Flags of French Irish Infantry Regiment Bulkeley

These are the flags of Bulkeley from 1733-1775:

Bulkeley was another Irish emigré unit that entered French service in 1690.  As with so many French regiments there were various changes of name throughout its history, usually reflecting the name of a new colonel. It was Bulkeley from 1733 to 1775 when the regiment was amalgamated with Dillon.

For the first years of the Seven Years War Bulkeley was guarding the coasts. The regiment was sent in 1760 under the command of the chevalier de Jerningham, Charles Louis de Barfort, to join the army of Germany and it was at the combats of Corbach and Warburg. It was very distinguished in the defence of Marburg the 14th February 1761, where, according to Susane "it repulsed three attacks by the enemy, killed their commander General Breidembach and seven other officers, and took three cannons". In July it was in the battle of Vellinghausen "where the Irish captured the village and the redoubt of Schedingen". Its last act in the war was taking part in the attack on the castle of Sabbaborg. After the peace of 1763 the regiment was in garrison at Bouchain and it absorbed the remainder of the regiment of Royal-Écossais by an order of 21st December 1762.

These flags are the same as those carried by Dillon from 1690-1730.

And this is the uniform at the beginning of the Seven Years War:

This is the last French Irish regiment for now and next it's back to Prussians.

Flags of French Irish Infantry Regiment Clare

These are the flags carried from 1691-1775 (when Clare was absorbed into the Irish regiment Berwick):

Clare was another Irish emigré unit that entered French service in 1690.  As with so many French regiments there were various changes of name throughout its history, usually reflecting the name of a new colonel.

For the first years of the SYW Clare was guarding the coasts of Normandy with its quarters at Valognes. On the 7th August 1758 "it made glorious if ineffectual efforts, with the Liege regiment Horion, opposing the landing of a corps of 10,000 English [i.e. British], which seized Cherbourg" (my translation from Susane, Histoire de l'ancienne infanterie française, Volume 7). It was this attack which made France aware of the importance of this part of the coast, and led to the transformation of Cherbourg into one of its most redoubtable war ports (again, according to Susane).

Clare's single battalion was sent in 1760 to join the army of Germany and performed well at the combats of Corbach and Warburg. It contributed to the defence of Marburg in 1761 and fought bravely at Vellinghausen. It took part in the camp of Dunkirk in 1762 and on 21st December of that year incorporated the remains of the Scottish regiment of Ogilvy which had been raised in 1747.

At the peace of 1763 it went into garrison at Valenciennes, then Gravelines in May 1763.

And this is the uniform at the beginning of the Seven Years War (there were changes in 1758 with, for example, the addition of yellow lapels):

Flags of French Irish Infantry Regiment Dillon

I promised some of the French Irish flags a long time ago but here are some at last, those of the regiment Dillon, as carried from 1739-1791:

First raised 1690 from Irish refugees from the campaign in Ireland. In the Irish Brigade in Germany from 1757-1762, according to Susanne's History. Distinguished in the defence of Marbourg February 1761 and at the battle of Vellinghausen July 16th 1761. In various garrisons in France after the war ended.

And here is the uniform during the Seven Years War:

(I shall post the flags of Clare and Bulkeley soon; they followed the same pattern but with different colours. I shall eventually post the flags of all the French Irish units at the time of the Seven Years War.)