British 80th Regiment of Foot

By Crusader1307

Formed in 1793, the (1) Battalion of The 80th Regiment of Foot (Infantry) - was a long serving British Force which saw extensive Service in The French Revolutionary Wars (early Napoleonic). Having distinguished themselves against The French in Egypt, The 80th would go on to serve in various non-traditional roles, to include Law Enforcement, as the principle Military Unit assigned to escort British prisoners to Australia. They would become more well known during The Anglo-Zulu Wars of the late 1870s, with several companies attached to the disasterous deployment to South Africa - at the Battle of Isandlhwana (1879).

Later, elements of The 80ths would be instrumental in the fianl campaign of that War, in particular, The Battle of Ulundi (July, 1979). They helped to capture The Zulu King, Chetwayo - thus forcing The Zulu's to surrender and ending the War.The Regiment would eventually be returned to England in the 1880s when it fell into The Childers Reform, which absorbed many active Units into compeletly ''new'' Regiments, thus losing their initial identity. Becoming part fo The Staffordshir Regiment, this ''form'' of the Regiment would last until after World War I. Several Victorian Crosses (the highest military service award awarded in Britain for gallantry under enemy fire) - were awarded.