Col.A Fyler
This exceptionally widely researched history of the 50th (Queen’s Own) Regiment from its origins in 1741 to 1881 - when it merged into the Royal West Kent Regiment - is by a former Commander of the Unit, Col. Arthur Fyler. Drawing on his 40 years witrh the regiment, Col. Fyler devoted his retirement to compiling his history. He begins with the regiment’s defence of Fort Oswego in Canada, which it was compelled to surrender in 1756 to a superior French force under the Marquis de Montcalm. In the Seven Years’ War with France, the 50th served in Germany under the Marquis of Granby in 1760-2, helping to defeat the French at the battles of Warburg, Vellinghausen and Wilhelmsthal. In the Napoleonic Wars, the 50th took part in Admiral Hood’s occupation of Corsica, helped storm Calvi and garrisoned the Corsican capital, Ajaccio under its Commander, Lt.-Col Wauchope, who was appointed Governor of the island. Forced to withdraw from his native island by Napoleon, the 50th took part in the expedition against the French in Egypt in 1801 under Sir Ralph Abercrombie, landing at Aboukir Bay, taking part in the battle of Alexandria, and marching up the Nile valley. Having helped compel the capitulation of General Menou’s forces In Egypt, the 50th took in the defeat of the Danes outside Copenhagen under Sir Arthur Wellesley in 1807. The regiment played a part in all the major campaigns and battles of the Peninsula War, from Vimeiro and Corunna under Sir John Moore, to Torres Vedras, Fuentes D’Onoro, Vittoria, Maya, Roncesvalles, Nivelle, St Orthes, and Toulouse, under Generals Hill and Wellesley (later Wellington). After garrison duty in Jamaica, the 50th took part in the Sikh Wars in the Punjab, and other indian campaigns under Sir Charles Napier; its battle honours included Punniar, Moodkee, Ferozeshah, Aliwal and Sobraon. In the Crimean War the 50th helped defeat the Russians at the Battle of the Alma. The history concludes with the regiment’s part in New Zealand’s Maori Wars. Generously Illustrated with 40 plates (some in colour) and maps. With ten appendices, including short lives of Sir Charles Napier and Sir Hudson Lowe, Governor of St Helena during Napoleon’s captivity.
