Page:Historical records of the 40th (2nd Somersetshire) regiment.djvu/27

 HISTORICAL RECORDS 40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot, THE PRINCE OF WALES’S VOLUNTEERS, (SOUTH LANCASHIRE REGIMENT).

CHAPTER I. 1717-51.

1717. Formation of the Regiment. EW regiments have had a more varied career in all parts of the world than the Old Fortieth Foot—the “Fighting Fortieth”—familiarly known as “The Excellers” (XL-ers).

The Regiment dates its origin from the year 1717—the third year of the reign of King George the First.

At this period there were four independent companies of Foot serving at Annapolis Royal—then the name of the new settlement of Nova Scotia,—and four independent companies at Placentia, in the island of Newfoundland.

From these eight companies the was formed on, 1717, under the command of Colonel Richard