74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot

Below is some genealogy information on the 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot of the British army that may help searches for military ancestors.

Description: Formed in 1787 as Campbell's Highlanders. They saw action in the Napoleonic war, fighting in the Peninsular Wars. In 1845 they were renamed the 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot. In 1852 they were aboard the HMS Birkenhead when she struck rocks off Gansbaai, South Africa. Women and children were evacuated but there were not enough lifeboats. The soldiers remained on deck whilst the ship was ripped apart to avoid swamping the other lifeboats. Those that did not drown attempted to swim the 2 miles to shore. Unfortunately it was through waters infested with Great White sharks and many were taken in this way with others too tired to make it. Only 193 men survived from 643. In 1881 they formed the Highland Light Infantry after amalgamating with the 71st (Highland) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry). They saw action in the Boer Wars, fighting at Modder River, Magersfontein and Paardenburg. During the First World War they fought across the Western, Turkish, and Middle-Eastern fronts at battles such as Mons, Marne, Aisne, the Ludendorff Offensive, the 1st battle of Ypres, Festubert, Loos, the Somme (1916), the Hindenburg Line, Arras, Cambrai, Passchendaele, the 1st battle of the Somme (1918), the 2nd battle of the Somme (1918), Selle, the advance in Flanders and Gallipoli. During the Second World War they fought across the Western, Greek and Italian fronts at battles such as the invasion of Italy. In 1959 they were amalgamated with the Royal Scots Fusiliers (21st), forming the Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's Own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment). Their nickname is The Glesca Keelies or Hell's Last Issue.

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