[2] The regiment went to Holland in February 1689 for service in the Nine Years' War and fought at the Battle of Walcourt in August 1689[5] before returning home in 1690.
[9] The regiment took part in an expedition which captured the town of Rota in Spain in spring 1702[10] and then saw action at the Battle of Vigo Bay in October 1702 during the War of the Spanish Succession.
In the face of the American invasion of Canada in 1775/76, the 80 man garrison of Fort Chambly attempted to resist a 400-man Rebel force but ultimately had to surrender, losing its regimental colours as a result.
During the British evacuation back to New York City, the regiment participated in a diversionary raid in the days leading up to the Battle of Monmouth in June 1778.
They were then mounted and sent to join Charles Cornwallis's Army as it advanced towards Charlotte, North Carolina in early September 1780.
The 7th, mounted on horses, along with two regiments of Loyalist militia, cleared the region north of Georgetown, South Carolina of partisans while en route.
The Royal Fusiliers turned the horses over to Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton's British Legion upon uniting with Cornwallis in late September and then served as the Army's rearguard.
[17] Between October 1780 and early January 1781, the regiment, having lost about one third of its officers and men to sickness and disease, protected the communication and supply lines between Camden and Winnsboro, South Carolina.
[18] The Royal Fusiliers were on the left of the line of battle: Tarleton was defeated and the regiment's colours were once again captured, stored in the baggage wagons.
[35] It returned to England later that year[36] before embarking for Canada and seeing action at the capture of Fort Bowyer in February 1815 during the War of 1812.
From 1888 'til 1901, it was posted to various locations in India, including Poona, Karachi (now in Pakistan), Mhow, Nusseerabad, Bombay, Quetta, Bengal, Neemuch, and Nusserabad.
[39] The newly re-formed 2nd battalion, which had been at Preston, embarked for Gibraltar on 27 May 1858 (the Depot at this point was at Chatham, moving to Walmer).
[2][41][42] The regiment was now organised into the following:[43][44][45] Regulars Militia Volunteer Infantry In 1901 the 1st Battalion moved from India to Mandalay, Burma.
[47] The battalion, which had previously been stationed the Curragh in Ireland, embarked for South Africa on the 22 October 1899, and served there throughout the war, which ended with the Peace of Vereeniging in June 1902.
It was subsequently posted to the Bermuda Garrison, with 16 officers, 1 warrant officer, and 937 NCOs and men arriving at the Imperial fortress of Bermuda under Lieutenant-Colonel R. B. Gaisford, CMG, from Egypt aboard the SS Dunera, and Majors CJ Stanton, FMF Scoones, Lieutenant F. Moore, and Second-Lieutenant GE Hawes arriving aboard the SS Dominion, in the week ending Saturday, 5 December 1903. the battalion replaced the Royal Warwickshire Regiment at Boaz Island, and departed Bermuda again for Cape Town, South Africa, aboard the HMT Soudan on the 18 December 1905 (minus Private David FW Dobson, absent without leave).
[52] A 4th regular battalion was formed on 31 February 1900 at Dover,[2][53] and received colours from the Prince of Wales (Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment) in July 1902.
[57] The 2nd Battalion landed at Gallipoli as part of the 86th Brigade in the 29th Division in April 1915; after being evacuated in December 1915, it moved to Egypt in March 1916 and then landed in Marseille in March 1916 for service on the Western Front;[55][56] major engagements involving the battalion included the Battle of the Somme in autumn 1916 and the Battle of Arras in spring 1917.
[57] Members of the Battalion won the first two Victoria Crosses of the war near Mons in August 1914 (Lieutenant Maurice Dease[58] and Private Sidney Godley).
[56] The 32nd (Service) Battalion, which was recruited from the citizens of East Ham, also landed in France and saw action on the Western Front as part of the 124th Brigade of the 41st Division.
[56] The 38th through 42nd Battalions of the regiment served as the Jewish Legion[62] in Palestine; many of its surviving members went on to be part of the founding of the State of Israel in 1948.
The understrength 45th Battalion was composed mainly of former members of the Australian Imperial Force – many of them veterans of the Western Front – who had volunteered for service in Russia.
[2][72][73] In August 1952, the regiment, now reduced to a single Regular battalion, served in the Korean War as part of the 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade.
A 19-year-old Michael Caine served with the battalion during the conflict; on several occasions his unit had to defend itself from Chinese human wave attacks.
It also represents World War One soldiers of six London Regiment battalions (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 29th and 30th) which had been attached to the Royal Fusiliers prior to 1908.