1803 - War breaks out with
France again. Colonel-Commandant Henry Fletcher dies on St.
Patrick's Day, after 48 years of service in the 35th. 35th
remains stationed in Malta.
1804 - Col. Lennox, who had
been recruiting largely from Sussex, gets permission for the 35th to
change its name from 'The Dorsetshire Regiment" to the "Sussex
Regiment" which had been the name of the 25th Regiment of Foot prior.
Napoleon crowns himself Napoleon I, Emperor of the
1805 - To counter the French
threat, the 2nd Battalion of the 35th is raised again and filled with
volunteers from the Militia. It is commanded by Brevet Lt.
Col. Petit and Brevet Major Bunbury. 1/35th lands in Naples
on November 20th along with other British units and 14,000 Russians.
1806 - French fleet arrives in
Naples, forcing allied withdrawal in January. 1/35th
garrisons the fortress at Melazzo in southern Italy. British
force advances on Maida on July 4 with Italian reinforcements.
French army is defeated with 700 casualties to the British
losses of 45 KIA and 282 wounded. After a short, brilliant
campaign, the regiment is quartered in Melazzo again. 2/35th
under Maj. Lorenzo Moore joins the 1/35th at Melazzo from
England. Both battalions occupy the citadel of Messina to
defend passage to Sicily.
1807 - Britain
declares war on Turkey. 1/35 and 2/35th part of the
2nd Brigade under Col. Oswald and leaves Messina for Alexandria, Egypt.
Allied forces advance on El-Hamet, where they are routed by
overwhelming superior numbers. "...on my recovery, found the
enemy in the square, engaged in a fierce contest with about a dozen
soldiers of the 35th and 78th Regiments, who had obstinately refused to
delivery up their arms, and who were eventually slain," describes Capt.
Macalister of the 35th. All wounded are taken prisoner by the
Turks and most die shortly thereafter, following brutal treatment.
Remaining prisoners are exchanged in Cairo in September.
British withdraw after a few abortive attempts at other
positions back to Sicily. 35th returns to Melazzo.
1808 - Intense skirmishing
along the southern Italian regions. 2/35th returns to
1809 - British expedition
advances on Fortress Procida, which capitulates without a shot.
2/35th embarks for Holland and takes Flushing.
Fever devastates British army, killing 8,000.
British force returns to England on Christmas.
Meanwhile, 1/35th under Lorenzo Moore part of the Ionian
Island campaign, captures and garrisons Cephalonia and
receives the thanks of His Majesty.
1810 - Ionian campaign
continues, 35th Foot captures Santa Maura with Italian and Greek
allies. Lt. Col. Oswald receives awards and thanks from
Zante, Cephalonia, Ithaca, and Santa Maura for liberating them from the
1811 - Oswald retires, regiment
remains in garrison.
1812 - Capt. Henry Rutherford
of the 35th leads a company with some marines against the French at
Cape Ceste in the Adriatic Sea. The Island of Lissa falls in
April, expedition returns to Zante.
1813 - 1/35th liberates most of
the Adriatic and the British join the Austrians in ousting the French
from northern Italy from Fiume to Genoa. 2/35th part of
British expedition to the Netherlands again, lands at Bergen-Op-Zoom.
1814 - Allies capture
Antwerp in Holland. British attempt to take
Bergen-Op-Zoom, but it is a disaster, 35th covers the British retreat.
Skirmishing continues until April, when Napoleon
abdicates and is exiled to Elba. British leave
Sicily and the 1/35th occupies Corfu, Albania.
1815 - Napoleon
returns to France and begins the 100 Days Campaign.
British forces in the Netherlands scramble to reassemble.
General Lennox (35th) is placed in command of the British
reserve at Hal. Battle of Waterloo defeats
Napoleon once and for all. He is exiled to St. Helena, where
he remains for the rest of his life. British forces
occupy France, 2/35th retires to England, then to Ireland.
1/35th remains in the Ionian Islands before returning the