68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) - Formation and The Seven Years' War

Formation and The Seven Years' War

The regiment was raised by the redesignation of the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Regiment of Foot on 22 April 1758, ranked as the 68th Regiment of Foot; it was considered the successor to a previous 68th Foot raised in 1745 and disbanded the following year by John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford. It was placed under the command of Colonel John Lambton and in May 1758 was stationed on the Isle of Wight during the Seven Years' War. The Regiment was part of the 14,000-strong army stationed on the island at the request of Britain's ally Frederick the Great of Prussia. This action consisted of descents upon the French coast to disturb privateers in the area, distract the French army and relieve pressure on Britain's allies, the Prussians. The first expedition anchored at Cancale Bay, near St Malo, and after pillaging that village and an attempt at taking Cherbourg returned on 1 July.

A second expedition involving the 68th on the French Coast would be embarked on 23 July, disembarking on 7 August in the Bay of Ureville and marched for Cherbourg. The town was taken with little resistance and the fort and harbour were demolished; after a few minor skirmishes the 68th sailed for England on 16 August.

A third and final expedition was launched in succession; the 68th landed at Lunaire Bay on 3 September, but suffered severe defeat after a concentrated French army engaged the British army at St. Cast. The Governor of Brittany, the Duc d’Aiguillon, led a force of 6,000 regulars, several squadrons of cavalry, the “Garde de Cote” and militia against the British, who fought a rearguard action while evacuating the beach. The British casualties were between 600 and 700 officers and men, with between 300 and 400 taken prisoner by the French. The 68th itself lost 73 men from Captain Revell’s Grenadiers company who formed part of the rear guard force left on the beach.

The 68th disembarked at Cowes on 19 September, and proceeded to its former camping ground at King’s Forest. In October, the regiment went into winter quarters at Rochester. With losses in expeditions and providing a draft of 173 men to the 61st regiment, it was very weak indeed and recruiting parties scoured the country to refill its ranks.

On 23 March 1759, the regiment marched from its winter quarters at Rochester to Southampton where it remained until 2 June, when it embarked on three transports for Jersey. It arrived on 21 June and remained there until February 1760 when it returned to England. In March 1760 around 600 men of the regiment were drafted to make up the British Regiment in the West Indies. The regiment marched to Leeds, receiving orders on 10 May to march to Newcastle and billet at Tynemouth Barracks. At this point, it mustered 9 companies consisting of 41 officers and 239 men only.

There the 68th would remain through 1761, with detachments sent to Durham to aid Civil power and providing drafts to fill up other regiments. In May, the regiment was based at Hexham with its headquarters at Morpeth. It mustered a strength of 42 officers and 289 men. In January 1762, the 68th had grown to 415 men and was ordered to march to Berwick, where it transferred to the command of Lord George Beauclerk, commanding in Scotland or North Britain as it was referred to since the 1745 rebellion. It was quartered at the newly built Fort George and remained throughout 1762 through to 1763 and the end of the war.