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Lot Essay
The 54th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, first formed in 1755 as the 56th Regiment of Foot but subsequently re-numbered two years later after the disbandment of other Regiments. It received the county title ‘West Norfolk’ in 1782 becoming the 54th (West Norfolk) Regiment of Foot. The Regiment served during the Egyptian Campaign of 1801 which drove Napoleon’s Army out of Egypt during the French Revolutionary Wars (1792-1802). The 54th went on to fight at the Battle of Waterloo, the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824-1826), the Battle of Ava and during the Indian Mutiny (1857-1859).
It was amalgamated in 1881 with the 39th Regiment of Foot as part of the Childers Reforms which restructured the British army into a network of multi-battalion Regiments to become The Dorsetshire Regiment. The newly formed Regiment served in India on the North West Frontier fighting during the Tirah Expedition (1897-1898) with the aim of regaining control of the Khyber pass from the Afridi tribe. The Regiment also served during the Second Boer War (1899-1902), fighting at the Relief of Ladysmith and during two World Wars.
In 1958 the Regiment was amalgamated with the Devonshire Regiment to form the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment. The Regiment was further amalgamated in 2005 with the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire Wiltshire Regiment and the Light Infantry to form the Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry. This Regiment was further amalgamated in 2007 with the Royal Green Jackets to form the Rifles.
In the early half of the 1800s the 54th Regiment of Foot was based abroad and by the time they were ordered to return to England, the Officers’ Mess had accumulated considerable funds. There was a rumour that the War Office would impound what they considered excessive mess funds, so the Commanding Officer decided to purchase a silver dinner service from Garrard, as mess property could not be impounded.
It was amalgamated in 1881 with the 39th Regiment of Foot as part of the Childers Reforms which restructured the British army into a network of multi-battalion Regiments to become The Dorsetshire Regiment. The newly formed Regiment served in India on the North West Frontier fighting during the Tirah Expedition (1897-1898) with the aim of regaining control of the Khyber pass from the Afridi tribe. The Regiment also served during the Second Boer War (1899-1902), fighting at the Relief of Ladysmith and during two World Wars.
In 1958 the Regiment was amalgamated with the Devonshire Regiment to form the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment. The Regiment was further amalgamated in 2005 with the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire Wiltshire Regiment and the Light Infantry to form the Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry. This Regiment was further amalgamated in 2007 with the Royal Green Jackets to form the Rifles.
In the early half of the 1800s the 54th Regiment of Foot was based abroad and by the time they were ordered to return to England, the Officers’ Mess had accumulated considerable funds. There was a rumour that the War Office would impound what they considered excessive mess funds, so the Commanding Officer decided to purchase a silver dinner service from Garrard, as mess property could not be impounded.