About Us

The 32nd Cornwall Regiment of foot

1808-1815

Eastnor Castle Aug 08

(Some of the regiment at Bodmin Regimental Museum June 2008)

Due to the lack of relevant groups in the west of England a group of enthusiasts of the period decided to get together and form the 32nd Cornwall Regiment of Foot
The regiment has a history of service in the peninsula and Walcharen as well as Quatre Bras and Waterloo.
The 32nd landed in Portugal in time to take part in the battles of Vimiero & Rolica they guarded what baggage could be saved in the retreat to Coruna before taking part in the battle where General Moore sadly lost his life
Led by Ensign Newton the regiment created the Forlorn Hope which went into the breach at Salamanca before the more famous battle where the unfortunate Ensign lost his life
They took part in the major conflicts right into France including the battle of Waterloo, renowned for their Death Howl the 32nd Cornwall took 647 men of all ranks into battle, at the end of the days hostilities there were 131 men left standing, they suffered the greatest loss of any regiment on that day and yet they have never received the fame that is given to brother regiments, something we hope to change.
For us the decision to join the Napoleonic Association was taken at the very beginning of forming the regiment in order to get advice and assistance with the crucial kitting out stage
Recruiting has taken off at a gallop with people contacting us daily offering help or wishing to join either the rank and file or our new Pemberley Ladies group a slightly more refined group enjoying correct hobbies of regency ladies. Our first non social outing of this season was at La Coruna in Spain where we laid a wreath to Gen Moore and the hospitality was overwhelming and exhausting.
The Regiment also took part in the reenactment of the battle for the bridge at Burgo, but the highlight of the visit was greeting the brave walkers that managed to cover the same route as General Moores army.
We also managed to visit several battlefields in Portugal
We have had a memorial service for our Ensign at Veryan Church in February and the Padre Rev Stephen Fletcher gave a very moving service where he also blessed our new colours

We had real trouble reproducing the very distinctive lace for the Cornish Regiments soldiers uniforms but managed to find a supplier on our doorstep in Plymouth at a very reasonable price. So once that problem was solved it was full steam ahead producing uniforms for those new recruits waiting in the wings.

So as well as shooting at each other we are hoping to develop a regiment that has something for everyone, whether it is an interest in Regency literature, the Napoleonic period, military history or just socialising as a group partial to a glass or two but not dominated by it. Guided by a historically knowledgeable 2 I/C Captain Clive Symonds our CO Trevor Jones has equipped and encouraged the creation of a very active regiment

God Save King George

Pictons memorial at Waterloo

It was men of the 32nd that carried Gen Picton from the battlefield

Taking General Moore from the Battlefield of Corunna

Timeline of 32nd (Cornwall) Regiment of foot
1807 - 32nd at Portsmouth, Expediton to Copenhagen, Gosport.
1808 - 32nd at Gibraltar, Sicily, Cadiz. Landed at Mondego Bay in Portugal. Rolica - 17th August, Vimiera - 21st August.
1809 - 32nd at Corunna - 16th February then returned to England. Walcheren Expedition.

1810 - 32nd at Portsmouth, Hailsham, Bexhill, Guernsey.

1811 - 32nd at Lisbon. Joined Wellington's Army.

1812 - 32nd at Salamanca - 22nd July. Siege of Burgos. Retreat on Portugal. 1813- 32nd in Advance through Spain. At Pyrenees - 28th July, Nivelle - 10th November, Nive - 12th December.

1814 - 32nd at Orthes - 27th February. Peninsula. Bordeaux. Ireland. Middleton. Fermoy. Cork..
1815 - 32nd at Netherlands. Brussels. Quartre Bras - 16th June and Waterloo - 18th June. The 32nd, under Lieutenant-Colonel John Hicks, were placed in General James Kempt's Brigade in Sir Thomas Picton's Fifth Division. Paris

We are affiliated to the 42nd Black Watch Regiment and often display

with them

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