Shropshire Light Infantry, The King's

British regiment, formerly the 53rd and 85th Foot. The 53rd (1st Battalion), raised in 1755, served in Gibraltar, Canada, and in 1793 under the Duke of York in Flanders. Under Wellington it served in the Peninsular War, and went to St Helena, where it gained great praise from Napoleon as a model regiment. It took part in the Sikh War in India (1844) and in the Indian Mutiny. The 85th (2nd Battalion), raised in 1794 by Field Marshall Sir George Nugent, was called 'Bucks Volunteers', having been recruited largely in Buckinghamshire. The regiment was in the Peninsular, and later participated in the battle of Bladensburg and the capture of Washington. Further honours were gained in Afghanistan and South Africa. These regiments linked in 1881 to form the Shropshire Light Infantry. During the First World War 13 battalions were raised, which served in France, Flanders, Macedonia, and Palestine. In the Second World War the regiment served in northwestern Europe, North Africa, and Italy. The 1st Battalion served in the 28th infantry brigade of the Commonwealth division in Korea. In July 1958 the regiment was amalgamated with three other regiments to form The Light Infantry.

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