| 85th Regiment of Foot (Royal Volunteers) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1759–1763 |
| Country |  Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1800) |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel of the Regiment | Col.John Craufurd[citation needed] |
The 85th Regiment of Foot (Royal Volunteers) was a short-livedBritish Army regiment during theSeven Years' War. It was recruited atShrewsbury in 1759 as the first full regiment oflight infantry in the British Army and originally intended for service in the North American campaign of the war (French and Indian War).[1] The unit was raised in 1759 byWilliam Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath.[2] His sonWilliam Pulteney, Viscount Pulteney served as the unit'slieutenant-colonel from its foundation[2] until his 1763 death by afever inMadrid.[3]
The unit took part in theCapture of Belle Île in February 1761[2], before being sent to Portugal in 1762. The regiment returned home to be disbanded the following year after theTreaty of Paris (1763) as part of a general demobilisation.[4]
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The Colonel of the Regiment throughout its life was ColonelJohn Craufurd, who was afterwards made Colonel of theBuffs (Royal East Kent Regiment).[relevant? –discuss]