard Dry's home on 4 March made Balfour divide his forces, but the bushrangers were driven off. A public meeting at Launceston praised his courageous action and next month, when Abbott's appointment was formally announced, Balfour was given a grand farewell dinner in the court-house. To retain his services Arthur on his own initiative divided the colony into military districts and placed Balfour in command of them all. He was also granted 2,000 acres (8.1 km²), although he had no intention to settle.

In Hobart Town Balfour was chosen as president of the committee of the board for general purposes. His inquiries led to important new regulations for the public stores and civil establishment. He also recommended 'elegant and ornamental' extensions to the Hobart barracks to prevent overcrowding and the loss of discipline through officers living in town lodgings. He left Van Diemen's Land in December 1826, and sailed from Sydney with dispatches from Governor (Sir) Ralph Darling for the Foreign Office. Believing them urgent he left the ship in the pilot boat off Portsmouth and went straight to London. His costs for this zealous act were refused by the Colonial Office. He became commanding officer of the 82nd Regiment in January 1828 and was posted to Mauritius. He retired from the army in 1832 and died in London in February 1838.

Uniforms

• 
  Private man, 40th Regiment of Foot, 1742
• 
  Grenadier, 40th Regiment of Foot, 1776
• 
  Officer and Private, 40th Regiment of Foot, 1812
• 
  Officer from the Light Company, 40th Regiment of Foot, 1826
• 
  Drummer, 40th Regiment of Foot, 1846
• 
  Colour Sergeant, 40th Regiment of Foot, 1881

See also

• History of Australia
• The history and records of the 40th Regiment are preserved and maintained by The Lancashire Infantry Museum in Fulwood Barracks, Preston, Lancashire, U.K. For further information see the Museum's website at http://www.lancashireinfantrymuseum.org.uk