20th Regiment of Foot

20th Regiment of Foot
Unit name	20th Regiment of Foot
Dates	1685–1881
Country	Kingdom of England; later Kingdom of Great Britain; United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Line infantry
Role	Infantry
Size	Battalion
Garrison	Winchester; Dublin
Nickname	East Devonshire Regiment (later Devonshire Regiment)
Colors	White facings (pre-1881)
Battles	Battle of Blenheim; Siege of Louisbourg; Siege of Quebec; Peninsular War; Battle of Salamanca; Battle of Vitoria; Battle of the Pyrenees; Battle of Waterloo; Crimean War; Second Boer War; First World War

20th Regiment of Foot

The 20th Regiment of Foot was a line infantry regiment of the British Army raised in 1685 and later known as the East Devonshire Regiment, finally amalgamated to form the Devonshire Regiment under the Childers Reforms of 1881. The regiment served across Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia, seeing action in major engagements associated with the War of the Spanish Succession, the Seven Years' War, the Napoleonic Wars, the Crimean War, the Second Boer War, and the First World War. Over its existence the regiment produced notable officers and soldiers who influenced campaigns linked to commanders and institutions across British imperial and continental theaters.

History

The regiment's lineage traces to the raising of independent companies during the reign of James II of England and subsequent reorganization under William III of England. It served in expeditionary forces connected with the War of the Spanish Succession, operations associated with commanders such as the Duke of Marlborough and battles like the Battle of Blenheim and Battle of Ramillies. Later deployments linked the regiment with colonial campaigns during the Seven Years' War, including operations tied to the Siege of Louisbourg and the Siege of Quebec during contests with New France. Throughout the 19th century the regiment participated in campaigns connected to the Napoleonic Wars, the Crimean War, and imperial conflicts related to the Second Boer War.

Formation and Early Service

Raised in 1685 amid the Monmouth Rebellion and the broader reorganization of forces under James II of England, the unit evolved through English and British service structures after the Glorious Revolution and accession of William III of England. Early 18th-century service attached the regiment to Continental coalitions led by the Duke of Marlborough during the War of the Spanish Succession, with presence at engagements associated with the War of the Spanish Succession campaigns and garrison duties connected to the Low Countries. During the mid-18th century the regiment took part in expeditionary operations associated with Great Britain's colonial contest with France, deploying to North America for actions tied to the Seven Years' War and operations around Quebec City under officers who later featured in memoirs and dispatches circulating within circles of the British Army.

Napoleonic and 19th-Century Campaigns

In the era of the Napoleonic Wars the regiment formed part of expeditionary forces operating on the Iberian Peninsula and in the Low Countries, aligning its service with campaigns overseen by figures such as the Duke of Wellington. It saw action in battles associated with the Peninsular War, including operations linked to the Battle of Salamanca, the Battle of Vitoria, and the climactic engagements of the Pyrenees campaign where coordination with allied corps and forces of the Kingdom of Portugal and Spain was critical. Following the 1815 Battle of Waterloo period the regiment undertook garrison and colonial duties across the expanding British imperial network, including postings that connected with administrations and institutions in Ireland and India. In the mid-19th century the regiment was engaged in operations related to the Crimean War, participating in sieges and campaigns linked to the Crimean Peninsula and theaters involving the Ottoman Empire and allies.

Boer War and Early 20th Century

Service in South Africa during the Second Boer War placed elements of the regiment within mobile columns conducting operations associated with sieges, counterinsurgency sweeps, and actions linked to commanders operating under the strategic direction of figures like Lord Roberts and Lord Kitchener. These campaigns connected the regiment to logistical networks spanning the Cape Colony, Transvaal, and Orange Free State, and to the evolving doctrines of mounted infantry and blockhouse systems employed during the conflict. After 1902 the regiment returned to duties on the British Isles and imperial stations, integrating reforms associated with the Cardwell Reforms and the continuing professionalization of the British Army leading into the 20th century.

First World War

During the First World War battalions of the regiment served on multiple fronts, including deployments associated with the Western Front, contests tied to trench systems in sectors connected to corps and armies commanded by leaders such as Douglas Haig and John French. The regiment's units took part in engagements linked to major battles of 1916–1918, operating within brigades that coordinated with divisions drawn from regional recruiting districts encompassing Devon and surrounding counties. Service records highlight participation in offensives and defenses associated with battles like the Battle of the Somme, the Arras operations, and final advances tied to the Hundred Days Offensive, with casualties recorded across regimental rolls preserved in regimental museums and archives.

Amalgamation and Legacy

Under the 1881 Cardwell Reforms culmination in the Childers Reforms, the regiment was retitled and amalgamated to form the Devonshire Regiment, integrating county-based recruiting systems and depot structures located at garrisons such as Exeter and Plymouth. The regiment's battle honours and traditions were inherited by successor units that later became part of larger reorganizations culminating in formations linked to the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry lineage and 20th-century amalgamations within the British Army's regimental system. Material legacy endures through collections held by regimental museums, commemorations at memorials associated with battles like Blenheim and Waterloo, and scholarly works preserved in military history libraries and archives.

Category:Infantry regiments of the British Army