The Royal Leicestershire. 17th. Regiment of Foot.

The troublous days that marked the closing period of the reign of King James II saw the birth of The Royal Leicestershire Regiment.

 On July 11, 1725, the regiment embarked for Minorca, arriving by the 14^th of August. The regiment remained on duty at the island until 1749, lending aid to the garrison of Gibraltar during its siege in 1727. 

Richard Montgomery irish-born soldier who served in the British Army. When the American Revolutionary War broke out, Montgomery took up the Revolutionary cause, and was elected to the New York Provincial Congress in May 1775

In 1732, Whightman’s mustered 19 officers, 4 staff, 30 sergeants, 30 corporals, 20 drummers and 441 private men. By virtue of a Royal Warrant for June 12th, 1739, the regiment was augmented by ten men per company, bringing the establishment strength up by one hundred. Each company then consisted of three sergeants, three corporals, two drummers, and 70 privates. The regiment sailed for Ireland in 1749, landing at Cork on October 5th. From then until 1757, the regiment served at various duty posts throughout Ireland. On 1^st July, 1757, a Royal Warrant officially assigned the numerical designation “17” to the regiment.

 St. George Chapel at Leicester Cathedral

The chapel, enclosed by a carved wooden screen, was reconstructed in 1921 and contains memorials to the men of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment. All recorded and all remembered. 

 Website of the Museum of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment at Leicester. 

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