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The 62nd (Wiltshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, which was raised as a line regiment in 1756 and saw service through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. As part of the Haldane Reforms, it was amalgamated with the 99th Duke of Edinburgh's (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot in 1881, to form the Wiltshire Regiment. Although originally formed as a line regiment, the 62nd as a regiment was employed, at times, in a light infantry role.〔(The Wardrobe - The Rifles (Berkshire and Wiltshire) Museum )〕 This was not the first 62nd Regiment of the British Army. The first unit of the British Army to be the 62nd Regiment was renumbered as the 60th Regiment in 1757, and became better known as the King's Royal Rifle Corps. The second unit to be designated as the 62nd Regiment was also renumbered in 1757. This second regiment would become the 78th Fraser Highlanders. During its existence, the 62nd Regiment would earn six battle honours: Louisburg, Nive, Ferozeshah, Sobaron, and Sevastopol. The regiment's slow march was "May Blossoms" and its quick march was "The Vly be on Turmit".〔Christopher Chant, (Handbook of British Regiments ) (London, IMP Publishing Services, Ltd., 1988),p. 228.〕 == 1756–1758: Formation, Louisbourg, and Carrickfergus == The 62nd Regiment was formed on 20 September 1756 as the 2nd Battalion of the 4th Regiment of Foot, and renumbered as a separate regiment in 1758. The regiment's first action came during the Seven Years' War. Because of a lack of available marine units, four companies of the 62nd was assigned to Admiral Boscawen's fleet as marines.〔(Fife and Drums ) of the LXIId Regiment of Foot.〕 As marines, they took part in the Siege of Louisbourg. Following the capture of Louisbourg, the 62nd Regiment participated in Wolfe's campaign to capture attack on Quebec. The regiment made a diversionary landing at Beauport as a diversion from the main landings.〔Fife and Drums,(LXIId Regiment of Foot )〕 Although the siege of Louisbourg was the first battle of the 62nd, it would be more than a century before the War Office recognized the part they played. For decades, commanders of the regiment would petitioner the War Office for the Louisbourg honour, which had been granted to the other eleven regiments present during the siege. However, the War Office continually refused, stating that there was no record of the 62nd being present. This was true because the records which showed they were present were not held in the War Office. By acting as marines, they had been on the Royal Navy's books and thus the records verifying their part in the battle were with the Admiralty.The 62nd finally received the Louisbourg honour in 1910.〔( Battle Honour, Louisbourg ) at Farmer's Boys.〕 The rest of the regiment was assigned to Ireland and eventually assigned as the garrison for Carrickfergus Castle in Carrickfergus, County Antrim.〔R. de M. Rudolf, ed., (''Short Histories of the Territorial Regiments of the British Army'' ), (London: His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1906) p. 537.〕 On 23 February 1760, a French force of approximately 600 men conducted an amphibious assault and laid siege to the castle. The castle's defences were in a state of disrepair, including a 50 foot breach in the wall.〔Alan J. Guy, "The Irish military establishment", in ''(Military History of Ireland )'', (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1997) p. 226.〕 Under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel John Jennings, the four under-strength companies, approximately 200 men in all, withstood three assaults on the castle. In addition to being outnumbered, the garrison was short of ammunition, having to melt down their buttons to make bullets. By the time the French made their third attack, the defenders had expended all their ammunition and were left with rocks and bayonets. After the third attempt was beaten back, Colonel Jennings was forced to seek terms. After meeting with the French commander, Jennings and his men were allowed to surrender the castle, give their parole, retain their arms and colours. The French, in return, promised not to plunder the town of Carrickfergus.〔"The Old Springers: A Historical Sketch of The 62nd Regiment" in ( United Services Magazine ), (London: A. Schulze, 1870) no. 496,p.317〕 Although the 62nd surrendered the castle, the François Thurot French squadron which had landed the force was destroyed by the Royal Navy in an action near the Mull of Galloway. An investigation of the defence of Carrickfergus proclaimed that the men "behav'd like Lyons".〔Alan Guy, p. 227.〕 The Irish Parliament voted a thanks to the Regiment and Carrickfergus presented the officers with silver cups. In 1761, part of the regiment was sent to Germany to join the British forces serving on the continent. In 1763, the regiment was reunited and deployed the West Indies where it would remain until it was sent to Canada join General Howe's forces.〔"The Old Springers: A Historical Sketch of The 62nd Regiment" in ( United Services Magazine ), (London: A. Schulze, 1870) no. 496, p.318.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「62nd (Wiltshire) Regiment of Foot」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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