Below is some genealogy information on the 51st Regiment of Foot (King's Own Light Infantry) of the British army that may help searches for military ancestors.

Theatres of War, Army Regiments, Naval Detachments, RAF

Description: Formed in 1755. They saw action in the Seven Years War. In 1757 they were renamed the 51st Regiment of Foot. In 1782 they were renamed the 51st (2nd Yorkshire, West Riding) Regiment of Foot. They saw action in the Napoleonic war, fighting in the Peninsular Wars and Waterloo. In 1809 they were designated as Light Infantry. In 1821 they were renamed the 51st (2nd Yorkshire, West Riding, The King's Own Light Infantry) Regiment. In 1881 they formed The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) following an amalgamation with the 105th Regiment of Foot (Madras Light Infantry). They saw action during the Boer Wars, fighting at Belmont and Graspan, Magersfontein and Modder River. During the First World War they fought across the Western and Italian fronts at battles such as Mons, Le Cateau, the 1st battle of Ypres, the 2nd battle of Ypres, Loos, Mount Sorrel, the Somme (1916), the Hindenburg Line, Arras, Passchendaele, the 1st battle of the Somme (1918), the advance in Flanders and Vittorio Veneto. During the Second World War they fought across the Western, Norwegian, Italian and Far-Eastern fronts, fighting in the invasion of Italy. In 1968 they amalgamated with the King's Shropshire Light Infantry, the Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry and the Durham Light Infantry, forming the Light Infantry Regiment. In 2007 they amalgamated with the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment, the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry and the Royal Green Jackets, forming The Rifles. Their nickname is The Koylis.

Military actions:

• Napoleonic war: Peninsular Wars
• Napoleonic war: Waterloo
• Boer war: Belmont and Graspan
• Boer war: Magersfontein
• Boer war: Modder River
• WWI: Mons
• WWI: Le Cateau
• WWI: 1st battle of Ypres
• WWI: 2nd battle of Ypres
• WWI: Loos
• WWI: Mount Sorrel
• WWI: Somme (1916)
• WWI: Hindenburg Line
• WWI: Arras
• WWI: 3rd battle of Ypres
• WWI: 1st battle of the Somme (1918)
• WWI: Advance in Flanders
• WWI: Vittorio Veneto
• WWII: Invasion of Italy

Websites:

• Wikipedia: King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
• Origins and development of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
• King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry museum

Reading materials:

If you are interested in your genealogy, why not find out about your family tree here or take a look at our packages.