Paul Deans
Sergeant at Arms
About the 44th Regiment of Foot (East Essex)
If you are interested in joining a fun, yet disciplined and highly skilled Napoleonic Wars regiment, then take the King's shilling and join his Majesty's 44th Regiment of Foot!
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Rank Structure
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[size=14pt]Regimental Roster
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The Napoleonic Wars - "The Fighting Fours" and the Salamanca Eagle
The outbreak of war with revolutionary France in 1793 found the 44th and the 56th in Ireland. Both Regiments were sent to the West Indies, being employed in operations against the French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. While the 56th Foot was to remain in the West Indies until 1799 fighting both the French and the yellow fever until decimated, the 44th returned home in 1794 to be sent, ill-prepared and under strength, to fight under the Duke of York in Flanders. This ill-conceived campaign ended for the 44th in the spring of 1795, when it returned with the other remnants of the army to England, only to be sent once more to the West Indies. Returned home in 1797, the 44th next garrisoned Gibraltar from October, 1800, at a time when Napoleon conquered Egypt only to have his fleet destroyed by Nelson at the Battle of the Nile. Isolated by British sea-power, the eventual fate of the French was certain and only depended on when the hard-pressed England could spare the force necessary for their destruction. In 1801 the 44th was made part of this expedition. It took part in the Battle of the Pyramids and the Siege of Alexandria. It was awarded its first battle honour, "The Sphinx Superscribed Egypt", to be borne on the Regimental Colour. A Sphinx formed part of the Regimental cap badge.
The 44th's Regimental Colours and the captured French Imperial Eagle.
Expansion of the army during the Napoleonic Wars resulted in the raising of the 2/44th (1803) and the 2/56th (1804), while the 3/5th was raised in 1813. The 2/44th was raised in Ireland, and it is perhaps to commemorate this and the many Irishmen who served with gallantry in the ranks of the 44th and 56th in their earlier years that both regular battalions of The Essex Regiment always marked St Patrick's Day by the beating of reveille by the Corps of Drums playing traditional Irish airs - a custom still observed today. The 44th served in Malta, Sicily, Spain and North America. In the latter campaign the battle honour "Bladensburg" was awarded for the part the Regiment took in the advance to and occupation of Washington, the American capital, 1814.
A Private from the 44th during the Peninsular Campaign.
The 2/44th in its short life crowned itself with glory, gaining great distinction under Lord Wellington in the Peninsular War and at Quatre Bras and Waterloo. It won for the Regiment the battle honours of "Badajoz", "Salamanca", "Peninsula" and "Waterloo". It was a party of the 2/44th, under command of Lieutenant W. Pearce, that captured the Eagle Standard of the 62nd Regiment of French Infantry during the Battle of Salamanca in 1812. This Eagle (only five were taken in battle in all the wars with the French) rests in the Museum and an Eagle badge is worn as an arm badge by the Royal Anglian Regiment. The gallantry of the 2/44th in the Peninsular War gained them the nickname "The Fighting Fours".
Men from the 44th defending their Regimental Colours during the battle of Quatre Bras.
The Battalion then moved to quarters in Ostend until April 1815, when they where posted to the 95th British Infantry Brigade under the command of Sir Dennis Pack. The 2nd Battalion suffered 165 casualties during the Waterloo Campaign and was particularly hard pressed at Quatre Bras, where on June 16th Ensign Christie, despite receiving serious injuries, distinguished himself by saving the regimental Colour. After the battle of June 18th, the 44th marched to Paris, not returning to England until January 1816. In January 1816 the 2nd Battalion of the 44th Regiment of Foot embarked at Calais for Dover and on the 24th January was disbanded. The Officers received full pay until 24th March and all men fit for service were transferred to the 1st Battalion. The 44th East Essex remained a one battalion regiment, winning more glory and honours until 1881, when on 1st July, as a result of the territorial reorganisation scheme, the 44th became the 1st Battalion, the Essex Regiment and the 44th East Essex ceased to exist. Gone but never forgotten.
The 44th's Regimental Colours and the captured French Imperial Eagle.
Expansion of the army during the Napoleonic Wars resulted in the raising of the 2/44th (1803) and the 2/56th (1804), while the 3/5th was raised in 1813. The 2/44th was raised in Ireland, and it is perhaps to commemorate this and the many Irishmen who served with gallantry in the ranks of the 44th and 56th in their earlier years that both regular battalions of The Essex Regiment always marked St Patrick's Day by the beating of reveille by the Corps of Drums playing traditional Irish airs - a custom still observed today. The 44th served in Malta, Sicily, Spain and North America. In the latter campaign the battle honour "Bladensburg" was awarded for the part the Regiment took in the advance to and occupation of Washington, the American capital, 1814.
A Private from the 44th during the Peninsular Campaign.
The 2/44th in its short life crowned itself with glory, gaining great distinction under Lord Wellington in the Peninsular War and at Quatre Bras and Waterloo. It won for the Regiment the battle honours of "Badajoz", "Salamanca", "Peninsula" and "Waterloo". It was a party of the 2/44th, under command of Lieutenant W. Pearce, that captured the Eagle Standard of the 62nd Regiment of French Infantry during the Battle of Salamanca in 1812. This Eagle (only five were taken in battle in all the wars with the French) rests in the Museum and an Eagle badge is worn as an arm badge by the Royal Anglian Regiment. The gallantry of the 2/44th in the Peninsular War gained them the nickname "The Fighting Fours".
Men from the 44th defending their Regimental Colours during the battle of Quatre Bras.
The Battalion then moved to quarters in Ostend until April 1815, when they where posted to the 95th British Infantry Brigade under the command of Sir Dennis Pack. The 2nd Battalion suffered 165 casualties during the Waterloo Campaign and was particularly hard pressed at Quatre Bras, where on June 16th Ensign Christie, despite receiving serious injuries, distinguished himself by saving the regimental Colour. After the battle of June 18th, the 44th marched to Paris, not returning to England until January 1816. In January 1816 the 2nd Battalion of the 44th Regiment of Foot embarked at Calais for Dover and on the 24th January was disbanded. The Officers received full pay until 24th March and all men fit for service were transferred to the 1st Battalion. The 44th East Essex remained a one battalion regiment, winning more glory and honours until 1881, when on 1st July, as a result of the territorial reorganisation scheme, the 44th became the 1st Battalion, the Essex Regiment and the 44th East Essex ceased to exist. Gone but never forgotten.
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